A Chaotic Battle

Li Hao had broken Order's Heavenly Policy and shattered Huntian's will. How nicely it had been framed: *You and I will rule order together; you shall be the Lord of Order, and I its assistant...* Yet what kind of assistant commandeered the master's Great Dao River? Naturally, polite pleasantries merely sounded pleasant; taking them seriously would make one a fool. Just as Li Hao had reasoned, when faith grew too strong, it would ultimately reduce a cultivator to a puppet. Huntian's true intention was to turn Li Hao into a puppet of order—the Heavenly Dao that maintained order! Yes, the Heavenly Dao. Just as a world required an enforcer, a sustainer, and a guardian, doing so could save immense trouble and effort. If Li Hao were truly brought under control and made a puppet of order, he would inevitably have fought Chunqiu to the death today. Huntian had indeed staked an enormous price—the sacrifice of Order's Heavenly Policy. At that moment, countless strands of the power of order were still flowing into Li Hao's river. However... they soon converted into other Great Dao powers. Sovereign Chunqiu looked on with a peculiar expression. The power of order was being assimilated by Li Hao! It was not Li Hao being assimilated by the power of order! Li Hao had forcibly bent the power of order to his will. This was not just a matter of having special abilities; it signified that among the Daos Li Hao commanded, there was a Dao that surpassed order. Time? Perhaps only Time was stronger than order! Li Hao seemed to read Chunqiu's thoughts. At this moment, he pondered, observed, and suddenly said, "Is Time truly the strongest? Does an absolute strongest Dao really exist in this world?" Probably not. Who would dare claim their Great Dao was supreme above all others? In the past, he had pursued Time, striving to replicate it. Today, however, he had gained a fresh realization. Perhaps what he sought was not the Dao of Time, but the transformation of the Dao—its impermanence. The Great Dao left no trace! There was no such thing as an invincible Dao. There was no such thing as a peerless Dao under heaven. There was only change! Everything changed. Time was no exception, order was no exception, and every Great Dao was no exception. Viewing them through an outdated lens was a mistake. Nothing remained static and immutable. Even Time, whether one felt it or not, flowed and transformed. ... In the distance, across the Huntian Domain, several rank-eight auras manifested, every one of them filled with intense anxiety. They, too, had sensed it: the power of order was crumbling! Li Hao! Chunqiu! They saw them. They had originally watched the two fight each other. Li Hao's progress was terrifyingly swift; not long ago, he had barely managed to kill Samsara, yet today he could match Chunqiu! Pengcheng, guarding the realm gate, was overwhelmed with nerves. Behind him appeared the deputy commander of the Ninefold Guards, whose face was equally grim. Chunqiu, overlord of the south, and Li Hao, the Time cultivator. Order's Heavenly Policy... had been shattered! This had shaken the very foundations of the west. None of them had expected Order's Heavenly Policy to be broken. It was inconceivable. That was the fountainhead of all order in the western domain. Now, with the Dao Lord absent, these two had shattered it... Huntian was in grave danger! At this moment, the order of the western domain seemed on the verge of total collapse! Just as Chunqiu was about to attack the Huntian Domain, a surging power of order abruptly emerged from Li Hao, permeating the void. Across the western domain, the destabilizing power of order suddenly began to settle. Chunqiu turned to glance at Li Hao, her expression shifting slightly. "Li Hao!" A trace of anger showed on her face. Why was he stabilizing the western order? Li Hao remained calm as still water. "Rise or fall, it is the common folk who suffer! Though the western order still has flaws, it is at least peaceful for now. Preserving that peace will suffice..." As Chunqiu moved to speak, Li Hao added, "Times have changed. Victory and defeat belong to the clashes of the strong; the weak merely comply. I have no intention of breaking this fleeting, somewhat hypocritical peace in the west..." He smiled and looked into the distance, his voice echoing out: "None of you need worry. As long as you hand over the reserves of Huntian's Great Dao power and extract world power for me, I will depart!" Chunqiu's expression darkened, her voice dropping lower. "Only by destroying the Huntian Domain can you break Huntian's reign! Li Hao, if he kills Chaos and takes the power of chaos, balancing chaos and order into stabilized dual poles, even a rank nine... might not be able to defeat him!" Had Li Hao ultimately fallen under the influence of the power of order after all? Li Hao remained silent. What was order? He did not care, nor did he concern himself with it. Launching an assault, mounting a sneak attack, seizing world power and Great Dao power, demanding it be served to his doorstep before withdrawing... yet still wanting to preserve the peace of the west—was that hypocritical? Perhaps it was. Did Li Hao care? He did not. At this stage, he did not even need to find excuses for himself. Having come this far, settling grudges as he pleased and acting on his own whims were all he pursued. He sought only peace of mind. Not someone else's, but his own. Wherever his mind found peace, the sky was clear. In this chaos, nobody was a good