Order

An opportunity! At this moment, Li Hao also saw an opportunity. Would Huntian come? Yes! Would the Huntian Domain be left undefended? Very likely. Of course, raiding Huntian's home territory right now might be a chance, but... Li Hao was still pondering. The situation had not yet reached that stage; Huntian and Chaos had not completely entangled with one another. Huntian would surely keep his guard up to some extent. The Five Elements World offered a greater opportunity. Where was his teacher? Could he find him? Naturally! Circulating the Five Animals Art, its origin fluctuated as he searched for Yuan Shuo. Whether Huntian or Chaos, both were formidable figures who would inevitably take precautions. If someone intervened to reap the spoils while they fought, they had likely factored that possibility into their calculations. Therefore, Li Hao had to make preparations on two fronts! Yes, two fronts. Either the Five Elements, or Huntian, or... both would be his. And for this, he needed someone's help. The Feitian Tiger certainly would not do. A chaos beast of that sort only feared his formidable strength for now; that hardly meant it would genuinely obey him. The moment they parted, it would likely flee without a second thought. At present, his teacher was still in the northern region. Of course... there would definitely be some danger, but how could anyone roam the chaos without facing risk? What was there to fear? ... The void rippled faintly. On the outskirts of the Five Elements World, Yuan Shuo, who was bent over digging a trench, suddenly twitched his brow and looked into the distance. A subtle, strange expression crossed his face. The Five Animals Art. Li Hao? Why had this little bastard run over here? To laugh at him? The crux was, there were eight rank-eight Sovereigns—did the kid expect him to take them down immediately? He didn't have the ability! *Damn scoundrel, running over here on his own—what does he think he's doing?* Cursing internally, Yuan Shuo thought for a moment and activated the Five Animals Art, releasing a ripple of his force spirit. A moment later, the void flickered. Li Hao materialized. A smile appeared on his face. He had known his teacher would be around here, and as expected, he hadn't guessed wrong. Glancing at what Yuan Shuo was doing, Li Hao chuckled. "Digging a tunnel? Not much technical skill in that, and it won't do much good. Besides, we exposed ourselves back in Tianfang, even though we haven't visited the north before..." Mid-sentence, sword intent flared from Li Hao, slashing toward Yuan Shuo in an instant! Yuan Shuo startled. His expression shifted slightly, yet he did not move. This was no imposter! No one else could cultivate the Five Animals Secret Art to such a degree except his disciple! In a flash, the sword descended. The faint silhouette of a cicada seemed to surface from Yuan Shuo's body. In an instant, it shattered. Li Hao's expression darkened. A few strands of Yuan Shuo's hair fell, but he didn't care. Frowning slightly, he muttered, "Spring Autumn?" Li Hao nodded slightly. Spring Autumn! That person had actually left a trace of a shadow on his teacher to spy on him. Infuriating! Li Hao frowned and looked toward the south. Was Spring Autumn... in the south or the north? Yuan Shuo was thoroughly enraged as well, gritting his teeth. "Damn bastard!" How hateful! When had Spring Autumn targeted him? He hadn't sensed a thing. A wave of dejection washed over him—he had been watched and followed all this time without noticing in the slightest, needing Li Hao to step in and solve it. Worse still, this might have exposed Li Hao's presence. Hateful! Li Hao's gaze turned chilling. His current plan was critical. Would Spring Autumn... interfere with it? The Spring Autumn Cicada! It was no simple feat for that cicada to reach its current level. Toward such an expert, Li Hao felt both admiration and wariness. But if she truly got in his way... he wouldn't mind making her suffer. Ten thousand flourishing and withering bodies? So what! Gradually regaining his calm, Li Hao said nothing more on the subject and looked at his teacher. "It's fine. A minor issue." Yuan Shuo exhaled. "I'm old and useless! After entering the chaos, I finally realized the gap between myself and true experts. But... fine, my mental fortitude has only grown stronger. I haven't been broken all these years, let alone now." "Teacher, once we destroy the Five Elements World, no one will dare underestimate you again!" Li Hao chuckled. Yuan Shuo rolled his eyes. He wanted to, but the crux was... if he had the strength, he would have done it long ago. The problem was that he didn't! When he was at rank seven, others were at rank eight. By the time he reached rank eight, they might already be at rank nine... Constantly lagging one step behind for ten thousand years was utterly frustrating. Every single time, he was weaker than his opponents, relying on Li Hao to bail him out. Happening again and again, it almost drove him to despair. "There's a chance this time," Li