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Li Hao had not anticipated that a single clash would lead their opponents to mistake them for beings from the past. The Lord of Order! In the bygone days, there had actually been a Lord of Order—one who established the Nine Heavens. Unfortunately, he had not fully succeeded; before establishing complete order, he had been besieged and killed. At this moment, the group of ninth-rank cultivators seemed shaken. Right then, the Lord of Tianfang barked in a deep voice, "Calm yourselves! This is not Order. Order is dead, and in that era, there was no Time!" Only then did the crowd quiet down slightly. Yes, there had been no Time in that era! How could they be people from the past? Could it be... a successor of Order? Had Order left behind an inheritor? Or had a latecomer cultivated the Dao of Order anew? Did this group hail from the future? At this moment, the Lord of Tribulation wore a cold expression as he looked toward Li Hao in the void. His temper was considered fiery among the ninth-rank Sovereigns—naturally so, for how could anyone who brought tribulation possess a gentle demeanor? Li Hao’s swing of the Sword of Order had shattered all the tribulation thunder giants in a single blow, frustrating the Lord of Tribulation. Yet hearing that this person was not Order brought him a measure of relief. If it truly were Order... he would clearly be no match. Order was an exceptionally ancient ninth-rank powerhouse of Chaos who had sought to forge the Nine Heavens. In a Chaos so vast and teeming with ninth-rank figures, someone had dared to construct the Nine Heavens to bring order to the entire expanse. Whether such a being was terrifyingly powerful was obvious at a glance. Since this was not him... Then there was nothing to fear! Even though these visitors to Tianfang possessed formidable backgrounds, and some even commanded terrifying Time, as a ninth-rank Sovereign, Tribulation had no reason to fear a handful of beings beneath the ninth rank. "A successor of Order, a cultivator of Time, a dragon Sovereign? And... what else!" At that instant, the Lord of Tribulation suddenly soared into the air, abandoning his control over the thunder tribulations and striding across the void. Some of the other ninth-rank powerhouses considered stepping in, but after hesitating, they chose to watch. This was a battle for a ninth-rank's dignity. Having clashed with visitors from the future without gaining the upper hand, the Lord of Tribulation might direct his fury at anyone who interfered now. The Lord of Tianfang had intended to say a few more words, but seeing this unfold, he held his tongue. This group seemed to have come seeking him. Now, Tribulation was taking the brunt of it. It was a favor to Tianfang, but it might also disrupt some of his opportunities. Ah, so be it! ... In the void. Li Hao already felt this trip had been worthwhile, even without crossing swords with Tianfang or exchanging a single word. Coming here had paid off! First, the Nine Heavens had been founded by the Lord of Order, who was killed by a cabal of ninth-rank powerhouses. Perhaps they were unwilling to accept an established order, or perhaps Order had pursued universal unification just like Huntian and was slain for it! Second, the Daos of the ninth rank were brimming with spirit. Spirit was the crux of reaching the ninth rank. In ancient times, Chaos possessed an abundance of spirit, but these ninth-rank Sovereigns had merged their Daos with the Chaotic Great Dao and siphoned away colossal amounts of it, causing the spirit of Chaos to wither completely. That might well be tied to Long Zhan. Among the five of them, two likely harbored vendettas against these ninth-rank figures. Both of them sought to build their own unified dynasties. One wished to establish order, while the other sought to defy fate for his race. It was truly fascinating. On those points alone, the trip was a success! Yet it fell slightly short. Li Hao mused inwardly. He had not seen Tianfang take action. He wanted to witness Tianfang’s Dao—his true Dao, not just the reflections within Dao Chess. Seeing the enraged Lord of Tribulation reemerge in his true form and charge directly at him, Li Hao frowned slightly. *You are an outsider here in Tianfang—why are you sticking your nose in?* *Your relationship with Tianfang must be remarkably close. Under ordinary circumstances, people who are merely casual acquaintances wouldn't step forward like this.* *Just like earlier, only Tianfang’s own subordinates stepped forward.* *For you, the Lord of Tribulation, to meddle like this is somewhat beneath your station.