Opening Heaven and Earth: Past, Present, and Future

Deep within the primal chaos. Several centuries slipped past in an instant following the Blood Ancestor's attempt to open the heavens. Time flowed effortlessly here, as though it were worth nothing at all. Across those centuries, the chaos deities continuously slaughtered one another. The strong grew ever stronger, while the weak were weeded out. The entire primal chaos spiraled into deeper turmoil. Yet Li Hao sensed the approaching harbinger of order. Such utter chaos signified that the Dao of Chaos from the outside world had influenced the entire realm, even seeping within. And that meant the Chaos Sovereign was likely fighting for his very life. This was the omen of order's return! It meant order was poised to descend completely, and the era of chaos was nearing its close. At this moment, Li Hao sat cross-legged in the void, paying no heed to anything or anyone. Even when innate god-fiends drew near, none dared provoke him. All the god-fiends of the primal chaos knew an eccentric figure resided among them. He wore white robes—they had now learned to call such garments clothes. At his waist hung a sword that never left its scabbard. They did not know whether it was powerful, nor did they care, for none dared approach him. All they knew was that this man was strong. As for how strong... no one could tell. Over these centuries, the Blood Ancestor had been stabilizing and strengthening his own heaven and earth. Amid the chaos, he had solidified his reputation as the foremost powerhouse, slaying countless god-fiends. Apart from him, that primordial flame had also revived. Calling itself Moyan, it waged battles against the champions across the cosmos. Within a short time, it had forged a fearsome name, hailed by some chaos beings as the second-strongest in the realm. The first was naturally the Blood Ancestor. As for Li Hao... because he had never once made a move, many feared him, yet no one knew the true depths of his power. Whether the Blood Ancestor or Moyan, both knew of Li Hao's existence, yet both seemed wary and dared not rashly approach him. Li Hao had a clear idea of the Blood Ancestor's origins. Moyan's origins were harder to determine. He knew it contained a portion of chaos source power, but as for whether it held Long Zhan's spirit, Li Hao could only sense traces. Scattered among the cosmos were ancient beasts that also seemed to carry bits of Long Zhan's spirituality. It was hard to tell whether that fellow had splintered his soul intentionally or had simply been battered to fragments. He might well have reincarnated as more than one entity. Of course, Li Hao did not particularly care. It was hard to say whether seizing an early lead guaranteed victory in the future. Moreover... Li Hao was already prepared to wipe out all the innate god-fiends on the day he truly opened the heavens! He would establish order within this primal chaos. As for whether anyone could escape, that had nothing to do with him. He would kill any who came, and all who failed to restrain their inner desires would inevitably come. That hour would be their doom. Some could return, while others could not. Those who were still alive outside and had merely sent their awareness through the passage could naturally return. But for those who were already dead outside, having their spirituality severed here meant absolute demise. Li Hao would not lose sleep over that either. Naturally, so long as he did not mistakenly slay his own teacher, nothing else mattered. As for his teacher... Li Hao turned his head toward a certain direction, hesitating slightly. A powerhouse of the Five Elements had emerged in the primal chaos, but judging by his demeanor and conduct, he differed somewhat from his teacher. Li Hao could no longer say for certain whether it was him. His teacher's spirit had been the earliest to merge into this realm; perhaps it had been suppressed after so long a time. Though Li Hao was the master of this realm, he was severing his own ties to it, choosing not to exert total control and instead allowing it to evolve freely. This was his choice. In his hand, the longsword quivered faintly. Over these centuries, Li Hao had primarily focused on nurturing his sword, repairing its damaged sections. Upon the divine blade, two divine characters shone with increasing brilliance, suffused with a spiritual glow. Cangqiong! Beside the sword, a gateway hovered before him. It was the Star Gate once forged by Xinwu, and Li Hao now intended to refine it. He hoped to place a gateway at the terminus of the river, granting beings a way to enter and leave this universe rather than