person. Huntian was not, Chunqiu was not, the Human King was not, Long Zhan was not... and neither was he. There were no truly good people. Nor were there absolute villains. Ideals, orthodoxies, hegemony, desire... These were the things that altered everyone; these were the purpose of living. Chunqiu's expression looked rather sour. She had come here specifically to smash the order of the Huntian Domain and uproot Huntian's foundation. She was not Li Hao; Li Hao did as he pleased, but she still had an ambition. "Li Hao!" Li Hao looked at her. Though petite, she was no little girl, but an ancient monster—a true monster, as a matter of fact, not an insult. Chunqiu was formidable. Even with five thousand Dao principles, Li Hao might not match her. Yet Li Hao did not fear her. A few more or fewer Dao principles made little difference until one surpassed nine thousand. The key lay in spirituality. Dao principles imbued with spirituality were stronger, and the spirituality of Li Hao's Dao principles was second to none. He looked at Chunqiu. "You want to swallow Huntian in a single bite? That will be difficult. His strength does not depend on the feeble power of order gathered here." Chunqiu's mind raced. If she insisted on killing everyone right now, Li Hao might turn hostile. Li Hao was the kind of person who could flip on a dime. He seemed easy to talk to, but in truth, he was not easy to deal with at all. The Human King seemed difficult, yet as long as one matched his intentions, he proved quite reasonable. In the distance, several experts of the Huntian Domain felt both nervous and hopeful. They hoped the two would fight each other, yet dreaded that if the dispute ended, the pair would turn their sights directly on the Huntian Domain. In that case, they would be hard-pressed to resist, despite having more rank-eight Sovereigns! Against two overlord-level figures, they possessed almost no means of defense. All they could do was pray that the two dragged things out until the Dao Lord returned, which would relieve their worries. However, Li Hao clearly had no intention of doing so. Taking a step across the void, he moved past Chunqiu and headed straight for the Huntian Domain, a smile appearing on his face. "Fellow Daoist Pengcheng, and fellow Daoists behind him, I have come only for wealth, not for lives. Consider it spending money to avert disaster..." Pengcheng felt tense. Behind him, the old man suddenly spoke: "Silver Moon King, everyone says you hail from the jianghu, settling grudges plainly, saving the dying and aiding the wounded, honoring righteousness..." Li Hao chuckled. "There is no need to bring that up; it is meaningless. In the jianghu, martial artists who raid homes, rob the rich, and aid the poor are plentiful. There are no good people in the chaos. I am not one, nor is your Dao Lord. He is wealthy, which hardly makes him good; I am poor, so what is wrong with relieving my hardship? Right?" The old man tried to speak again. Li Hao suddenly glanced back toward the north, his eyes shifting slightly. In the next instant, he vanished, and sword energy surged forth, blanketing the sky! The old man's face twisted in shock, and he roared, "Attack!" Several rank-eight Sovereigns appeared in an instant and struck together, expressions grave beyond measure. This Silver Moon King was indeed fickle. Just a moment ago he had been speaking so politely, only to turn hostile in the blink of an eye! Behind them, Chunqiu, who had just arrived, was also speechless. Li Hao flipped so quickly that even she found it hard to adjust. At this moment, she said nothing. She had no desire to fall out with Li Hao now. Since he had made his move, she would not waste further words. She struck at once! A formidable aura erupted, and the chirping of a cicada rang out in all directions. The entire heaven and earth seemed to freeze for an instant as countless palms descended upon the rank-eight experts, aiming to reduce them to dust! The strongest among them, the deputy commander of the Ninefold Guards, had only reached around five thousand Dao principles. While not weak, in her eyes he was barely distinguishable from an ordinary rank eight. The only difference was whether it would take one move or several to kill him. "Order!" the old man bellowed. Across the Huntian Domain, countless strands of the power of order surged, intertwined with a peculiar force—the faith of countless cultivators throughout the realm! Indeed, the order here was tinged with the Dao of faith. At the same time, boundless energy and faith from all across the western domain converged, as if countless cultivators had sensed the peril, sending their spiritual wills pouring toward the Huntian Domain. Li Hao paid it no heed. His devouring power erupted, and the surging spiritual wills instantly fell into his Great Dao River. Immense energy coalesced into glowing spheres, suppressed beneath the river. Li Hao's eyes flickered, and he smiled. Waving his hand, he unleashed a surge of Great Dao power, intercepting and blunting Chunqiu's assault. Chunqiu's face changed drastically! Furious, she barked, "Li Hao!" She had shown ample sincerity, accommodating him at every turn, yet he repeatedly provoked her! Why? What on earth did this man want? Li Hao said nothing. He simply attacked again, pressing down on the old man and his companions. The old man's expression changed repeatedly, unable to fathom Li Hao's aim. Did he want to kill them personally? Hateful! He mobilized a vast amount of chaotic power once more, burning countless Great Dao crystals to release a towering aura. Roaring furiously, he joined forces with several rank eights to form a shield of order... Yet in the next second, a book seemed to emerge within Li Hao's Great Dao River—Order's Heavenly Policy. A shattered Order's Heavenly Policy. Countless strands of the power of order were swept up by Li Hao once more. The old man paled. *Bastard!