Hao said. Yuan Shuo's eyes flickered. "Let's hear it." "Master and disciple, we share the same origin!" Li Hao smiled. "This time, Teacher, pick one: will you head to Huntian or stay at Five Elements? A battle will inevitably erupt in the north... Of course, wherever you go, there will definitely be rank-eight experts guarding it!" "In the Five Elements Domain, there's a chance... to impersonate a clone, a clone of Chaos..." Li Hao gave a brief explanation. His teacher would stay in the Five Elements Domain while he headed to the Huntian Domain. Once the major battle broke out, he would assault the Huntian Domain, or his teacher would attack the Five Elements Domain, or they would strike simultaneously... depending on the reaction speed of Huntian and Chaos. Moreover, sharing the same origin offered an advantage. After explaining briefly, Li Hao continued, "We share the same origin. At a critical moment, if your identity is exposed, you can disguise yourself as me to lure one side away... It will be extremely dangerous, under the premise that the two of them suddenly make peace at a crucial moment and decide to crush a third party!" If that happened... Yuan Shuo, staying behind in the Five Elements Domain, would be in even greater danger. Naturally, heading to the Huntian Domain would be slightly safer... but only slightly. Li Hao continued, "I will leave you an illusory realm, but it cannot transmit messages. You can activate it at a critical juncture, though activating it... takes a bit of time. It will take me a moment to teleport over. It won't be long, but against top experts... that brief span might be enough to kill you!" Yuan Shuo's eyes gleamed. "You mean, I stay in the Five Elements Domain, and once battle breaks out between both sides, I enter the Five Elements Domain under the guise of Chaos's clone, dismantle their defenses, and seize the Five Elements Domain?" "Yes!" Li Hao said. "Even if all eight rank-eight experts depart, there are still three rank-eights on the periphery. Besides... I suspect not all eight will leave, and there might even be external rank-eights stationed there. Whereas you, Teacher..." "Are only at rank seven!" Li Hao sighed. "If you possessed rank-eight strength, I wouldn't worry as much. But with rank-seven power... it will be very difficult." Yuan Shuo understood completely. This disciple of his had an immense appetite. He wanted to swallow both Huntian and Five Elements in one bite, rather than settle for just one side. If he only wanted one, he wouldn't necessarily need his help. Take both sides—a total sweep! That was Li Hao's true intention. Li Hao continued, "Actually, if I go back to call for reinforcements right now, it might still be in time. The battle might not erupt so quickly... but... if I bring the others..." Li Hao fell silent for a moment. "Then the credit belongs to them. Teacher, I cannot show endless favoritism to you alone. After all, everyone is risking their lives... You know how you advanced to rank seven earlier! That's why I prefer that we, master and disciple, take this down ourselves! Even if it's risky, I believe you won't be afraid!" Fearless! Yuan Shuo was naturally fearless, but he wasn't worried about his own safety—he was worried his strength was too meager to complete the task Li Hao entrusted to him, leading to Li Hao's defeat. That was the crux. He sank into deep thought. Staying here alone, posing as a clone of Chaos... the odds of success were slim, but there was still some hope. Li Hao had already laid the groundwork. Even if the other side grew suspicious, an apt disguise could conceal him for a while—at least long enough to grant him entry into the Five Elements Domain. Once inside... the Five Elements Domain was saturated with five elements energy. What followed would test... whether he could seize the power of the five elements, strengthen himself, and turn the tables to become the master. They all cultivated the five elements! That didn't guarantee his five elements were stronger. Even if his held a degree of spirituality, he was merely rank seven while the defenders were rank eight. If he failed to seize control of the five elements, he would be dead. As for Li Hao teleporting over... that might cause him to miss the opportunity to seize the Huntian Domain. Leading to failure on both fronts! Therefore, even if the illusory realm Li Hao left him could be activated, he might not choose to use it. Countless thoughts raced through Yuan Shuo's mind. He analyzed the situation rapidly. Could it work? He wasn't worried about Li Hao; he worried he wouldn't be able to pull it off. He simulated numerous scenarios in his head. If the identity of Chaos's clone could get him into the Five Elements Domain... his first priority would be seizing control over the five elements power. A force spirit was comparable to a spirit! Its control over the Great Dao was potent, but his own cultivation was not strong. His disciple could return to fetch reinforcements, but as Li Hao had said, he hoped the two of them could accomplish this alone. Only then would Yuan Shuo have the right to claim the spoils of the Five Elements Domain. With his thoughts settling, Yuan Shuo spoke: "I have no problem with it, but I need you to help me with a few things..." "Speak, Teacher!" "Is your force spirit still around?" "Gone." Yuan Shuo was speechless. *Damn it!