sealing it entirely. If it were completely sealed, no one would ever breach this universe unless they surpassed him. "Star Gate..." Li Hao murmured. Having once sealed Silver Moon's Star Gate, was he now to seal this entire primal chaos? "The long river... a vessel..." The Star Gate could serve as an anchor at one end. Did the long river require another vessel at the opposite end? A thought struck him: should he forge two gateways? No, that was unnecessary! A single gate would suffice. Li Hao pondered. One end anchored, the other extending into infinity. Furthermore... once the long river was opened and the myriad Daos formed realms, should he impose certain restrictions? Li Hao sank into contemplation once more, gazing far off toward Moyan and the Blood Ancestor. These beings were formidable. Should he place constraints upon them? Long Zhan had demanded fairness. Li Hao did not particularly wish to interfere, but he would eventually settle trillions of humans into the myriad realms. Without restrictions, these chaos beasts, which instinctively preyed on mankind, could easily devour them to extinction. "Well... when the myriad realms open, since the chaos beasts dwell within primal chaos, I shall bar them from the realms. The primal chaos is vast; if they have the strength, they can rise within the chaos itself!" Li Hao murmured to himself, reaching a decision. He had no desire to dictate future evolution, but neither could he simply throw trillions of mortals into the jaws of these ancient beasts—unless those beasts chose to renounce their chaos heritage and enter the myriad realms, assimilating into native demon beasts. Thoughts surfaced one after another. Li Hao's blueprint for the future grew increasingly complete. For him, this was also a way to sort through and clarify his own Great Dao. When he opened the heavens and time returned, casting everything aside... perhaps everything would be different. Amid these thoughts, Li Hao's gaze suddenly shifted. The entire realm and the vast primal chaos seemed to shudder violently. The shattered Order Heavenly Strategy appeared to coalesce between heaven and earth at that very moment! Powerhouses throughout the primal chaos seemed to behold a radiant volume—a book of brilliant light! Its boundless, terrifying energy astonished even top-tier figures like the Blood Ancestor! What was that? A heavenly treasure? Or something else? In the distance, Li Hao smiled. The Order Heavenly Strategy had revived, which meant... the era of chaos had ended. Chaos was dead! My time is about to return! In an instant, an overwhelming pressure settled across the primal chaos. The Blood Ancestor and the other powerhouses paled in fright. "An innate spiritual treasure!" Someone cried out. Was this a supreme treasure of primal chaos? With just a single glance, everything seemed to fall into orderly alignment. This was the first time this turbulent primal chaos had ever sensed the presence of order. Streaks of light bolted madly toward it. They wanted to seize the treasure! Yet though the book appeared close at hand, it was in truth unimaginably distant. Countless god-fiends surged forward in a frenzy. Li Hao smiled and beckoned with his hand. The book flew straight toward him. Li Hao paid it little mind, silently sensing the shifts of reality. Time... was about to return! Chaos was dead. He had to be; unless he managed to slay the Life and Death Dao Lord, he had no chance of survival. "The time has come!" Li Hao rose to his feet with an easy smile. I have waited long enough! For an instant, the primal chaos seemed frozen in place before quickly returning to normal. Yet just as the Order Heavenly Strategy reached his grasp, Li Hao frowned slightly. He looked into the distance. A monstrous surge of blood-qi erupted toward the sky! The Blood Ancestor tore across the void, draped in blood-red light, roaring, "Put it down!" Li Hao smiled, watching him approach. The Blood Ancestor moved with astonishing speed. After hundreds of years of opening heaven—or rather, opening a realm—he had grown immensely powerful. Bristling with rage and steeped in blood, his eyes gleamed with chilling resolve. "Swordsman, others might not know your background, but I know a thing or two! Today, that book belongs to me!" The Order Heavenly Strategy? Li Hao understood. He looked at the Blood Ancestor striding through the void, then glanced at the innate deities lurking around them. Chuckling softly, he said, "This item was mine to begin with. Taking it would do you no good." No good? How could a supreme treasure of primal chaos be useless? The Blood Ancestor sneered, his gaze hardening. This man had seemed