* This damned fellow... It seemed Li Hao could now wield the power of order as well! If this continued, they would stand no chance against him. Their only hope lay with Dao Lord Huntian. Only his return could repel these two. Li Hao continually drew in vast amounts of energy, a broad smile on his face. He did not kill anyone. Why kill them? It was better for both sides if no blood was shed. After all, wasn't his teacher still on that side? If he slaughtered these people and Huntian slew Chaos, Huntian would execute his teacher as well... Yuan Shuo carried far more weight than these few. Thus, Li Hao merely kept baiting them into unleashing stronger bursts of power, only to extract it. Again and again! As long as he drained the Huntian Domain of its energy reserves, territory was unnecessary, and having a few extra rank-eight experts would not matter. Chunqiu wanted them dead, but that was not Li Hao's intention. Beside him, Sovereign Chunqiu seemed to read Li Hao's thoughts, her expression souring continuously! *Damn you, Li Hao!* Infuriated and thoroughly vexed, she vanished in an instant, disappearing from sight. Li Hao glanced back; Chunqiu was completely gone. He probed with his senses, his eyes shifting for a brief moment, but decided against interfering. Before long... from a rank-eight world in the distance came a thunderous boom. Chunqiu had appeared! *Boom!* A colossal Chunqiu Cicada manifested, almost blanketing the entire world. Within that world, a rank-eight expert turned deathly pale and shrieked in agony, "Chunqiu, my world has never provoked you in the slightest..." *Boom!* A deafening roar resounded through heaven and earth. Chunqiu merely wanted an outlet for her fury. Who told them to reside in the Huntian Domain, in the western region? She would slaughter them first! Within the Huntian Domain, the remaining experts blanched. The old man growled, "Silver Moon King, Chunqiu is slaughtering the innocent..." *Are you not going to save them?* Li Hao blinked, then laughed. "Exercising enough restraint not to slaughter the innocent myself is already the height of self-control. If I were not here, she might have killed you long ago. Or do you think you could have stood against Chunqiu?" *What a joke!* *Expecting me to play the savior...* *What are they thinking? Am I really that benevolent?* "Silver Moon King, once the Dao Lord returns, you will surely face his retribution for breaching our realm today... Your enemies are not us, but those rank nines! The Dao Lord once said you sought to shatter the Source of Chaos and oppose those rank nines. You and the Dao Lord..." He wanted to argue that there was still room for cooperation. Yet Li Hao paid no heed. He maintained steady pressure on the group, forcing them to exhaust their strength; if they held back, they would die and their realm would fall. Yet every time they unleashed their power, vast swathes of order were drawn away by Li Hao! Though strong, they were helpless against the current Li Hao. Above all, Li Hao's Great Dao power counteracted them severely. Order's Heavenly Policy... had now become Li Hao's weapon for draining their energy. ... At the same time. In the north, deep within the chaos. Sovereign Huntian wore a calm expression, though a flicker of displeasure lurked deep in his eyes. *Li Hao... ultimately chose to stand against me after all.* When he had said he held high hopes for Li Hao, he had meant it. Li Hao wanted to revive people and break through the blockade of the rank nines; Huntian had genuinely been willing to support him. The control exerted by Order's Heavenly Policy was not ordinary subjugation; it merely made Li Hao a natural guardian of order. Li Hao would not have been a complete puppet—he would simply have borne an extra burden. Anyone who disrupted order would become his enemy; that was the core of Order's Heavenly Policy. The chaos was vast, filled with many experts. Huntian felt that apart from himself, there was no one on his side capable of handling important matters. In his eyes, had this plan succeeded, Li Hao would have ranked second only to him in the hierarchy of order. In status, standing, and strength, he would have been second only to Huntian himself. The number two figure in the Huntian system, surpassing even the commander of the Ninefold Guards! Was such an offering still not enough? Yet Li Hao was still unsatisfied! He knew Li Hao was unyielding, which was why he had never attempted persuasion to make him submit. He had deployed Order's Heavenly Policy alongside an avatar specifically to ensure success, yet it had still failed. *Boom!