* In the void, a lightning spear materialized in the Lord of Tribulation's hand. As it appeared, the surrounding space seemed to collapse, drawing countless disasters toward it. Mountains crumbled and the earth fractured, seas dried up and rocks eroded, worlds collapsed, and plagues spread... A miasma of tribulation surged outward. Only now did the Lord of Tribulation seem to grow truly serious, his voice icy. "You are mere eighth-rank cultivators. Perhaps you are formidable in the future era, or perhaps that era no longer has ninth ranks, or perhaps... we are no longer present in your time! Thus, you may not understand that the ninth rank... is not something you few can rival!" "Today... behold what a true ninth rank is!" With those words, the spear thrust forward! With this strike, the void appeared to collapse. Boundless Dao power surged, and Great Daos roared like dragons, coming alive as the surrounding space suddenly turned into a cage! He intended to seal Li Hao’s river and execute him on the spot. The spear was the Dao of Tribulation itself, exceedingly sharp and overwhelmingly powerful. Just as Li Hao prepared to wield the Sword of Time, the Human King barked in his mind, "Let me!" The others had each displayed their brilliance to some degree. He, as domineering as he was, had yet to truly show off. Instantly, countless thoughts flashed through Li Hao’s mind. In a flash, a world materialized in the surroundings—a Xinwu manifestation, the manifestation of a world! It was also the foundation of the Human King's inner world. Countless figures appeared, every one of them the Human King. At that moment, myriad figures bowed toward the true self—the true self is the Dao, and I am the progenitor of the Dao! The surroundings seemed to transform into the Xinwu World. As Li Hao's sword thrust forth, the ten thousand figures converged in an instant: the Dao is me! *Boom!* The spear halted. In the next breath, Li Hao closed the distance to the spear and threw a punch—within a square inch, the Human King was invincible... or so the Human King claimed. Like ten thousand Buddhas paying homage to the progenitor, countless afterimages gripped the spear as if seizing a dragon of the Great Dao. Li Hao’s blood vitality soared to the heavens with ruthless ferocity. With a sharp crack, imprints were gouged into the Great Dao spear, causing the Dao to roar! The Dao of Tribulation was howling wildly! Close-quarters combat! Enraged, the Lord of Tribulation pressed the spear forward with relentless force, attempting to crush Li Hao. Simultaneously, a sound resembling a child's laughter echoed across the void, and Li Hao's gaze shifted again! Suddenly, his body ignited, and the years washed over him! The spear ahead seemed to wither and decline into silence. A cicada's chirp issued from Li Hao's lips. As the years withered and thrived, everything around them seemed to perish instantly. Even Li Hao himself was snuffed out, reducing everything to ashes in a breath! Li Hao had dissolved into ash, and a section of the spear had withered away. The Lord of Tribulation's expression changed drastically! The Dao of Withering and Thriving? How could it be so strong? And after the opponent withered himself away... in just an instant, like a withered tree blooming in spring or a phoenix rising from the ashes, Li Hao’s figure rematerialized. The voice of Hegemon Chunqiu echoed in his mind: "I have withered and perished for eight hundred thousand years. Let him kill me eight hundred thousand times!" *Otherwise, I am immortal and indestructible!* Li Hao clicked his tongue inwardly. Was that true? Of course, he realized the truth in the next instant. *What bragging!* he cursed silently. A single cycle of perishing had consumed thirty percent of his power. Bragging aside, it was undeniably terrifying! One would have to kill Chunqiu three or four times to truly slay her! She could instantly wither and return to spring! It seemed even more formidable than the Dao of Life and Death. By then, a section of the Dao of Tribulation had been withered away, infuriating the Lord of Tribulation and wounding the root of his Great Dao. He had never expected this opponent to wield so many methods—and such venomous ones at that! "Courting death!" The partially withered spear continued forward undeterred. While the other cultivators had each displayed their formidable Daos, Li Hao himself remained the one steering his body. Taking a deep breath, Li Hao caused heaven and earth to spin. The domain river emerged, and Great Daos coiled. Countless Dao domains manifested instantly, with the four powerhouses holding down the four directions. In that moment, Li Hao suddenly swung his sword downward—not toward Tribulation, but toward the void of Chaos, striking at the Chaotic Great Dao itself. "Open!" This was the first time he had spoken aloud. His voice boomed like a great bell, reverberating through heaven and earth and shaking the four quarters. That sword strike resembled the dawn of time; with a colossal roar, it slashed into the Chaotic Great Dao. Time fluctuated once more, as if he intended to open up Chaos and forge a new heaven and earth right here! *Rumble!