Chaos of Self Only

Within the blood-colored world. The river surged with turbulent waves, and a group of figures vanished without a trace. Li Hao smiled faintly. Now was not the moment for that figure from the future to appear. If he stepped forth at this time, the present and the future would overlap. Because some of the people beside that person still existed in this era. Right here in this very place! Only when the present and future collided would spacetime fall into total disarray. As for where that person had gone... who could say? Perhaps... to the past! If he returned to the past, the companions beside that traveler from the future would not overlap with their present counterparts. Only in that way could spacetime be safeguarded to the utmost, preventing the river from collapsing. Still... there were not many places he could go. Perhaps... only the manifestation of the river in the past could guide and receive him. Zhan? Could it be him? Li Hao pondered. Yes, perhaps only Zhan, having wielded the River of Time at a certain juncture, could draw that person away. Past, present, future... only together did they form a complete timeline. Li Hao harbored many thoughts. His longsword continued cleaving heaven and earth. The River of Time continued spreading outward. Li Hao murmured softly, "The moment I abandon the river, the moment you perish... this world shall possess only... a single Time!" Time, after all, did not belong to him. Perhaps, in your eyes, the Lord of Time was me. But you were wrong; it was actually you. What I seek has never been Time. Your name is... Su Yu, isn't it? At this instant, as the river expanded, Li Hao seemed to catch a faint voice, seemed to glimpse something. A smile touched his lips, and he resumed carving through the void, slaughtering the god-fiends of the heavens! Innumerable god-fiends fell! By now, the remaining god-fiends were finally terrified, no longer daring to charge forward. In all directions, god-fiends began fleeing. Moyan had fled far away long ago, trembling with dread. Too powerful! In their eyes, the Lord of Time at this moment—Li Hao at this moment—was virtually invincible under the heavens, possessing strength beyond belief. Could anyone match such a being? Who could slay this demon? None could! The river surged with roaring waves that swept across heaven and earth in all directions. The gargantuan river began occupying more than half of the primal chaos, squeezing the living space of those god-fiends. The longsword in Li Hao's hand had already begun cracking. Countless divine characters blended into the Daos of heaven and earth. Li Hao began to feel somewhat weakened. He had expended too much power, overdrawing himself. Since Chaos was dead, some had to still be alive; if figures like Tianfang survived, they might come looking for trouble. Mulling over this, Li Hao glanced at the river standing between heaven and earth. A gateway materialized in his palm—the Star Gate of old, yet noticeably more formidable than in bygone days. Drawing a deep breath, Li Hao leapt into the river. The Star Gate stood erected at one end of the river. This was the gate leading to the outside world. Yet... After a moment's contemplation, streams of Great Dao power drifted from Li Hao's body. A surge of diverse emotions erupted and merged into the gate. He poured all the darkness and desires of his inner heart into it. Consider this your final trial. Only by crossing this gate will you understand how treacherous the hearts of mortals outside truly are. Perhaps only then can you truly emerge to fight alongside us. The primal chaos holds too many at rank nine; even if you step outside, you will not be invincible beneath the heavens. If you cannot restrain your inner desires, then you had best remain within this pseudo-chaos. The river churned violently! At the opposite end, it seemed someone was attempting to squeeze in... Li Hao looked back and saw several god-fiends trying to enter the river's domain. The Great Dao power within was exceedingly dense, and simple rules had begun to take shape. Li Hao had declared that to enter, one had to merge their Dao and transform into a realm. Evidently, some god-fiends wished to enter and no longer cared about merging their Daos to become realms. Li Hao cast a glance back and paid it no further heed. He was only responsible for establishing an embryonic foundation. Opening the heavens and opening the river today had granted him profound insights. As for how things developed in the future, that was up to them. He could not oversee everything indefinitely; if every detail were orchestrated by his hand, the civilization of the future would lose its purpose. At that moment, Li Hao firmly anchored the Star Gate deep within the river. In the next instant, he slashed upward with his sword toward the heavens! The longsword instantly shattered! Li Hao looked at the broken Cangqiong Sword and sensed the lingering spirituality within. After a moment's thought, he cast the sword down, rose into the air, and let a faint voice drift back: "Take care of yourself. A sword has no soul and no body, yet you accompanied me through many trials. With your gathered spirituality, perhaps... you can break free of the sword's form." A sword was, ultimately, an inanimate object. Now, spirituality had been born within it—an opportunity, a stroke of fortune. Cherish it well. If you can break free from the blade one day, you too might have the hope of forging an imperial destiny. However... the Cangqiong Sword bore too heavy a burden of slaughter. Whether it could break free and succeed was difficult to say. That was its own karmic destiny. Li Hao concerned himself no further. Leaving behind the sword spirit was the limit of what he could do; the future rested on the Cangqiong Sword