* A tremendous roar echoed as he took a step back, the power of order on his body completely drained away. Opposite him, Chaos Dao Lord grew solemn. The moment all the power of order dissipated, an overwhelmingly evil force suddenly spilled forth from Huntian—chaos, darkness, decay, desire, greed... Every form of malice converged upon Huntian. At this moment, Huntian was no longer the serene Daoist from before. His eyes were filled with slaughter, fury, and loathing as he stared at Chaos, appearing even more malevolent than Chaos Dao Lord himself! "Chaos!" Huntian regarded him coldly. "In this world, the Dao is not singular! Beneath order, ugliness is forever concealed! I have devoured every malice, merging it into myself so that others may preserve only beauty. Tell me, is this right or wrong?" Sovereign Chaos sensed boundless evil and felt the chaotic power within himself churn violently. At this moment, even the Dao spirit of the Dao of Chaos shrank back in trepidation. Such evil power! Huntian! Looking at Huntian, he let out a breath. "I never expected... Ah, it makes sense. You are not the Lord of Order. Since you sought to establish a unified world, those chaotic, dark forces could not simply vanish into thin air. I thought you had suppressed them, not that... you devoured them yourself!" To think Huntian had swallowed them all! Just like the cat in Xinwu—all the evil power of Xinwu had been devoured by Cang Cat. And across the western domain, countless foul energies had been ingested by Huntian himself, suppressed beneath order. Normally, he was a cultivator of order; but once that order collapsed, he... became the true evil order. At this moment, the entire chaos seemed flooded with chaotic malice! Across the northern domain, countless cultivators suddenly grew agitated, restless, and overwhelmed with murderous intent as darkness descended! This went even beyond the influence brought by the Lord of Chaos. The chaotic power of the north now surged toward Huntian instead of Chaos. Chaos Dao Lord sighed softly. "You and the Lord of Order... are different... He was domineering, but not evil. You learned from his failure, and you might become more successful than him. But you... are no longer the Lord of Order!" Huntian said nothing, his eyes cold and stern. Order had failed! What meaning was there in repeating past mistakes? One had to change! Thus came the Huntian of today, rather than the Lord of Order. Li Hao and Chunqiu were currently stirring up turmoil in the west; he had no time to waste bantering with Chaos. Right now, only by killing Chaos, drawing upon the power of chaos, and devouring the Chaos Dao spirit could he become even stronger! He would surpass everyone currently in the chaos, standing shoulder to shoulder with the true rank nines whose true bodies descended, possessing Great Dao spirits! Not pseudo-rank nines! A wild, tumultuous aura surfaced upon him. The surrounding chaotic power surged toward him like mad. He vanished in a flash like lightning, accompanied by countless tribulations manifesting around him. In his hands, a weapon appeared... another book. A book of darkness! It was even more formidable than the previous Order's Heavenly Policy—the Huntian Dao Canon! The Dao of a turbulent world! Turbulent powers erupted wildly, as though tearing the surrounding chaos to shreds. Sovereign Chaos's Great Dao trembled, and his chaotic power began to bleed away. The rank-nine Sovereign's gaze turned frosty and grave. Originally, his rate of destruction had outpaced the other's establishment of order. But now... when the other had transformed into a master of chaos as well, any further destruction was matched and exceeded by Huntian's sheer ferocity. Yet Chaos Dao Lord soon revealed a faint smile. He tilted his head toward the depths of heaven and earth and laughed. "Did you see that?... He... is even more chaotic than I am... I might not be able to match him as he is now." Sovereign Huntian reappeared in an instant, smashing down the Huntian Dao Canon. The chaotic power was instantly shattered as he said in a low voice, "They cannot come. Even if they do, they are merely ordinary rank eights. However many come, they will only die. Did you think they would save you?" Chaos Dao Lord fell back repeatedly, the chaotic power across his body unravelling while his formidable physique battered the void to pieces! Above his head, a Great Dao suddenly manifested! The Great Dao of Chaos! At this moment, he seemed to have fully awakened. The Great Dao of Chaos appeared, drawing vast amounts of chaotic power toward him. The torrential power swept across the surroundings, shattering the bindings of the Huntian Dao Canon! This was a true rank nine—a rank nine whose true body had descended. He could draw boundless chaotic power from the Great Dao of Chaos to sustain his might; the stronger his spirituality, the more he could draw. Though his spirituality was currently lacking, he still drew in enough chaotic power to keep himself from being overwhelmed immediately! Right then, Chaos Dao Lord suddenly looked toward the depths of the north, where the Five Elements Domain lay. His eyes shifted, and he suddenly laughed. A tremendous surge of chaotic power battered the surroundings. *Boom!* A deafening explosion rang out across the cosmos! Below, the experts locked in fierce combat sensed the disturbance and blanched. In that instant, Chaos Dao Lord dove straight down from above. Seeing this, Huntian snorted coldly and charged down in pursuit. Chaos had nowhere left to run! Yet deep within the fleeing Chaos Dao Lord's eyes lay total calm. His aura erupted, blanketing the surroundings, his voice icy as frost: "Emissaries of the Five Elements, Tianjin, everyone... lend me a hand!" The Sovereigns' scalps turned numb! *You are a rank nine, yet you're being beaten into flight by Huntian? What is going on?