* *How is it gone?* "It perished together when killing the Tribulation clone!" Fine! Yuan Shuo felt helpless. If Li Hao's force spirit of the same origin could be lent to him, it would bolster his own spirit, allowing him to rapidly seize control of the Great Dao's power and making things far simpler. Yet his disciple's was gone. What a setback! "Are the five elements divine characters still there?" "They are, but they aren't very strong—each only holds rank-six power. Merging them only yields rank-seven strength. Even if you merge them, you won't reach rank eight. With dual rank-seven strength, your Dao power will only reach one or two thousand Dao principles, still inferior to a rank eight!" "..." *I know that!* Yuan Shuo nodded. "Lend them to me then. Five divine characters won't affect you much, right?" "Just five rank-six divine characters. It won't affect me. Five elements power isn't particularly strong for me to begin with." Good. Yuan Shuo continued, "You mentioned earlier that you'd have that chaos beast help me. Is it reliable?" "Not necessarily... but at the start, there's hope it will be. A rank-seven chaos beast can at least help you block an attack once..." "Fine, I'll take it for now." Having said that, he stated his final condition. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Unless I call for you, you are not allowed to come! Unless you've completed your side, you are forbidden from coming here! I'm not afraid of dying, nor are you worried about reviving one more person. If I truly perish this time and can't be revived... wait until you break the chaos before reviving me. It'll just be a long nap, sparing me from making a fool of myself again!" "Unless you've completely accomplished your objective over there, at which point you must come help without me needing to say a word. Understand?" Li Hao looked at him. "I want you to make a name for yourself and restore the fame of the Five Animals Devil, not... send you to your death." "What do you know!" Yuan Shuo cursed. "Don't I need to keep face? Last time, you insisted on talking big to that Gold Spirit Overlord, telling him I would kill him. If you have to step in again this time... how humiliating would that be? You've prepared everything, leaving only the final kick. If I can't kill them and take the Five Elements Domain... you can avenge me! At least that gives a righteous pretext! To us martial masters, face is greater than the heavens! I'm not that shameless brat Hong Yitang; I still care about my dignity—except in front of you, that is..." As he spoke, he laughed at himself. "That's all. If you agree, I'll cooperate with you. If you don't, go back and find help yourself! Living off handouts once or twice is fine, but mooching until I die? Your master still has some pride!" Li Hao smiled. "Teacher... what face do you need?" Why bother about face! "Bah!" Yuan Shuo chortled. "My reputation is massive, and my face is enormous! Dignity matters when it counts! Stop blabbering—just tell me, can you agree to it?" Li Hao fell silent. "If not, forget it. You do your thing, and I'll do mine..." Li Hao let out a breath. "Teacher, you won't deliberately get yourself killed, will you?" "Nonsense, do you think I want to die?" Yuan Shuo said crossly. "You think I'd get myself killed on purpose just so you can avenge me? Give me a break! You little bastard, whether I die or not, you'll still be like this, so why throw my life away? If I can live, of course I'll live! Your martial mother is still so young; if I die, who gets to benefit?" "..." Li Hao couldn't help coughing. *Damn it!* *Talk about anything else, Teacher, why bring that up?* Yuan Shuo grinned. "What, jealous?" "..." *Give me a break!* Li Hao shrugged. "Back when you didn't have a woman, you were formidable. Once you got one... you weakened! Look at yourself, and look at the Human King—after starting a family, he weakened too. Having a woman slows down your progress. Teacher, that is a lesson bought in blood!" "Get lost!" Yuan Shuo was speechless. Where did this brat pick up such crooked theories? Li Hao said nothing more. Could it work? How many powerhouses would remain in the Five Elements World then? How many rank eights? How many rank sevens? Li Hao couldn't predict that either. Who could know? If Chaos didn't take everyone and only brought a few... then plenty of rank eights would remain. If he took them all, it would naturally be far safer. His teacher was only rank seven, but the rank sevens within the realm might not be able to contend with him. The danger was immense, but once successful... when it came time to divide the spoils, it would just be the two of them. At that point, if his teacher monopolized the Five