* The entire Chaotic Great Dao trembled, and boundless spirit spilled out wildly. The Dao of Tribulation before him quivered. Below, the ninth-rank Sovereigns froze in astonishment before flying into a furious rage. Even Tianfang frowned slightly and vanished. As if heaven and earth had been cleaved apart, the space Li Hao occupied was completely isolated in an instant. Tianfang swiftly mended the rift left by the strike against the Chaotic Great Dao. Frowning, he looked toward Li Hao and said calmly, "Does Fellow Daoist hail from a later era? No matter where you come from, why damage the Chaotic Great Dao? It is the origin of Chaos and the wellspring of life... the very bedrock of Chaos. Even if one were to reopen Chaos, it would still rely upon the Chaotic Great Dao. How can you damage it so recklessly?" He did not appear overbearing, yet displeasure laced his tone. Li Hao’s sword strike had manifested Time. Ordinarily, it could not harm the Chaotic Great Dao, but Time seemed intertwined with Chaos, allowing it to inflict damage in that fleeting moment. Li Hao felt deeply satisfied! *As expected!* He had long suspected that if Chaos possessed a source of life, it had to be tied to the Chaotic Great Dao. Back in his own era, he had not dared to test it lightly, but here, it mattered little. It truly was there! A single sword strike had shaken Chaos and compelled Tianfang to intervene. Li Hao knew that if he didn't flee now, things would get ugly. Yet the Lord of Tribulation before him seemed unwilling to let it go, looking thoroughly incensed... Li Hao let out a soft chuckle. *You guest, you really stick your nose where it doesn't belong.* *Tribulation?* *Conveniently, I shall test my own tribulation against yours!* Suddenly, a divine character surfaced. In a flash, the Time Star surged into it, accompanied by the four powerhouses. A fierce tiger took dominance, unleashing an explosive surge of fury as the power of ultimate desire manifested. Desire! Instantly, a peculiar power appeared before the Lord of Tribulation: absolute desire. In that moment, several of the paths composing his Dao of Tribulation snapped! He froze. *How can this be?* Even if this person cultivated tribulation, every individual walked their own path; even within the same Dao, no two were identical... Yet now... He suddenly understood! "Your tribulation..." he roared. His tribulation originated from him! *Could it be?* *Is he my disciple?* *Impossible!* *Who is this person?* Li Hao's Dao of Tribulation was identical to his own, not forged independently but inherited... which meant they were the exact same. Tribulation had assumed they were different! In that split second, parts of his Dao shattered. An intense fury, stoked by the Dao of Desire, consumed him with uncontrollable rage. For an instant, he lost his composure. A ninth-rank cultivator should never have succumbed to this, but Li Hao's Dao of Desire was far from weak. Combined with the disruption to his Dao of Tribulation, a sword thrust forth in that fraction of a second! With a sharp crack, the spear shattered! The blade stabbed forward! It pierced straight through his chest. The Lord of Tribulation grunted, his face turning livid. With a ferocious roar, boundless Dao power erupted, shattering the sword with a thunderous blast! Just as he was about to strike again, Li Hao’s voice echoed across the void: "I came to pay my respects to my seniors, and I have seen enough. Time cannot be extinguished; in the future, you will still need me..." At these words, just as Tribulation prepared to attack recklessly, the Lord of Tianfang’s expression shifted, and he barked, "Halt!" The Lord of Tribulation froze, holding back his impending outburst. Li Hao smiled. Time was severely disrupted now. Saying no more, he glanced at Tianfang, then swept his eyes over the surrounding Sovereigns. With a smile, he retreated into the great river! The entire river began to flow backward. The Lord of Tianfang’s expression flickered. The Lord of Tribulation, seething with fury, suddenly threw a punch that unleashed intense tribulation lightning across the surrounding void. He roared in rage, "Bastard! For the rest of my days, whenever Time appears, it shall be struck down! Where Time manifests, my tribulation shall descend!" Words carrying the weight of law! In an instant, rules seemed to embed themselves in the Great Dao of the void; the Daos of the ninth rank all possessed spirit. The Lord of Tianfang frowned slightly. Soon, however, he relaxed. If the cultivator could not even withstand a bit of tribulation power, he was unworthy of wielding Time. The Lord of Tribulation had suffered immense humiliation, so his fury was only