* Furthermore, the pursuing Huntian carried an aura so malevolent that their hairs stood on end. Despite their dread, Chaos could not be allowed to die. Sovereign Tianjin roared, releasing a burst of power to force back the Ninefold Guards, before leading the other rank-eight Sovereigns toward Sovereign Chaos. Sovereign Chaos released his aura, instantly forming a domain of chaos that enveloped all the experts, including the pursuing Huntian. Huntian frowned slightly. Appearing in a flash, the Huntian Dao Canon released an intensely murderous aura, trapping everyone on Chaos's side within its grasp. ... Outside the Five Elements World. Yuan Shuo, who had been waiting, suddenly had his eyes light up. They... were all trapped! An opportunity! Previously, though the two sides were tangled in battle, there had always been a chance to disengage. But now, with Chaos and Huntian descending into the fray, even Tianjin and the other masters of the Five Elements World could no longer extract themselves. The chance had arrived! He felt thrilled, yet faintly anxious... At this point, however, there was no room for hesitation. He instantly disguised himself in Chaos's likeness, and within the blink of an eye, arrived near the realm gate of the Five Elements Domain, where several experts stood guard, filled with dread. Riding the Feitian tiger, Yuan Shuo appeared with a faint wisp of chaotic power. Before the guards could react, he transmitted his voice: "It is me. Let me in, quickly... I need to contact the other rank nines... to suppress Huntian!" "..." Outside the gate, two rank-eight experts stood guard—not natives of the Five Elements World, but allies from outside. Their expressions changed slightly. *Who is this?* *The power of chaos?* They glanced toward the distant battlefield, bewildered and wary! Who was this? Over there was Sovereign Chaos—so who was this? His aura did not seem particularly strong! Several rank-seven cultivators from the Five Elements World were also stationed there. One of them, after a moment of hesitation and faint excitement, sent a transmission: "Is this... the Venerable's avatar?" Some of the native experts knew a bit of the situation. Last time, Li Hao had caused a huge commotion, taking a vast amount of Great Dao power before leaving, later sending word that he was traveling via avatar. Earlier... they had tracked him, and intelligence had returned saying that the avatar of the Chaos Dao Lord seemed to be riding a chaos beast, constantly drawing in chaotic power. And right now, Yuan Shuo was riding the Feitian tiger. It seemed... to be that very beast! Yuan Shuo breathed a quiet sigh of relief. He had worried no one would know. Since they recognized the signs, things were far easier: "It is me. Let me in quickly. Huntian has erupted with sudden power, and my true body has not fully recovered. I fear I cannot match him..." The guards were thoroughly shaken. *Even a rank nine cannot match him?* The two rank eights assigned by Tianjin to guard the gate looked at the native rank eights and quickly transmitted, "Is this... the Venerable's avatar?" "It... it should be..." The Five Elements experts felt uneasy, but it seemed genuine. Besides, with the mighty locked in battle, this avatar did not seem exceptionally strong. Even if he had other ideas, he could hardly alter much, could he? "Do we let him in?" "This... we might as well. Otherwise, if our side loses, we are all doomed. Perhaps he really can contact the other rank-nine Sovereigns..." The two rank eights were flustered. In the distance, Sovereign Chaos appeared to be at a disadvantage. They were terrified! At this juncture, they could only pin their hopes on this avatar of Venerable Chaos doing something to reverse the tide. In the next moment, the Sovereigns cleared the passage through the realm gate. One of the rank eights quickly offered, "Does the Venerable require our assistance?" Regardless of whether it was needed, one of the rank eights followed Yuan Shuo inside, uneasy yet determined to shadow him, fearing the avatar might cause trouble within the realm. Meanwhile, the Feitian tiger held its head high, utterly fearless. In truth, the beast had not noticed any difference. By now, it had figured out that the person riding it all this time was supposedly Sovereign Chaos—a rank nine! How formidable! As for the Chaos outside being at a disadvantage, that did not matter. In the tiger's view, the Chaos here was also strong; they simply had not combined their forces yet. Once united, they would be even stronger! Huntian was most likely no match for them. What was there to fear? Thus, the beast acted exceptionally bold and arrogant: "Out of my way! How could you possibly help? The senior naturally has his own methods..." The rank-eight Sovereign cursed under his breath. *A dog flaunting its master's might!* A mere rank-seven chaos beast—under normal circumstances, he would have slapped it to death for daring to speak like that! Yuan Shuo sucked in a cold breath. *Damn, you arrogant beast.* *This stupid tiger has spent a few days with Li Hao and gotten far too bold. When we're exposed in a moment, don't come crying to me!