Elements World, no one would dare object. In truth, could Li Hao forcefully allocate it to his teacher? Naturally! However, even the Dao power Yuan Shuo used to step into rank seven had been distributed by Li Hao. If he favored him again... the basic fairness within their faction would collapse, and sooner or later, the others would grow estranged. Maintaining a degree of fairness within the ranks was necessary. So what if there was risk? As his teacher had said, at worst, if he truly died and couldn't be revived this time... they would just wait until the day the Great Dao of Chaos was broken. With that thought, Li Hao raised a brow. "Teacher, when necessary, merge with the Great Dao of Chaos! If you aren't afraid of dying, don't fear gorging yourself to death. It doesn't matter! If you merge with the dark path of chaos, I can assist you across the distance without delaying my own business." Yuan Shuo's eyes stirred. "Understood!" Next, master and disciple deliberated further. There was another point: if Chaos visited the Five Elements Domain and the Five Elements Overlords asked about the clone... posing as Chaos would no longer work. Li Hao judged that they wouldn't ask. After all... why pry into the private matters of a rank-nine expert? He wasn't their own Dao Lord, but an outsider. If they didn't ask, the chance of infiltrating was high; if they did, it might raise suspicions—a double-edged sword that depended on how events unfolded. Finally, Yuan Shuo added, "What about... Spring Autumn?" Spring Autumn had been watching him earlier and might still be lurking in secret. If she made a move, unexpected variables would arise. "Ignore her. If she interferes on your side... you'll just have to admit defeat. If she interferes on mine, I will settle scores with her myself! You cannot match her, and even I might not be able to right now. She is exceptionally formidable... Thus, her primary target might not be me, but... those two!" Yuan Shuo nodded. That made sense. Soon, he chuckled. "What about that clumsy tiger?" "It's nearby. I'll forge a trace of chaotic aura for you... It won't be able to tell the difference in the short term. Even if it does, it won't dare do anything. At worst... let it go. By the way, it likes studying divine characters. You can craft one to use like a cat teaser to keep it entertained for a few days." "..." Yuan Shuo was speechless. *Do you take it for a kitten?* *That's a rank-seven great demon. You really treat a rank-seven demon like an idiot.* "No need... I know what to do. Are you heading to the Huntian Domain now?" "Yes, delays breed complications. Of course, it would be even better if I can accomplish something before leaving..." Li Hao let out a soft laugh, offered a few parting reminders, and departed swiftly without lingering. As for Yuan Shuo, he naturally went looking for the Feitian Tiger. Whether the tiger would see through him... who cared! ... Li Hao moved with astonishing speed. He did not head straight west. Instead, he took a detour to avoid running into Huntian along the way. That would ruin the fun; he wanted to sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, not become one of the tigers in the arena. "Huntian, Order..." Perhaps by heading west, he could sense Order. The core of his five-thousandth world was Order itself. He had previously wanted to investigate it, but then decided to acquire enough energy in the Five Elements World first to fill his five thousand realms. Now, however, he might be able to reap even more. "Huntian is a cautious man. He likely left many experts behind to guard the Huntian Domain—it wouldn't be surprising if there are those exceeding five thousand Daos!" "However, to kill Chaos, he can't have left behind too many trump cards..." The key lay in how to blend into the Huntian territory without being detected. For someone who cultivated the Dao of Order, the Huntian Domain had already fused into a unified whole, becoming a domain governed by his will. An intruder would stick out like a sore thumb and be easily discovered. "Order..." As he flew, Li Hao pondered the Dao of Order. Order was a type of rule, but Order was not the entirety of rules. Huntian's absence presented his opportunity. Had Huntian been present, entering the Huntian Domain undetected would have been nearly impossible. All would become clear once he arrived. The west was the most mysterious and heavily guarded territory. Huntian had advanced step by step; his rule was not loose like the other regions, but akin to an empire, truly achieving complete unification! ... Just as Li Hao departed for the Huntian Domain, Chaos arrived at the Five Elements Domain. Sensing the concentration of the Great Dao within, he curled his lip, finding it somewhat weak. It seemed heavily depleted! He had originally intended to absorb some Dao power here to recover, but he couldn't tell whether it had been consumed earlier or if they were feigning poverty knowing he was coming. Lacking Li Hao's caution, he felt no need to probe. He already knew the