natural. ... At the same time. A million years later. The present era. Deep within the Chaos. In the place where myriad Great Daos stood tall, rows of statues snapped open their eyes simultaneously. Memories seemed to surge into everyone’s minds. The Lord of Tribulation barked in a voice like thunder, "So that's how it was!" Only now did those memories appear! Yes, only now. The Lord of Tribulation cursed under his breath, "So that was why... No wonder I tested Time with lightning tribulations back then without reason... I thought..." A heavy solemnity settled over him. He looked into the distance and frowned slightly. "Their Myriad Heavens Dao Arena actually... gathered those individuals together to reverse Time and travel to the past..." Unbelievable! Then, recalling something, he said in a low voice, "Huntian... Order?" All around, Sovereigns chimed in: "Audacious. The second-generation Time cultivator cannot be tamed!" "Utter madness—they dared reverse Time to return to the past!" "Order... Huntian is actually connected to Order!" "Long Zhan may be tied to the spirit of Chaos..." "Chunqiu cultivates the Dao of Withering and Thriving; that is manageable..." Though they had continuously observed Chaos, they had only harbored suspicions before. Today, many things had been confirmed. Among the crowd, a colossal statue’s eyes gleamed with light. After a long pause, he said calmly, "Calm yourselves! Be it Order, Chaos, or disorder... all that we have done is for the Dao, for survival, and for the future of Chaos... Right now, all we need is Time..." "Yet the second-generation Time cultivator is clearly disobedient. Tianfang, the third-generation Time cultivator... must be put on the agenda!" They had actually dared to reverse Time and return to the past. At that moment, the Lord of Tribulation reached out to touch the chest of his stone form, where a faint sword scar seemed to have appeared. In a booming voice, he snarled, "Li Hao learned my Dao of Tribulation, yet used it to wound me!" Fury and annoyance flared within him. His past self had not known, but his present self understood clearly: Li Hao’s Dao of Tribulation came from the Thunder Domain, which traced back to him. To think he used that very Dao to injure him! The Lord of Tianfang remained silent for a moment before looking into the distance and murmuring, "Reversing spacetime... what audacity! To think the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena truly brought them together, and that they actually joined hands..." This had exceeded their expectations. The cultivators of this era possessed genuine daring. *Yet did you truly think we would remain unaware if you reversed Time?* Because it touched upon the past, new memories were added to their minds as well. Even if it did not alter the overarching situation, it had indeed etched that encounter into the ninth-rank Sovereigns' memories. One could well imagine the terror of Time. Of course, it was limited to this; the broader trajectory would remain unaffected. Long before they could alter anything substantial, they would be drained to death by Time itself. The Lord of Tianfang was silent for a moment before speaking. "Tianfang is about to make its formal return! However, Long Zhan occupies the Tianfang Great World... In the past, that would not have mattered, but now, I fear unexpected complications..." Long Zhan occupying Tianfang was not terrifying in itself. What made him uneasy was that these figures had joined forces today. Might that lead to unexpected variables? They were too close! Especially the Human King of Xinwu and Li Hao of Silver Moon, the second-generation Time cultivator. These people were situated far too close to the Four Regions. "Doesn't the second-generation Time cultivator owe you a favor?" someone said solemnly. "If a debt of Time goes unpaid... it will surely bring him misfortune, and he should know that well! Whatever is borrowed must be repaid..." In that case, they might as well exploit it. The Lord of Tianfang said nothing more, merely glancing at the Lord of Tribulation. This time, he might need the Thunder Domain's assistance. The Lord of Tribulation still wore an unsightly scowl. After a moment, as if realizing something, he looked at Tianfang and said gravely, "Rest assured. When Tianfang returns, the Thunder Domain will take action to seal it off, preventing outsiders from entering!" Hearing this, Tianfang nodded slightly. That would suffice. Without outside interference, Long Zhan alone could not stir up much trouble. These people had delivered a few surprises, yet everything remained within their grasp. Another voice asked, "What about Order and Huntian?" "No need to worry about him for now! He cannot establish a new order; Chunqiu and the others won't allow it. Thus... he will not become a second Order!" The crowd nodded