* At the same time, he felt a rush of excitement. As long as he entered the Five Elements Domain and seized control of it while its overlords were unable to return, he had a chance to command the realm's five elements power, thereby gaining the strength to suppress these people. Fortunately, everything had gone smoothly. He flew rapidly toward the realm gate, heart pounding! These people might not sense anything yet, but the moment he seized control of the five elements power, the overlords would immediately perceive it. A single roar carried across the void would subject him to a siege! Anxious as he was, and difficult as the road ahead might be, he still chose to enter. This was likely his only opportunity! Yuan Shuo stepped swiftly into the realm, instantly sensing an extraordinarily rich power of the five elements. Overjoyed, he marveled at its density; the Five Elements Domain, hailed as the premier five elements realm in the chaos, truly lived up to its name! Yuan Shuo could not afford to waste time. In an instant, his force spirit emerged. Merging into the void, it immediately began plundering the power of the five elements, seeking to wrest away control over the entire realm's five elements power. He had prepared himself for an immediate battle, but before that, he needed to seize as much control as possible... The Sovereigns following behind were taken aback. The two rank eights rushed forward, unsure how to handle the situation. One could not help but ask, "Venerable, what is the meaning of this...?" Yuan Shuo feigned composure. "I am merely borrowing some five elements power to communicate with the other rank nines. It will only take a moment..." The two rank eights were uncertain whether this was true. The native rank-seven cultivators hesitated as well, looking out through the realm gate toward the distant void. The avatar of Chaos seemed to be plundering their five elements power... This... would have to depend on what their realm lords said. ... On the battlefield. A fierce battle raged. Sovereign Chaos retreated as he fought, yet kept the surroundings tightly enveloped. At that moment, Sovereign Tianjin's expression changed abruptly. "Not good... Damn it, someone is plundering the five elements power of our realm!" *Who?* He spun toward the distant Five Elements Domain and was about to roar in fury. Those fools! He had deliberately left people behind to guard the realm, so why had they let someone enter and plunder the five elements without stopping them? If too much five elements power was stolen, causing disruptions in the Great Dao Universe, their own strength would be severely impaired! Things were already difficult enough as it was! Just as his roar began, his voice wavered and his Dao grew chaotic. Within the chaotic void, the sound was instantly shredded and dispersed by boundless chaotic power. Sovereign Tianjin froze! Opposite them, Sovereign Huntian heard the muffled shout and raised an eyebrow. Looking at Chaos, who had remained silent all along, he suddenly chuckled. "Chaos... you are ruthless enough!" Sovereign Chaos said nothing. He merely stared at him, unleashing another wave of formidable chaotic power! It swept across the entire expanse! Not only was Sovereign Tianjin's voice blocked, but everyone else's voice was stifled as well. The Great Dao of Chaos surged with endless chaotic power! Tianjin began to panic. He could feel the energy of his Five Elements Domain spiraling wildly out of control, beginning to affect their own bodies. He could not help shouting, "Venerable, what are you doing...?" Sovereign Chaos still did not reply. Only when he felt a certain shift did he let out a soft sigh. "I had no desire to do this. But the situation leaves me no room for hesitation. Everyone... you will have to sacrifice yourselves for the grand cause of the rank nines!" Before Tianjin and the other two could react, their power spun entirely out of control, and a faint wisp of chaotic power emerged within their bodies. In the blink of an eye, the three began to burn furiously! Sovereign Tianjin was horrified! The Five Elements Emissaries blanched as well, and Sovereign Jinyang cried out in shock and fury, "Chaos Dao Lord, you...!" Chaos Dao Lord said softly, "It is nothing. The rest of you need not worry; I will still show face to Tianfang. These three... possess empty strength yet know not how to wield it... Huntian is currently formidable, and if this continues, I may be slain!" In an instant, the three overlords burned with intense fury as immense chaotic and five elements power merged into Chaos Dao Lord's body. Opposite him, Sovereign Huntian chuckled. "Chaos, are you not afraid Five Elements will settle scores with you...?" "If I am killed by you, why would I care about him? And if I defeat you... they are merely a few rank eights. Given the massive risks I have taken, what does killing them matter? What can he do to me?" Sovereign Tianjin roared hysterically, "Bastard... Chaos, that is Li Hao's man! That is his master plundering the source of our Five Elements World... You are abetting the wicked..." Abetting the wicked? Chaos Dao Lord did not care in the least! If the intruder had not plundered their source, it would have been harder for him to strike; after all, the three united were top-tier rank eights. Trapping them and pulling them into the fray earlier had all been for this moment. As for Yuan Shuo's presence, he had not noticed it at first, but once the battle erupted and chaos swept the area, he had discovered him long ago. Not only him—Huntian had likely noticed as well; concealing it from them was nearly impossible. Yet discovering it changed nothing. Even without Yuan Shuo, he would have struck at the Five Elements overlords just to be safe. Of course, without Yuan Shuo's interference, he would have paid a steeper price and might not have smoothly extracted so much spirituality and Great Dao power. Now, it was much simpler. The Five Elements Emissaries were terrified. The experts serving under other Dao Lords nearby turned pale. Chaos... was actually stripping the Great Dao power of Tianjin and the others to restore his own strength! *Damn it!