situation, so there was no need to test the waters. He barged directly into the territory of the Five Elements Domain. In an instant, the eight rank-eight experts within sensed his presence. They were somewhat surprised... He had only left a short while ago, yet he was already back? Quite swift! Judging by the situation... was he going to meet them this time? Not daring to delay, they quickly took to the air. Near the realm gate, the eight rank-eight experts materialized. Amid a surge of chaotic power, a figure appeared with somewhat ethereal features. The group bowed hurriedly. "Greetings, Venerable Chaos!" Chaos nodded slightly. "Did you receive the message?" The group was puzzled. Which message? Chaos raised an eyebrow. "Did the Five Elements Dao Lord and Tianfang Dao Lord not say anything?" "Ah, yes, yes..." Sovereign Tianjin said hastily. "They told us to fully cooperate with your actions, Venerable!" "Mm." Chaos nodded slightly, then asked, "The Five Elements Domain has dominated the north for years. How many Great Dao crystals remain available?" "..." Sovereign Tianjin felt an aching tooth. You just absorbed a massive amount, and now you want more! Feeling helpless, he could only brace himself and say, "There are still some, but not many. A great deal was consumed previously, as you know, Venerable..." Chaos sneered, but said nothing. *A great deal consumed? I know full well. You were beaten and badly injured, so you spent it on recovery? Telling me this, are you crying poverty?* "How much is left?" "There are... barely enough to scrape together ten billion!" Chaos frowned slightly. Less than expected, but... it would suffice. "Good, hand it over!" Sovereign Tianjin was resigned. What an immense appetite! Unable to object, he listened as Sovereign Chaos continued, "I discovered traces of the Ninefold Guards. Do you know of them?" "We do... We have heard of them." "Good. That means... Order is not far off!" Chaos said in a heavy voice, "Order and Huntian are inextricably linked. My identity has already been exposed, and this time, we must pull up the weeds by their roots! The number and strength of the Ninefold Guards remain unknown... The other Dao Lords have surely notified their subordinates of my descent. Right now, they might be on their way here to rally together and slay Huntian!" "I will remain in the Five Elements Domain for the next few days. You are to do something for me..." "Please instruct us, Venerable!" the group replied quickly. Chaos paused for a moment before speaking: "Create chaos. Throw the north into total upheaval. The more chaotic it becomes, the stronger I grow; Order must not be allowed to establish itself! Set out and obliterate several rank-eight and rank-seven worlds. Granted, this is detrimental to the Five Elements' rule, but once the north falls and a new order is established, all of you will die!" "Plunder vast quantities of Great Dao crystals and world power to aid my recovery! I need deaths; I need spirituality. As you know, the more people die, the more spirituality is released, which also aids your Dao Lords in descending!" The Five Elements Overlords hesitated slightly. Was the north about to plunge into total chaos? Their years of dominion... Yet gritting his teeth, he nodded. "Understood!" He ultimately consented. He wanted to ask where Chaos's clone had gone... but thought better of it. A rank-nine expert might not deign to answer, and it risked offending him. A rank eight questioning a rank nine would never be received well. The rank-eight experts said no more. Create chaos? That was simple enough! Establishing order was difficult, but sowing chaos was far easier. Killing more people and destroying more worlds would naturally plunge the realm into turmoil. Soon, the Five Elements Domain mobilized. Meanwhile, Sovereign Chaos remained in Five Elements, absorbing Dao power to restore his strength. He was merely dissatisfied that it was far less than expected. And this was an overlord? What a joke! Barely wealthier than an ordinary rank-eight world! What a waste of time! After so many years, this was all they had accomplished. No wonder when Tianfang and the others descended last time, everyone else participated while the north was practically forgotten. ... Meanwhile, Sovereign Tianjin and the others cursed under their breath as they left. Greedy parasite! When he came earlier, he had already devoured a fortune in Great Dao crystals. Now he was scraping their coffers clean, yet he still looked dissatisfied. Rank-nine experts were far too rapacious! No wonder the chaos could not tolerate rank-nine beings! If these people remained in the chaos, within a million years, they would likely suck it entirely dry, endlessly taking without ever giving back. ... On the other side. Sovereign Huntian hovered between heaven and earth. Soon, a dark shadow materialized, visibly agitated. "Dao Lord, it has been confirmed—it is Chaos's true body! He headed toward the Five Elements Domain. Recently, other experts seem to have entered the northern region