in agreement. Chaos could no longer be unified under a single banner. Huntian’s path was a dead end! ... Meanwhile. The five traversed Time, rapidly returning to the present. Li Hao’s face was pale, and the spiritual bodies of the others were exceedingly unstable. At that moment, Li Hao suddenly said, "They now know a bit about our situation... though we also learned something about theirs. Going forward... there will likely be trouble." None of them spoke; they had prepared for this before embarking. Huntian said calmly, "No need to worry. They cannot return; if they could, they would have done so long ago! The spirit within Chaos is insufficient to sustain their formidable Daos. Even if they truly return... their Daos will be unstable and their spirit depleted. In truth, their strength would be on par with mine at most!" Having learned much from this journey, he felt it had been well worth it. What did it matter if a few secrets were exposed? Worrying excessively would only breed greater danger. Li Hao nodded in understanding. He glanced at Long Zhan... This sudden journey to Tianfang meant that the return of Tianfang would likely happen in the coming days. This time, there would probably be no accidents; the Lord of Tianfang would certainly return. Just as he was pondering this, his expression shifted. Surging waves abruptly churned along the return path ahead! Faintly, someone seemed to be riding the wind and cleaving the waves toward them. The others were surprised as well. Li Hao’s expression flickered, and he peered into the distance. There, a young man vaguely materialized, his outline indistinct. On the previous two occasions, Li Hao had been the one to seek him out. Yet today... the youth had come looking for him, reversing Time to return to the past? Realizing this, Li Hao was stunned. *We just reversed Time to visit the past—why have you come as well?* The faintly visible youth also looked toward the end of the river and spotted the shadowy figures, his gaze locking onto Li Hao instantly. Sure enough, the Lord of Time was reversing Time within the river! Only by seizing this moment of fluctuating spacetime had he found the opportunity to travel to the past. However... there seemed to be more than one person. *Are there enemies?* Countless thoughts surfaced, but he did not know and did not care. Halting his reverse journey, he fixed his eyes on Li Hao, and in the next instant, struck at him with a sword. He uttered not a single word. Li Hao swiftly parried with his sword, and sword qi crisscrossed, colliding above the river. In a split second... Li Hao seemed to grasp the message and raised an eyebrow, while the youth immediately retreated, departing without looking back. The Human King asked, puzzled, "What was that about?" "Someone from the future!" "Tsk tsk!" The Human King chuckled. "We haven't even dealt with the past, and someone from the future shows up... This era is truly interesting. Past, present, and future all converging into one? What did that fellow want to say?" "Telling me to hurry up." Li Hao grasped the meaning, raising an eyebrow with an amused smile. Fascinating! Indeed, that sword strike was blindingly swift, carrying a single message: *Hurry up!* *Hurry up and do what?* *Open up the pseudo-Chaos?* *Does he... want to come out?* Of course, there was no time to dwell on that now. Feeling his condition, Li Hao said hurriedly, "Return at once!" If they lingered any longer, he wouldn't be able to hold out. The gains from this trip were immense! Yet it also brought danger. They were now exposed to the eyes of those ninth-rank powerhouses. Still, it mattered little. Those beings had been observing Chaos from the very beginning, never averting their gaze. ... The group of five swiftly returned. *Boom!* A surge of waves abruptly swept across the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena. The trembling river caused the spiritual bodies of the watching Sovereigns to shiver. At that moment, the phantom of Dao Chess materialized, and when it looked at the five before it, its gaze had completely changed. Yes, they had forgotten one detail. Dao Chess... was also a creation of that era. Thus, Dao Chess had seen and remembered a few things just now. Filled with disbelief, it thought: *These people... actually... returned to a million years ago!* *What utter audacity!