* Huntian's expression shifted slightly. In an instant, his formidable power erupted once more. Chaos swept through the void as he threw a punch, the dark book turning into a binding barrier that enveloped everyone! *Boom!* The firmament seemed to shatter. Chaos was clearly not acting on a whim—he had planned this all along. If he proved unable to win, he would sacrifice the others to patch himself up and restore his peak combat strength. Sovereign Chaos wasted no words. A potent intent of chaos burst from the three burning rank eights, and a deafening roar shook heaven and earth! *Boom!* Three bursts of fireworks tore through the void. Sovereign Chaos used the chaos to fall back again, his expression as cold as ever. Tianjin and his two companions were utterly blasted apart, their spiritual bodies wailing in agony! "Chaos... you beast...!" They had been helping him all along, yet he had stripped their Great Dao power and detonated their physical bodies to stall Huntian, severing their every path and leaving them not a single shred of hope. Chaos Dao Lord remained impassive. No one could blame another for cruelty. Had those rank nines not sent him down precisely because he was weak and posed little threat to them? When danger loomed, he was pushed forward. When opportunity arrived, he would be cast aside. A torrent of power poured into his body. The chaotic power that had bled away and the spirituality that had been suppressed were instantly reignited. Three top-tier rank eights naturally possessed immense spirituality, even if they did not know how to employ it. Having reached this stage, spirituality was inherent to them. Now, it was all absorbed by him. Chaos Dao Lord's aura swelled dramatically, and the Huntian Dao Canon that had been suppressing him instantly cracked! A majestic power gushed from Chaos Dao Lord! At this moment, someone seemed to be cursing furiously... faintly echoing from the void, from the depths of the Great Dao of Chaos. It was the enraged voice of the Five Elements Dao Lord. Yet Chaos Dao Lord could not care less! The phantom silhouettes of the three Sovereigns burned away completely. A mournful wail echoed across heaven and earth! In the distance, the Five Elements Domain seemed to be collapsing. Sovereign Tianjin was plunged into despair... They had once been northern overlords, yet they had met with defeat after defeat. Now, they were utterly wiped out, right at their own doorstep, sacrificed by Chaos—the very ally they had relied upon! Even the commander of the Ninefold Guards, that dark shadow, could not help snorting coldly: "Shameless!" Chaos Dao Lord laughed. "Shameless? Ask Huntian who is more shameless! What a laugh. You fools are ignorant of your own folly!" Could he be more shameless than Huntian? He had no desire to waste breath. With his combat strength soaring, he said nothing more and vanished from the spot, paying no heed to the fate of the Five Elements Domain. Whether Yuan Shuo profited or someone else did, he did not care! The chaos was bound to fall into turmoil! He still had plenty of opportunities. If Huntian thought killing him would be simple, he had underestimated a true rank nine! In that fraction of a second, he disappeared, and Sovereign Huntian struck out into the darkness! A booming roar shook the cosmos. Chaos instantly merged into the Great Dao of Chaos. Behind him, the Five Elements Emissaries and the other rank eights serving the Dao Lords panicked. Just as they moved to act, a surge of chaotic will erupted around them. They were immediately affected, their eyes turning wild with madness in an instant. Unleashing their full power, they charged at Huntian and his guards! Chaos Dao Lord seemed to murmur softly. Countless strands of chaotic power gathered from across heaven and earth. Turmoil was for the best; even though a large portion of chaotic power was being seized by Huntian, he paid it no mind. Reaching out, he seemed to grasp something as a streak of spirituality surfaced. Sneering coldly at his surroundings, he chuckled in a low voice, "I may be weak, but I am still a rank nine!" *Did you all take me for a fool?* *Tianfang and the others treated me as cannon fodder; Huntian wanted to kill me to establish his might and strengthen himself; even the Five Elements Emissaries treated me as a vanguard, thinking I was merely a point man for their Dao Lord... Did they underestimate what it means to be a rank nine?* In that single instant, the Chaos Dao spirit collapsed! Sovereign Chaos coughed up blood continuously, his Great Dao power bleeding away wildly. The terrifying might he had gathered from the chaotic power suddenly disintegrated! Even Sovereign Huntian's body stiffened for a moment as the chaotic power began to collapse! Without the restraint of the Chaos spirit, the Great Dao power detonated entirely in that instant! *Boom!* Whether the Ninefold Guards or the Five Elements Emissaries, and even the countless cultivators in the distant Five Elements World, all were affected. Madness overtook them, their sanity unraveling into chaos! Huntian's expression changed, his voice sinking low. "You madman..." Sovereign Chaos flew backward, coughing up blood, but he laughed. "Even if I fall to rank eight, I will not let you have an easy time! You are not qualified to kill me. I escaped from the hands of countless experts to reach rank nine—did you really think everything was in your control? Order beneath the darkness... how laughable!" *Boom!