as well... likely subordinates of other rank-nine experts. Chaos discovered me as well, so... he likely knows you are coming, Dao Lord." Huntian nodded slightly, gazing toward the Five Elements Domain. So what if he knew! Huntian did not want too many people to know, and Chaos felt the same way; others would be exceedingly interested in the descent of a rank-nine expert. Therefore, if neither of them spoke, this would remain a war strictly between the two of them. "Prepare to mount a frontal assault against Chaos!" Huntian said nothing more, pausing for a moment before continuing, "Make preparations first and wait for the others to assemble! This time, I will sweep them all away. If they believe my Huntian Domain relies on me alone, they are mistaken. Summon all the Ninefold Guards! The vengeance of the past begins with him!" The shadow was exhilarated. "Understood! I will assemble them immediately... In addition... should we establish order first?" "No rush." A faint smile appeared on Huntian's face. "Chaos will surely sow turmoil first to bolster his own strength. Order and chaos have always stood in opposition, but there is one thing he fails to grasp: order established amidst chaos... is the only true order. Without destruction, there can be no creation!" Without destruction, there can be no creation! The north was far too decadent. Allowing Chaos to shatter the corrupt order here so that he could erect a new one would save him a great deal of trouble. Only in this way could the strongest order be forged! All filth and trash would be swept away! It was inconvenient for him to do it himself, but having Chaos do it spared him considerable effort. As for Chaos regaining some strength... what did it matter? The chaos of today could not yet sustain a top-tier rank-nine expert. At most, Chaos would merely recover a bit more spirituality. ... The north began to stir with unrest. Meanwhile, the west was remarkably tranquil. It seemed entirely out of place with the rest of the chaos. The moment Li Hao stepped into the western domain, his heart tightened. He had thought the west would differ from the other three regions, but not by much. Yet the moment he arrived, he sensed the striking contrast. The entire west... seemed touched by light, lacking the gloom of the other three chaos sectors. Moreover, the west was densely populated, devoid of any bleak desolation. The Nine Heavens were distinctly divided. Unlike other regions, where divisions were merely partitions of dense chaotic power, the Nine Heavens here possessed genuine, tangible barriers between each tier! True barriers! Low-grade worlds occupied the Lower Three Heavens. Mid-grade worlds occupied the Middle Three Heavens. High-grade worlds occupied the Upper Three Heavens. Everything was neatly ordered! Not only was order established, but armies even patrolled this place. This was the first time Li Hao had witnessed armies in the chaos, equipped with uniform armor and matching gear. Every heaven had massive armies stationed to prevent illicit crossings! The entire west seemed... meticulously planned. Nor was the chaos empty; numerous desolate islands dotted the expanse. No, they were not called desolate islands here, but... chaos relay stations. People gathered at these relay stations as well. They functioned as regional forums for discussing the Dao. Aside from being less convenient than Li Hao's Myriad Heavens Dao Arena, they were practically the embryonic form of it. Regrettably, Huntian lacked Li Hao's methods; otherwise, he would likely have established a Myriad Heavens Dao Arena of his own. At this moment, Li Hao... actually hesitated. Yes, he hesitated. This place was genuinely well-ordered, peaceful, and prosperous. He had always branded himself a wandering knight of the martial world; had this place been pitch-black and tyrannical, he could have conquered it with righteous justification, claiming to rescue the common folk. Yet here... the realm was tranquil, and the people lived in peace. And what he intended to do now was infiltrate the core of the Huntian Domain, shatter this order, seize Huntian, and plunge this place... back into chaos. Li Hao halted his steps. He had always been merciless against enemies. Yet today... the moment he stepped inside, he felt hesitant. If he shattered the peace of the Huntian territory today, plunging it into turmoil and displacement, would he... still be the knight-errant he claimed to be? For a moment, he found himself wavering. *I want to grow stronger, I want to open a new heaven, I want to fulfill my dream... Huntian is an inevitable obstacle. He seeks complete unification, and that unification includes us!* *Thus, we are destined to be enemies.* *And yet...