* Meanwhile, the surrounding Sovereigns were still in the dark. Right now, they were burning with curiosity: who had claimed first place? Their curiosity gnawed at them, and they yearned to know immediately. Dao Chess was so utterly shaken that it forgot all about the contest. Li Hao, sensing countless gazes upon them, remembered the matter. Before he could speak, the Human King laughed, "Today was just a test of my blade, and I couldn't be bothered to go further. Eight thousand nine hundred ninety-nine squares, barely enough for first place... Li Hao, I'm heading out. We'll catch up later!" "..." "Square 8,999?" "First place?" "The Human King actually took first place? How is that possible!" "..." Many Sovereigns were astonished that the Human King had claimed the top spot. At this moment, Li Hao and the others were rendered speechless. What were they supposed to say? The rest of them possessed some sense of shame... Besides, there was nothing to fight over. That hadn't been anyone's true goal, yet letting such rumors spread wouldn't sound great. Right then, Li Hao took the initiative to speak: "Dao Chess is, after all, only at the eighth rank, so it has its flaws and limitations beyond square 9,000... All of us reached square 8,999. Seniors like the Human King, taking into account my youth, graciously allowed me to arrive a step earlier. At the same Dao square, the seniors demonstrated the magnanimity of overlords, so... I arrived first and may receive some rewards. My thanks to the seniors for their generosity!" Li Hao laughed heartily. "In terms of raw strength, I am naturally inferior to the seniors. This place does not measure sheer might, but merely serves as a platform to discuss the Dao. Unfortunately, Dao Chess is not sufficiently complete to properly reflect anything beyond square 9,000..." In short: *I am young, so everyone let me take first place, and I won!* In truth, it was a draw. The Human King saying he was first wasn't entirely wrong, but he was the second youngest... so by age, he was merely second. No one should overthink it. The wagers belonged to Li Hao! Chunqiu and the others said nothing. They felt too embarrassed to argue, and since Li Hao put it that way... it was close enough to the truth. Huntian did not linger either, chuckling, "This discussion of the Dao has yielded great rewards. Fellow Daoist Haoyue, should the opportunity arise... you are welcome to visit me in the West! The Myriad Heavens Dao Arena is a fine creation; it may also enter my West. I shall certainly open the gates wide for it. As long as it complies with the rules of my Western Huntian... wherever the arena stands will be a sacred ground for discussing the Dao, and no one shall obstruct it!" Hearing this, many were taken aback. Li Hao, however, did not say much. Huntian had specified compliance with his rules... what rules? In truth, it was an offer of incorporation. Li Hao merely smiled. "Thank you for your support, Senior... At present, my strength is lacking. Once I possess sufficient power, I will consider it!" Chunqiu chuckled as well. "If you come to my South, I will support you too... just don't cause trouble! Hehe... Haoyue, we are off. This journey was well worth it!" With that, her phantom vanished. Long Zhan said nothing more and departed directly, though his voice echoed in Li Hao’s ear: "Tianfang is about to return... You now know something of Tianfang's situation. Out of respect for you, I will spare those three! As for the rest... Li Hao, if you come to interfere, I will show no mercy!" One powerhouse after another swiftly departed. Li Hao, however, sighed and called out, "Thank you for your support, Seniors! Dao Lords Huntian and Chunqiu, twenty billion Great Dao crystals each, plus one clone. No rush—delivering them within three months will suffice! Senior Long Zhan, ten billion crystals and one clone... within one month! Senior Human King, ten billion Great Dao crystals... you may write an IOU!" *None of you want to bring it up?* *Then I will!* *Business is business, and personal ties are personal ties; we aren't truly family.* *Everyone should settle their debts properly!* *Why run off so fast?* *Hoping to renege?* *Bah!* *Not a chance!* *I expended an immense amount of energy this time.* *Though the gains were great, I am impoverished. Right now, I might be the poorest among us. I feel embarrassed going around annihilating worlds every day, while you have killed countless people and seized numerous worlds—you might as well spare some support for me.* The ten thousand Sovereigns in the arena were stunned. *Clones as well?* *They raised the stakes?* *These people truly dared to gamble big!* Everyone clicked their tongues in awe. Hadn't this Myriad Heavens Dao Lord struck it rich? Sixty billion Great Dao crystals in one go... the thought alone was staggering. Add several clones on top of that, and it was simply absurd! Then again, these figures were the overlords of Chaos, beings capable of reaching square 8,999—every one of them possessed the potential of the ninth rank... On that note, could Sovereign Huntian not reach square 9,000 either? Or was square 8,999 the limit of Dao Chess? They could not comprehend it, yet were deeply awed! Right then, someone in the crowd grunted in dismay, their face falling in shock. In the next instant, someone roared in fury, "Xinwu is attacking my world..." "..." Li Hao swept his gaze over them and silently cursed. *When did the Supreme and the others slip away?