* At that moment, the Ninefold Guards, who had guarded Huntian like shadows, suddenly lost control—except for their commander. Rumbling with power, they turned their attacks upon Huntian! Huntian's expression hardened. *Damn it!* He had not anticipated Chaos acting with such absolute finality, going so far as to detonate his entire Chaos spirituality. This allowed chaotic power to saturate heaven and earth, overwhelming the minds of these experts and driving them out of control! In the distance, Sovereign Chaos kept coughing up blood, his Great Dao power leaking away, yet his eyes remained exceptionally calm. *You all took me for a fool. Fine, I will play the fool once!* *The Dao source remains!* *This chaos will descend into complete turmoil sooner or later, and I will have another chance!* Sacrificing the Five Elements overlords had not been meant to empower him to duel Huntian—he likely would have lost anyway. It had been to bolster his spirituality so he could detonate it, sending the power of chaos spiraling out of control. Without spirituality, his connection to the Great Dao of Chaos was severed. Even the rank nines would struggle to track his location! Chaos Dao Lord smiled, merged into the chaos, and fled without looking back. *Play among yourselves!* Behind him, Sovereign Huntian's face was grim. He could pursue Chaos, but the uncontrolled Ninefold Guards might slaughter one another to the point of extinction. That fellow had clearly planned everything. Taking a deep breath, he summoned the Huntian Dao Canon to absorb the chaotic power, purging the chaos within the Ninefold Guards to restore their sanity. Meanwhile, the enemy rank eights across from them were completely berserk! Huntian's expression was chilly. He had failed to kill Chaos, but Chaos had fallen in realm, now reduced to an ordinary rank eight. He had lost his spirituality. Chaos had not been fighting him; he had simply been fleeing the control of the other rank nines. Looking up at the sky toward the faintly visible Great Dao of Chaos, Huntian thought: *Will you descend more experts next?* ... Deep within the chaos. The Lord of Tianfang looked indifferent. The Lord of Tribulation wore an unsightly scowl. The Five Elements Dao Lord stared coldly ahead, as though taking in everything, his voice frigid: "What a Chaos! Choosing to discard his rank-nine power just to break free from everything—does such a person even deserve to be a rank nine?" Hateful! When Chaos had sacrificed the Five Elements overlords, he had not been this enraged. If they were sacrificed, so be it, provided Chaos fought Huntian to the death! Regardless of the outcome, everyone would have gained deeper insight into Huntian's true capabilities. Yet Chaos had not fought; he had detonated his spirituality! That scoundrel! The Five Elements Dao Lord was so furious he could spit blood. None of them had anticipated this outcome. He glanced sideways at Tianfang. Now that the Five Elements Emissaries had lost control and Huntian was right there... Tianfang's experts were likely doomed to total annihilation. The Lord of Tianfang remained calm, lost in thought. He said nothing. Chaos had fled, discarding his rank-nine spirit and willingly dropping in realm. What more could be said when a rank nine abandoned his own Dao? He was merely contemplating their next move. Defeat after defeat! Now, the path of return seemed increasingly arduous. "Li Hao seems to have reaped no small harvest in the west..." he murmured suddenly. "Having reached this point... his next step might very well be to open a world." He smiled faintly, his eyes reflecting the western domain, though the view was indistinct. Yet... he seemed to anticipate what would come next. The others remained silent. This was an outcome they preferred not to see. However, if it sparked a clash between Li Hao and Huntian, it might prove advantageous. It all depended on how Li Hao chose to act! ... The turbulent energy spread wildly. At this moment, Li Hao also sensed the ripples spreading across the void and raised an eyebrow, surprised. *Chaos... didn't die?* How strange! In his view, once Huntian shed his guise of order, he was bound to be extraordinarily formidable. Since Sovereign Chaos was far from his peak, he should have been doomed. Yet he had survived! It genuinely came as a surprise. In the distance, Chunqiu, having annihilated a rank-eight world, looked toward the horizon, equally astonished. "What a Chaos... to actually escape..." Suddenly, she laughed. Huntian had failed to kill Chaos! For Huntian, who had revealed his true colors, this was a severe setback. Otherwise, slaying a rank nine to establish dominance would have caused countless worlds to surrender upon hearing the news, laying an unshakeable foundation for his unification! Yet he had failed! Chunqiu smiled. His failure was her greatest gain. Even if Chaos was no good thing either, what did that matter? ... Meanwhile, within the Five Elements Domain, Yuan Shuo went from nervous to delighted, from delighted to bewildered, and finally to grave. The entire Five Elements World had fallen into complete disarray! The realm was collapsing, chaotic power surged everywhere, and the surrounding experts had gone completely berserk! Crucially... he sensed an overwhelming pressure! Someone had locked onto him. It was... Huntian!