to descend from beyond the heavens back then. He did not know Li Hao's true identity, but he vaguely sensed some connection between them. Of course, that did not matter. What mattered was that although Li Hao appeared formidable, his aura was not particularly strong—weaker, even, than some of the mightier innate god-fiends. Though the Blood Ancestor felt wary, he believed he had grown peerlessly strong over the centuries. No one in this primal chaos was his match. Perhaps Moyan could contend with him, but this man? Would he, the Blood Ancestor, actually fear him? "Hand over the treasure!" The Blood Ancestor barked, "This is a supreme treasure of primal chaos, and I am the foremost living being born of it! It rightfully belongs to me! Swordsman, I do not wish to kill you, so do not refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!" Li Hao sighed softly. "Truly, desire is everywhere. Even as the first living being of primal chaos, you cannot escape it. Had you shown a shred of restraint, you might have had a bright future. You and I share a bond... What a pity!" The Blood Ancestor frowned. A bond? What nonsense about bonds! He stared greedily at the Order Heavenly Strategy. That book... a book? Whatever it was, it looked extraordinarily formidable. If such a magnificent treasure fell into his hands, combined with his supreme might, he would firmly secure his throne as the undisputed master of primal chaos. As for Moyan... how could that creature compare to him? By now, the Blood Ancestor had crossed the void and arrived right before Li Hao. Suppressing his lingering unease, he shouted once more, "Are you going to surrender it or not?" "You are truly... courting death." Li Hao shook his head. He had no patience to waste on this fellow. The flow of time inside and outside differed, but the emergence of the Order Heavenly Strategy signaled that order was taking root—and that meant time was returning. He had momentous tasks ahead; why squander energy on this creature? Shoo! "Seeing as you were born of the Dao of Blood and can be considered a true innate spirit of this realm, I shall give you one chance. Will you leave... or not?" Li Hao rarely gave second chances. Yet toward a lifeform born of the primal chaos he had forged himself, he showed unusual tolerance. I offer you a choice. Leave, and I will let it go. This fellow was neither the Human King nor one of the Silver Moon comrades; killing him would mean nothing more than eliminating an innate entity. He was a genuine innate creature of primal chaos. Though forged from chaotic spirituality, reaching this stage had not been easy. Moreover, he had inherited some of Li Hao's intent and bloodline, making him akin to a half-son... Well, a son this ugly was best forgotten. Too hideous! A drenched mass of crimson! Li Hao erased the thought from his mind. "Leave?" The Blood Ancestor scoffed. "Are you afraid?" Li Hao was speechless. After a moment, he said, "Truly... obstinate beyond cure." Afraid? Where on earth did you see fear? Have I moved an inch from where I stand? Seeing several deities creeping closer in the distance, Li Hao shook his head slightly, saying no more. Since words were useless, there was no need to speak. Back when he shed this blood, his own desire had run rampant, marking a dark chapter in his path. Tainted by that raw desire, the Blood Ancestor had inevitably been overwhelmed by greed. So be it. The death of a single deity changed nothing. It would not affect the grand design. In a flash, the sword was drawn! The Blood Ancestor was immensely powerful, yet this heaven and earth belonged to Li Hao. Over these centuries, Li Hao had hardly remained idle, and at this very moment, he could sense time beginning to return! Without a word, Li Hao struck! A radiant arc of sword-light illuminated heaven and earth, as though brightening the entire primal chaos! The Blood Ancestor felt as if the cosmos itself were being ripped apart. He froze, bewildered. What kind of sword was this? The brilliance flashed! Drawn, struck, and sheathed! Completed in a single, fluid breath. Li Hao spared a glance at the Blood Ancestor. A faint line of blood parted across the Blood Ancestor's face. In the next instant, monstrous blood-qi erupted, spraying across the void. In the distance, several nearby innate beings were suddenly drenched in the shower of blood! Li Hao cast a passing glance over them, not dwelling on it. They seemed to carry the spirits of humans. Whose spirits they were, he had no interest in knowing. He did not look back at the Blood Ancestor. Instead, he raised his eyes toward a star gradually materializing in the sky, a genuine smile