* The usually decisive Li Hao looked around and began to doubt himself. Should he proceed? "Shatter the order here?" Li Hao sank into contemplation. It was not a question of whether he could, but whether he should. If Huntian had no ambition for grand unification and was content merely being the overlord of the west, the west was magnificent—there would be no reason to make an enemy of him. But his ambition was the unification of the entire chaos... This was also the first time Li Hao had seen real, tangible order within the chaos! Perhaps it still had flaws and lacked perfection. Yet it had already exceeded Li Hao's imagination. After struggling for a moment, Li Hao suddenly gritted his teeth. "I... can establish such an order as well! Someone else's order will always belong to them, but the one I build... will be the order and rules that belong to me!" He had said those words before. Only, back then, he hadn't known the western order was already so well developed. Today brought an epiphany, but in the end, Li Hao set his jaw. The order here was merely a fleeting splendor. Huntian was destined to face a difficult path; he likely had even more enemies than Li Hao. Anyone who refused to submit was his enemy. "I will build an order even more complete than his... I definitely will!" Li Hao consoled himself with these words, finding an excuse for his actions. Otherwise... he could not bear to shatter the west of today. Furthermore, such an orderly realm might... be well suited for opening a new heaven, serving as a foundation for a pseudo-chaos. These people could perhaps enter the pseudo-chaos, where the order might be even better. Yes, exactly that. He finally convinced himself: *Li Hao, remember... you will never submit to anyone. Breaking the order here is for the sake of establishing a better one...* *And Huntian's order belongs only to Huntian!* Blending into the west without further hesitation, he headed straight for the Nine Heavens. Merging into the realm wall and masking his aura, he advanced toward the Huntian Domain. On this journey... he would minimize slaughter. That was perhaps the only concession he could make. "Huntian..." Li Hao murmured silently, *There is no personal enmity between us, merely a clash of ideals. Or rather, not even differing ideals—simply that your grand unification inherently conflicts with my desire for unfettered freedom.* Li Hao pushed the thought aside. He continued forward. The entire western region was peaceful. Wars were relatively rare, though some still occurred—they were simply far less chaotic. Conflicts between worlds persisted, but they were contained within defined boundaries. Meanwhile, Huntian's army seemed to be constantly expanding, filled with numerous Sovereigns. Huntian's strength was far greater than it appeared to the outside world, as was the number of experts under his command! ... At that very moment, within the Huntian Domain. In the Nine Heavens, the sole central world. Countless cultivators bustled in and out. Inside the Hall of Order, numerous experts observed the heavens. The entire western region was under their surveillance. Wherever a battle erupted or a war broke out, it was reflected in their eyes. Mirrors projected everything occurring across the entire west. Pengcheng was currently on patrol. As a rank-eight Sovereign, Huntian had not taken him along upon departing; Pengcheng was not even aware that Huntian had left. Walking through the Hall of Order, the voices of various cultivators constantly drifted into his ears. "Sixth Heaven, Sector 37: war has broken out. A dispute has arisen between two rank-six worlds. Should the Huntian Guards intervene?" "Third Heaven: a conflict has erupted. Two rank-three Sovereigns are locked in combat in the chaos... Should they be stopped?" "..." This was the core hub for handling all issues throughout the western region, and it was this very institution that upheld the order of the west. Countless Sovereigns served Huntian, building the foundation of what would become the Huntian Dynasty. Not merely a dynasty, but a divine empire! An incomparably mighty divine empire! As a rank-eight Sovereign, Pengcheng was one of the overseers here. If disputes among top experts arose, he would participate as an enforcer or mediator. The outside world believed the west possessed only a handful of rank-eight Sovereigns, but Pengcheng knew there were far more than outsiders imagined. The Hall of Order alone had four rank-eight Sovereigns stationed within! They oversaw all disputes below the Seventh Heaven. Disputes between major worlds above the Seventh Heaven did not fall under their jurisdiction, but belonged to the Ninefold Guards... a mysterious organization about which Pengcheng knew very little. That was the innermost core of the Huntian World. Just then, a voice sounded in Pengcheng's ear: "Sovereign Pengcheng! Come to the Ninefold Guards." Pengcheng's heart stirred. Looking around, he noticed the other stationed rank-eight Sovereigns seemed to have received the message as well. Without delay, he flew toward the upper reaches. ... A moment later, several rank-eight Sovereigns arrived. Before them stood a hall of ancient simplicity. The hall doors were shut tight. Outside the doors, a cultivator sat cross-legged. Seeing them arrive, he dispensed with pleasantries and spoke directly: "Now that you