* *Truly...* One had to admit, Xinwu had schemed against everyone once again. *Of course, that has nothing to do with me.* Xinwu aimed to unify the East, and today was indeed the perfect opportunity. That fellow, the Supreme, hadn't even participated in the Dao discussion, clearly harboring other plans. Sure enough, he had run off to raid several great worlds! At this moment, many hearts trembled. Someone could not help but shout, "Dao Lord Haoyue... Xinwu's actions..." Li Hao sighed. "The arena is solely for discussing the Dao. I have no power to interfere in the unification of the heavens. It is not just Xinwu; the Dragon Domain, Huntian, and Chunqiu may all expand next. My Myriad Heavens Dao Arena cannot restrain these overlords!" He added, "Naturally, I will do my best to mediate... Destroying and seizing worlds brings excessive bloodshed, which should be avoided where possible! Alas, my strength is limited. In this discussion of the Dao, the overlords all demonstrated ninth-rank potential and formidable might; there is nothing I can do!" It was the truth. *If they want to vie for hegemony, I cannot stop them.* *Besides, a battle between Huntian and Long Zhan is bound to happen sooner or later, completely unavoidable.* *Coming to me is useless.* Hearing this, countless Sovereigns fell silent and sighed. That was true. Formidable as this youth was, he had only slain Reincarnation, and Reincarnation was clearly no match for those overlords. What could he possibly do? Meanwhile, countless thoughts swirled through Li Hao’s mind. After a long pause, he suddenly said, "Lately... it would be best to steer clear of the Four Regions... The Four Regions may experience turmoil. Tianfang is about to fully revive, and Tianfang may make its return... A great war is unavoidable, for one territory cannot harbor two masters... Even though my Silver Moon and Xinwu both occupy the East, Silver Moon has relinquished the bid for supremacy... Thus, the Four Regions will likely witness a war... Avoid it if you can!" "Thank you for the warning, Dao Lord!" Many Sovereigns stirred inwardly. War was about to break out in the Four Regions again? How terrifying! The return of Tianfang—that was a ninth-rank world of ancient times. Li Hao had merely offered a word of caution; whether they listened was not his concern. He had much on his mind, and this journey had yielded massive gains. The powerhouses merging their Daos into his had granted him profound insights. Be it the Dao of Withering and Thriving, the Dao of Order, the Dao of the physical body, or the concept of myriad Daos serving the self, all were extraordinary Daos that stirred his comprehension. This... might prove to be a tremendous opportunity for Li Hao. Of course, the current Chaos was also about to plunge into far greater turmoil. ... To outsiders, this gathering at the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena was merely a spectacle. Yet to Li Hao and the others, it marked the beginning of monumental upheaval. A storm was brewing! ... The Four Regions. The Tianfang Great World. At this moment, the Tianfang Great World seemed to possess slightly more vitality than before. When Long Zhan returned and glanced at it, his gaze shifted. Tianfang was about to revive. Tianfang possessed numerous eighth-rank cultivators; several had intervened during the clash earlier, and that was a million years ago. Over the long years, those people could not have remained asleep the entire time. They might have participated in wars, or perhaps meditated on the Dao... This time, even more eighth-rank figures might emerge, including the Five Elements Envoys and the Coiling Dragon Envoy of the past, who may have all stepped into the eighth rank. On top of that, Tianfang himself... might descend via a clone. Long Zhan frowned slightly. It might be even more formidable than anticipated. Crucially, Li Hao wanted to protect three of them! That made matters even more troublesome! Looking around at his companions, he saw only a few eighth-rank Sovereigns. While there were several seventh ranks, they paled in comparison to the ancient figures; back then, the Light and Dark Envoys and the Life and Death Envoys had likely commanded four to five thousand Dao principles. As thoughts flashed through his mind, he barked, "Prepare for war!" Prepare for war? The crowd froze. Long Zhan’s voice rang out: "After today, the wars of our Chaos race will be unending! Xinwu and Silver Moon in the East, Huntian in the West, and the imminent arrival of Tianfang... Gentlemen, whether our Chaos race can secure a foothold in Chaos will not be decided with words, but... forged in blood!" "If anyone feels afraid