gracing his lips. Time had returned! Li Hao drifted upward, vanishing directly into the expanse. Behind him, the Blood Ancestor stood alone, his blood-qi hemorrhaging uncontrollably. He stared blankly at the sky, at Li Hao's departing figure, and murmured, "One strike... How is this possible?" Impossible! I was invincible across heaven and earth, supreme throughout the primal chaos! How could this be? Teetering on his feet, the Blood Ancestor looked around, suddenly dazed. Who am I, really? And who... was he? Stumbling slowly toward the distance, his physical form began to disintegrate. He let out a despondent laugh. "I... could not withstand a single blow... He... is the truly invincible one..." So all my ambitions were mere illusions. That swordsman never even deigned to acknowledge me. A single strike extinguished my spirit. I am dying. My path of invincibility ends here. He tilted his head toward the heavens, catching a glimpse of the man soaring into the void. Far above, something even more formidable than that book seemed to emerge—a celestial body resembling a star, shining in a starless expanse. At that moment, Li Hao wore a radiant smile. He paid no heed to extinguishing the Blood Ancestor's spirit with a single strike. Although the Blood Ancestor was strong, his mastery over the Great Dao was crude. Furthermore, order had not yet been established earlier, and the Blood Ancestor had been forged largely from Li Hao's own blood and influenced by the "Blood" divine character. Even with power rivaling a rank-eight expert—scarcely weaker than Jieduan in the outer primal chaos—he had stood utterly powerless before Li Hao. He had been burdened with too many limitations! ... At this moment, terror gripped countless innate god-fiends across the primal chaos. Unadulterated dread! Even Moyan, lurking in the shadows, widened its eyes and opened its maw in shock. At this time, Moyan took the form of a beast with a dragon's head and a tiger's body, resembling a qilin, with a black flame flickering within its chest. It had originally intended to seize the treasure as well! Who could have foreseen that the Blood Ancestor would rush in first? Yet that single step had saved Moyan's life. Moyan's heart trembled violently! Who was that man? To slay the Blood Ancestor with a single sword strike was terrifying beyond measure! In its eyes, the Blood Ancestor was the foremost deity of the primal chaos, immensely strong. Even Moyan would have found contending with him nearly impossible. Yet he had been slain by a single man in a single strike! Utterly unbelievable! "The Blood Ancestor... is dead?" Murmurs of shock rippled through the void as beings gazed toward where the Blood Ancestor had vanished, where reality seemed to collapse. Was he truly dead? They did not know. All they knew was that the peerlessly mighty Blood Ancestor had fallen to a single stroke, his blood-qi blasting across heaven and earth. Just then, someone noticed the figures drenched in the scattered blood. "The Blood Ancestor's blood essence soaked them... Those fellows..." Before the words could settle, three figures in the distance suddenly let out furious roars. Their auras surged wildly! Beings who had once been mediocre among the god-fiends now experienced an astronomical leap in power, drawing astonished glances from all around. Before anyone could react, the powerhouse who had slain the Blood Ancestor seemed to acquire some supreme treasure high in the sky. A burst of hearty laughter resonated across heaven and earth. "Good, good, good... It has finally returned..." Li Hao's smile was brilliant. Time had returned! No one had intercepted it. No one could. So long as he lived, how could anyone seize time from him? Yet... Glancing at the Time Star before him, Li Hao's brow knitted slightly. Having discerned something, he gave a careless chuckle. Whatever! It seemed Chaos was still unwilling to accept his end! Then he smiled again. "Chaos, you old fellow, must you stir up trouble before you can rest easy? "Very well, I shall grant your wish! "Your spirituality hasn't dispersed. You were once a rank-nine existence, possessing the chance to rise within this new world. But... so be it. You had best rest quietly. "Unless troubled times arise, stay asleep! "Only when the world falls into chaos should you awaken once more! "That way, you won't cause me any headaches. I preach fairness, but if you actually succeeded and were the one to emerge... I would be the one crying. "Had you refrained from meddling, I wouldn't have bothered you. But since you insisted on being clever, I shall suppress your spirit!" Li Hao smiled. That was not his only