have all arrived, I will keep it brief. The Dao Lord has business to attend to and has mobilized a large number of experts to leave. The western region is currently at its most vulnerable. Within this realm, only six rank-eight Sovereigns remain stationed... including myself!" *Only* six. Sovereign Pengcheng felt helpless hearing that phrasing. At present, the various overlords commanded very few direct rank-eight subordinates; the rest were merely vassals in name who did not truly take orders. Yet the Huntian Domain, even after deploying a massive number of experts, still had six rank eights remaining. That was already an immense force! The elder before him was someone he was familiar with and had met a few times. An exceptionally formidable figure! He was the deputy commander of the Ninefold Guards. As for the commander... that person remained constantly at the Dao Lord's side and was rarely seen. Even when present, that person maintained a low profile, leaving Pengcheng unsure of their true strength. He only knew that the elder before him... might be even stronger than himself. With four thousand Daos and the physical body of a chaos beast, Pengcheng's combat prowess was not inferior to experts with roughly five thousand Daos. Yet in front of this elder, he felt considerable pressure. In his estimation, this man's strength was not inferior to Samsara! The Huntian Domain possessed terrifying might, which was why Pengcheng had never favored Long Zhan's prospects. That was simply the cold, hard truth! As he pondered, the elder said in a heavy voice, "With the Dao Lord away, we must safeguard the order he worked so hard to forge... Starting today, I ask all of you to work hard and station yourselves at key locations throughout the domain, guarding the realm gate. Sovereign Pengcheng shall personally oversee it! Aside from myself, Sovereign Pengcheng is the strongest here, so you shall personally guard the realm gate!" "If the Dao Lord succeeds and returns safely, our Huntian Domain's hopes... of grand unification will increase drastically!" Pengcheng accepted the order, though he wondered inwardly: where had the Dao Lord gone? Could it be... to slay one of the overlords? Otherwise, there would be no need to mobilize so many experts, to the point of draining the Ninefold Guards and calling upon rank-eight Sovereigns like them to guard the realm. In the past, that had always been the duty of the Ninefold Guards. "Then who... are we guarding against?" Pengcheng couldn't help asking, "Reports on the other overlords have been coming in. Aside from Spring Autumn's whereabouts being somewhat unclear, the Human King is subduing the east, the Silver Moon King is in seclusion, and the Dragon Lord is reinforcing the defenses of the Four Regions and reviving Panlong..." There didn't seem to be anyone to guard against, did there? Of course, there was also the north, but he didn't care much about the north—even he looked down on it. The elder of the Ninefold Guards replied in a low voice, "We do not know who we are guarding against, so we guard against all invading foes! Starting today, no high-rank Sovereign may enter or leave the Huntian Domain without the Dao Lord's order! If the six of us join forces without stepping outside the realm, even if an overlord attacks, we can hold them off for a time! Focus your surveillance through the Hall of Order. Furthermore, in the coming days, even if a war among high-rank Sovereigns breaks out, suspend all mediation to guard against unexpected developments!" The Sovereigns were somewhat dismissive in their hearts, but since the elder had spoken, they all nodded. Pengcheng headed straight for the realm gate. Once everyone had departed, the elder let out a breath. It would be best if nothing happened. If the Dao Lord eliminated Chaos this time, Huntian could seize the north directly. At that point, half of the chaos would effectively fall into their hands. The Dao Lord would grow even mightier, and unless rank-nine experts descended in droves... Huntian would have no rivals left! "May we... restore the glory of the past!" Over a million years ago, Order had been established, dividing the chaos into nine realms! Back then, Order was at the zenith of its power. Even Tianfang today could not match the renown of Order back then, when the Nine Heavens were established and numerous rank-nine worlds bowed in submission... That had been the absolute pinnacle of Order! Just as the order of the chaos was on the verge of complete realization, what happened...? "Tianfang!" the elder muttered, his tone dripping with hatred. That fellow appeared harmless enough today, but in the past, the fatal blow dealt to the Lord of Order had been inflicted by Space. Without Tianfang orchestrating events in the shadows, Order would never have crumbled. In those days, the Dao Lord had placed too much trust in Tianfang and his cohort. Today, they would never repeat the same mistake! Looking out beyond the realm, his eyes held a glimmer of anticipation. Order was about to return.