or terrified, you may choose to leave; it is not too late! Those who refuse to leave and are willing to fight to the end must prepare to perish, their Daos extinguished! Myself... included!" Long Zhan’s voice echoed across the four quarters. "Our Chaos race has fallen to this state because of the ninth ranks, and because of Tianfang before us! Siphoning away spirit has left our Chaos race helpless, bereft of all spirit..." "They are our mortal enemies!" Long Zhan’s shout shook heaven and earth. "Whether the Chaos race can rise... hinges on this very moment! In this era, if our Chaos race cannot rise... there will never be another chance!" His voice reverberated, yet deep down, a sense of bleak despair gripped him. *Is there truly still a chance?* This discussion of the Dao had actually left him somewhat disheartened and despondent. The ninth ranks were siphoning spirit, and Huntian sought to establish order—all of these were obstacles and mortal enemies to the Chaos race. And these people were absurdly strong. Li Hao resented the Chaos race for slaughtering humans, harboring grievances against him as well. Chunqiu might stay out of it, but with Xinwu occupying the East, would they ever allow the Chaos race to step beyond their borders? Looking in all directions... enemies lurked on every side! Yet how many eighth ranks did his race possess? Long Zhan had always been supremely confident, yet today, he felt disheartened, suffocating beneath boundless pressure. Looking at Tianfang before him, perhaps... only by completely breaching Tianfang and conquering it would his race secure a slim ray of hope! Otherwise, if this continued and the spirit within Chaos dissipated entirely, his race would never have another chance. In fact, no new members of the Chaos race would ever be born. This was a battle for their racial destiny, a battle of life and death, of survival versus annihilation. Once others finished draining the spirit and life force from the Chaotic Great Dao, how could the Chaos race ever be born again? He thought back to that person from the future... *In the future, will my Chaos race still exist?* *Will there still be a place for my Chaos race to stand?* Unfortunately, there had been no time to exchange words. Yet even if his race was destined to perish in the future, he would fight against the injustice of fate right now! Suppressing his turmoil, Long Zhan swiftly mobilized his forces, preparing to encircle Tianfang. This time, Tianfang had to be utterly wiped out! ... Simultaneously. The various factions were all making their own preparations. ... In the North, several powerhouses were also conferring. Suddenly, a radiance flashed within a hall deep inside the compound. In the next moment, several Sovereigns were overjoyed and vanished from their spots. Soon, the Metal Spirit Sovereign emerged. Looking at the others, a smile played across his lips. "Three elements are gathered!" The crowd erupted into joy, and the Water Spirit Sovereign hurriedly offered congratulations: "Eldest Brother has grown even stronger! It is just a pity you were slightly late; earlier, Huntian and the others gathered at the Myriad Heavens Dao Arena, supposedly to discuss the Dao..." The Metal Spirit Sovereign sneered, "Discuss the Dao? They have hit their current bottlenecks and need such things; we do not. Once I achieve the union of the five elements, even Huntian will be no match for me!" *Why bother discussing the Dao?* *They are out of options, but I am different. Having merged only three elements, I am already stronger than Reincarnation was, commanding over six thousand Daos. Once four elements merge, I will surpass even Long Zhan.* *If all five elements truly merge, in the entire Chaos, only Huntian might rival me... I have no need to take part in such a pointless discussion.* The Sovereigns nodded in agreement. Indeed! Besides, when those people gathered, how could they truly discuss the Dao? At best, they would exchange a few superficial words and trade empty threats. Who would genuinely reveal the core of their Great Dao to outsiders? That would be utter foolishness! "Eldest Brother, what do we do now...?" The Metal Spirit Sovereign looked south, then quickly turned his gaze toward the east, snorting coldly. "The East! He killed my brothers... that Li Hao is courting death!" *Didn't he say he would come to the South to take my life?* *Fine, I shall go to you!* *I would like to see what right you have to act so arrogant before me!* "However... what of Huntian and Chunqiu...?" They remained somewhat worried that creating too large a disturbance would draw the attention of those two factions, prompting an invasion of the North. "No hurry. Soon enough, they won't have time to bother with me!" The Metal Spirit Sovereign smiled with deep, meaningful intent. Upheaval was coming to Chaos.