reason, of course. His primary concern was that Chaos was a rank-nine existence. If he revived prematurely and became a native chaos being, the trouble would be immense. A rank-nine entity could drain the entire primal chaos of its energy, causing the world to collapse! You are too strong! So remain obedient and leave it to luck. If fortune smiles and chaos erupts, you may reemerge. If this realm remains peaceful, you had best stay beneath the long river in eternal retirement until your spirituality thoroughly fades away. I control time itself; how could any of your little tricks escape my notice? Li Hao understood clearly. Sensing the power of chaos mingled within the Great Dao, he smiled and made no move to purge it. Chaos was also a form of energy. Extremes begot their opposites; an existence forged solely of order would merely become a second West. Huntian had built his western domain well, but it was far too artificial! Deeds without desire! Whether mortal or demon, how could anyone live entirely devoid of desire? Moreover, war and turmoil were necessary phases of development. Li Hao understood this better than ever. Chuckling, he said, "Very well, let the power of chaos remain... No wonder that fellow cursed me back then. So that was why..." With chaotic power saturating the river, frequent wars would be inevitable. This realm was destined not to be a paradise of leisure. It would have to endure the rise and fall of eras. Still, that was not necessarily a bad thing. Li Hao had no intention of banishing it; doing so might alter the course of the future. Swinging his sword, a soft laugh echoed across heaven and earth. "In three days, I shall open the heavens and summon the River of Time! All deities, withdraw! If you are consumed by desire and come to interfere, I will show no mercy! "The Great Dao has fifty, heaven manifests forty-nine, and man escapes through the one..." Li Hao murmured, leaving them a sliver of hope. If they resisted their desires and stayed away, he would spare them. If they came, he would kill them! Leave a thread of leeway in life, so meeting again carries no regret. Having thought it through, Li Hao felt completely at ease. He had done all that he should. ... Heaven and earth trembled. Opening the heavens? Opening the heavens again? Was it the same as when the Blood Ancestor opened the realm? This peerlessly mighty man was going to open heaven as well? Was doing so truly that beneficial? And what was the River of Time? None could comprehend it! Yet they felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation. Why... would he not allow them to observe? Back then, the Blood Ancestor had actively invited everyone to watch. Why was this man forbidding it? How strange! Despite their curiosity, dread of this man kept them at bay. Not knowing his name and hearing him speak of opening the River of Time, they wondered: could he be the Ancestor of Time? Unable to understand, they dared not approach rashly. Yet within the primal chaos, some felt their greed stirring... Were there great benefits to opening the heavens? If not, why was everyone trying to do it? Three days... For powerhouses, it was nothing more than the blink of an eye. ... In a flash, three days arrived. Li Hao stood proud in the void, right at the epicenter of this primal chaos. On this day, as he stood atop the firmament, waves of desire began permeating heaven and earth. If they did not come, so be it; if they came, they could not blame him for being ruthless. "Rise!" Deities lurked in the surrounding shadows, but Li Hao ignored them. With a low cry, the windless sky suddenly surged like a hurricane. Roaring waves crashed against the void, their thunderous churning echoing in every direction! Crash! Like torrential currents, the tides battered heaven and earth! Endless chaos energy surged forward! Power from every quarter converged rapidly, as though a rift had been torn across the sky, pouring down a deluge of celestial water! The torrents were entirely composed of concentrated chaos power. Countless god-fiends watched in stunned disbelief! From where did such overwhelming Dao power come? It was limitless! Gathering into a river, a modest stream emerged at the source, yet its waters instantly flooded heaven and earth. Droplets even solidified into crystals—crystals of the Great Dao! Brilliant as stars! The god-fiends went mad with craving, their mouths agape. So much Dao power, an ocean of it... It expanded relentlessly, blotting out the sky! The roar of the river gradually engulfed all of creation. Li Hao drew his sword! As the blade cleared its scabbard, a brilliant flash of light burst forth, as though slicing the heavens open. The river expanded, widening rapidly. Li Hao had begun opening the heavens, but this was merely the prelude! He tore the void apart, allowing the long river to surge outward. In an instant, a divine character descended from above, suffusing the surroundings with the power of the Great Dao. Among the myriad god-fiends, one cried out in shock, "What is that?" It was a divine character! One of Li Hao's realm divine characters. They had long merged into the fabric of heaven and earth; now, they were simply gathering toward the Great Dao River. Opening a segment of the river, gathering a realm, and merging a Dao into it appeared to the innate spirits as something miraculous—an extraordinarily pure essence of the Great Dao! Some god-fiends could no longer restrain themselves! "That is... the source of the Great Dao!" "It is... a rule surpassing our grasp of the Dao!" "Rules?" "It must be..." They went mad. They did not know what it was, only that it was a supreme treasure. Abruptly, a god-fiend bellowed, "Stop him from opening the heavens! He is siphoning the power of the entire primal chaos! If this continues, the cosmos will become utterly barren..." Rage, desire, greed, and madness consumed them! ... In an instant, countless god-fiends emerged. Someone roared, "The sword in his hand is a supreme treasure! He has that book, and that star that just appeared... all of them are supreme treasures! Kill him! If we don't, he will plunder all the chaos energy, and we will be doomed!" "He is strong, but he is only one man!" "Attack together!" "Slaughter him!" Countless god-fiends howled, unable to hold back any longer. If they did not kill Li Hao, their chaos energy would be drained, stripping away any chance of advancement. Of course, greed was the true catalyst; the man possessed far too many treasures. Li Hao laughed heartily. "Do not bring ruin upon yourselves!" He continued carving the long river, which broadened swiftly, sweeping out boundless, torrential force. Rumble! The primal chaos seemed to shatter as heaven and earth quaked violently. A god-fiend, unable to resist, charged forward. Spotting a divine character that resonated perfectly with his nature, he roared in ecstatic delight, "These things... these... writings? They match our Daos!" Li Hao nodded with a faint smile. "Indeed they do. Five thousand chaos god-fiends, five thousand Great Daos, five thousand divine characters..." Of course they matched! There might not be enough god-fiends, but there were plenty of divine characters. Thus, each could find their corresponding Dao. And thus, the temptation was irresistible. What Li Hao intended to do was slay the matching deities to nourish their corresponding Daos—this was the nurturing of spirits! If a realm grew strong in the future, it would be because the spirit nurturing its Dao had been powerful. Of course, it would also depend on those who came later and how they cultivated. That would have nothing to do with him. Li Hao smiled. The charging god-fiend lunged madly toward a branch along the long river. Li Hao gave a light laugh, raised his sword, and brought it down! Boom! With a tremendous blast, the mighty god-fiend was instantly obliterated. Its spirituality fled while its physical form shattered, dissolving into the Great Dao and immediately reinforcing the divine character! The energy accumulated over centuries and its refined spirituality were almost entirely retained. None would be carried away! Whether Xinwu or Silver Moon, they could enter to seek enlightenment, but taking this energy with them was out of the question. He did not even have enough for himself; they would have to find their own way! Once they attained the proper realm, they would manage. The death of a god-fiend spurred the others. Dozens of surrounding god-fiends roared, "One cannot defeat him—attack together! If we do not kill him, primal chaos will fall into ruin... I can already sense future calamity descending..." "Kill!" "Slaughter him!" Led by several mighty figures, countless god-fiends charged with bloodshot eyes, casting all caution aside as they rushed toward the river! Meanwhile, the river continued expanding under Li Hao's sword. As it spread, a god-fiend lurking in the shadows sensed something and cried out in terror, "This is bad! The area covered by his river... is repelling us! Once it blankets the primal chaos, we will have nowhere left to stand!" Li Hao's voice rang out once more: "I am of the human race. Wherever the river extends, humans may dwell! Among you innate god-fiends, some are human and some are not. Humans may enter; non-humans may not. But if you merge your Daos into the river, all living spirits may enter!" At these words, even those who had hesitated erupted in fury! In the distance, the flaming beast Moyan appeared, roaring, "Why must it be so? Why such injustice?" "You may be strong... but this primal chaos is our birthplace, our home! Why this unfairness?" Li Hao gave a light chuckle. Injustice? Long Zhan had asked the very same question. He smiled. "Because... I am human! Still, the Great Dao has fifty, and heaven manifests forty-nine; there remains a sliver of hope. If you refrain from interfering today, I shall leave a tenth of the primal chaos for your foothold..." "What?" A tenth? Outrageous! Accustomed to roaming the vast cosmos unchecked, having nine-tenths of their territory seized was intolerable. Moyan bellowed in fury, "Kill! Slaughter him! If he lives, we are all doomed to decline..." Boom! Figure after figure materialized, surging straight toward Li Hao. Li Hao looked at Moyan roaring in the distance... He paused slightly. Why aren't you charging? Could this bastard really be Long Zhan? Good grief! He only knows how to bellow without making a move. It seems he restrained his desires after all, even learning how to plot from behind. Quite interesting! Li Hao smiled and paid it no further mind. His sword swept out, striking down deities one after another, merging them into the Great Dao and the divine characters. Beneath the long river, tributary branches pierced the void like tree roots, taking hold within the primal chaos. They drew upon chaos power to perfect their own Daos. Realms had not yet formed. Forming a realm was simple: if a god-fiend willingly merged to transform into a realm, it would open immediately. If none stepped forward, given enough time, someone cultivating that Dao would naturally forge the realm! It was merely a matter of time. Yet... every Great Dao was now laced with traces of chaotic power! Li Hao shook his head. The Chaos Sovereign was truly a troublesome fellow. Ah, let it be. At that moment, he waved his hand, and the heavens seemed to invert! In an instant, a divine kingdom seemed to descend! The auras of countless living beings emerged! Within the span of a breath, an endless multitude of humans appeared across the river's expanse, packed so densely they were beyond counting. They were the denizens of the Divine Kingdom. Having lived under faith for so long, their intellect had dulled, leaving them somewhat vacant. As these mortals descended, Li Hao sighed softly, carving out several realms to accommodate them. They stood in a daze, bewildered and lost. Li Hao sighed once more... Had they remained under faith any longer, they would have turned into mindless automatons, incapable of ever regaining their senses. Even if they could not fully recover now, living ordinary lives as common mortals in this new realm would be enough. A thought struck him, and the Time Star at the river's terminus suddenly expanded with immense speed! This was the Human Realm he had decreed! Naturally, he held some partiality toward the Human Realm. Yet it was not vast enough to house so many mortals. After a moment's hesitation, Li Hao made up his mind, reaching out to draw forth an entire world! It was... the world of the King of Dali. The mortals within were mostly those who had refused to submit to faith. Their spirituality remained intact, making them ideal seeds to establish the foundation of humanity's future here! They were stubborn and retained their memories, yet they were not powerful, knew little of the grander cosmos, and possessed sharp minds... They would be the bedrock for humanity's resurgence! Over the years, the King of Dali had guided them well. Yet the King of Dali could not shepherd them forever to play the mortal sovereign. Liberating him from this burden was for the best. These people would likely rise in the future. Li Hao settled them within the Time Star, laying the foundation of the Human Realm. Countless mortals looked up at the sky in bewilderment. What was that? They seemed to behold something... a sword cleaving through primal chaos! Among the crowd, a young boy stared at the sky in awe. What was happening? Had the heavens cracked open? Just then, Li Hao frowned. Slashing with his sword, he let out an amused chuckle. "How did so much death aura get mixed in? I didn't sense this beforehand..." Conveniently, having slain so many beings, death aura hung heavy in the air. With a wave of his hand, he suppressed the dense death energy into the depths of the riverbed! Excessive death aura was harmful; this realm still lacked vitality. It was better to seal it beneath the river to prevent death from corrupting future development. As Li Hao pressed the power of death into the river's depths, the young boy in the Time Realm widened his eyes and mouth in astonishment. Turning back, he murmured, "Father, I think I saw... the sky broke, and something... fell into the river?" "Yin! Stop talking nonsense... Run! The sky is collapsing... it's an earthquake..." Their world had shifted in an instant. Though their surroundings seemed unchanged, the earth shook and the heavens seemed to fall. A middle-aged man scooped up the child and fled in a panic, yet the little boy kept his eyes glued to the sky! Truly, Father, I saw it... I saw something fall into the river! What was that? The boy felt no fear, only intense curiosity. He seemed to have seen a giant black orb tumble into a river. A river? Where had a river come from? How strange! Was there a river in the heavens? This scene branded itself deep into his memory, planting a seed. He would always remember that on this day, the heavens changed color as countless people fled in terror. But he would also remember... that something had fallen into the celestial river above! ... God-fiends continued charging forward in waves, and Li Hao felled them one by one! His sword began to fracture. With so many slain, blood-qi surged toward the heavens above the river! Resentment, wrath, greed, and frenzy engulfed the primal chaos, dyeing even the fabric of order into a violent crimson. Wisps of spirituality shot into the sky, vanishing into the chaos. Other spirits were wiped out entirely, merging into the Great Dao of chaos to fortify the long river. The river stretched longer and grew ever more stable. Just then, massive waves surged across its surface. Faint figures began to materialize upon the waters. As though... traveling from the future. At this moment, they beheld the sight—a lone man slaughtering across all directions, cutting down countless god-fiends. Their eyes went wide and their jaws dropped! Above the river, Emperor Yu raised an eyebrow. I... seem to have... truly traveled back to the day heaven and earth were opened! Is that... the Time Master, splitting heaven and earth? Does that mean... I might be able to leave soon? He felt a surge of joy, mixed with a sudden urge to curse! Across the distance, he saw the old scoundrel smile at him... an almost wicked smile! Damn it! What are you smiling at? I've been sick of the sight of you lately, and you dare grin at me? Li Hao chuckled. Suddenly stirring the long river, he sent massive waves churning through the water. His voice boomed across heaven and earth: "Past and future must not overlap... Little fellow, stop running about, and do not disrupt the order of space and time. This is no place for you! Merging past and future will invite disaster. Go walk... your own path!" The long river thrashed violently! Amid the crashing torrents, Emperor Yu roared in fury, "You old bastard, what are you doing?" Rumble! The entire river bucked wildly. Even someone of his might was thrown topsy-turvy, tossed toward a branching tributary. His face darkened as he cursed furiously! This old scoundrel! Pushing people too far—I'll beat him to death sooner or later! Damn it, what is he pulling? Pulling up his trousers and pretending he doesn't know me? I was the one who helped you last time... Before he could finish the thought, the river overturned completely. Tumbling through the roaring waves, he was swept off to parts unknown. Darkness swallowed his surroundings as the river seemed to vanish entirely. Looking around, he found himself utterly disoriented. Where... am I? In the distance, a star flickered faintly in the gloom. At that moment, a silhouette appeared upon the star. The figure looked toward him with a surprised smile. In his grasp... lay another Time Star! The man upon the star chuckled softly. Looking at the group of figures that had materialized out of thin air—partially ethereal, partially real—he murmured, "Past, present, future... completely tangled!" Utterly scrambled! The second generation actually... surrendered time! How unexpected. It seems the future I saw was truly not the only one. Perhaps everything truly can be changed. He smiled, then faded from the star. Does this count... as the third generation? He doesn't seem... to have mastered time. Perhaps... it is time he did! The Great Dao has fifty, yet you have grasped only forty-nine. You lack a single Dao to truly step out and emerge from the shadow of the second generation. Beyond the world, Su Yu stood frozen in a daze. Soon, as though sensing something, his eyes widened in sheer disbelief. Where... on earth am I? Why is this place... why is it so strange?!