itself. He soared into the air, heading toward the profound depths of the boundless primal chaos. It was time to leave! All that needed doing had been done. Reaching the boundary wall of heaven and earth, he looked back. The river was still expanding, as if poised to pierce through the entire primal chaos. Li Hao smiled, then chuckled wryly. Was that Moyan truly Long Zhan? Why had he grown so timid? Now that Li Hao was departing, the fellow became rather amusing. He was currently attempting to squeeze into the river... yet refused to merge his Dao with it. It seemed he still clung to the notion of remaining an independent chaos beast. Unwilling to merge with the river, he naturally could not enter its interior. Li Hao stopped caring and ceased thinking about it. Leaping upward, he cleared the world wall as though skipping over a mountain ravine and vaulted outside! In an instant, Li Hao vanished into the boundless universe. "He's gone?" "Seems he left..." "Where did he go?" "No idea..." At this moment, the surviving god-fiends between heaven and earth were all gripped by dread. He had finally departed. Terrifying! Innate god-fiends were countless, yet today that man had slaughtered ninety percent of them. Utterly terrifying! Someone whispered, "Should we... enter this River of Time? If we don't, with the primal chaos being squeezed, I'm afraid we won't have much chance of survival..." "Should we go in?" "Then... let's enter!" Some did not bother asking, leaping early across the expanse into the river domain. Their innate Daos instantly joined with the Dao of the river, and the Daos began transforming into realms! Like fruits ripening upon the river. Realms began manifesting across heaven and earth. At this moment, a majestic voice rang out: "I establish the Divine Realm; I am the Divine Ancestor! All living beings of heaven and earth may enter my Divine Realm to forge its glory together!" At that instant, some of the humans Li Hao had settled within felt an obscure calling. Those cultivators who had practiced within the Divine Kingdom began drifting dazedly and helplessly toward a realm forming in heaven and earth. Following the flow of the river, they entered that rapidly expanding realm. Seeing this, resounding voices echoed continuously throughout heaven and earth! "I am the Demon Ancestor! Here I establish the Demon Realm, merging my Dao with Time! All living beings of heaven and earth may enter my Demon Realm!" "I am the Immortal Ancestor! Here I establish the Immortal Realm..." "I am the Dragon Ancestor! All demons and beasts of heaven and earth may enter my Dragon World!" "..." Around the river, surviving powerhouses swiftly surged into the waters, staking out territory and merging their Daos within. Realms emerged and expanded frantically. Those who merged their Daos first reaped greater rewards. It was obvious they could not destroy the river, and that terrifying figure had drifted away. If they did not claim territory now, when would they? As these entrants merged their Daos with the river and expanded their realms, it was much like opening heaven and earth. Though not on the scale of Li Hao's river piercing through myriad realms, it was not inferior to the Blood Ancestor's creation. Heaven and earth began taking shape. The myriad realms began forming their embryonic framework. The surviving god-fiends sought their own ways forward, and the trillions of mortals became prizes contested by many cultivators. Cultivating the same Dao strengthened that Dao; the more people who shared the same Dao, the greater their opportunity. As for the mortals remaining within the Time Star, they vaguely heard the voices as well, but not as clearly as the cultivators who had stayed outside the Divine Kingdom. Even hearing them, they paid them no heed. For no other reason than that Lingyue had previously appealed to their faith; anyone willing to place their faith in another had long since entered the Divine Kingdom. It was precisely because they had no faith that these people remained behind. Meanwhile, heaven and earth cracked, mountains collapsed, and the earth split. Within the Time Star, a cultivator soared into the sky. Suddenly, he sensed something, discovering a massive Great Dao stretching overhead from the river. Wild ecstasy seized him! With a mighty roar, he flew into the sky. The Great Dao instantly merged into his body. Sensing its profound power, he roared with intoxicating joy: "I am the Human Ancestor! Today, I open the Human Realm here, establishing the realm of the human race!" At that moment, the realm quaked! The Human Realm! Nearby, some powerful realms continued expanding wildly. Hearing the voice, they grew somewhat suspicious; the figure there did not seem to be an innate god-fiend. Could he... have come from among the cultivators beneath that swordsman? They could not see clearly. Yet they also knew... the Time cultivator might not have gone far. It was best not to provoke trouble. As for the Human Ancestor... some scoffed, some were indifferent, and some felt slight apprehension. Yet thinking of other matters, none intervened. Now, heaven and earth were newly opened and realms were just taking form, filled with abundant Great Dao power everywhere. There was no need to push toward the depths of Time; bringing that man back would only spell disaster. Still, many remained haunted by the terrifying memory of that man. The terror of that swordsman. Beyond that were the Great Daos, which seemed to have been formed from characters. As they merged their Daos, it felt as though a character naturally took root in their minds, carrying the power of heritage. Bloodline inheritance! The next generation might naturally possess Great Dao power, born capable of cultivating the Dao of their home realm. These were innate abilities! Inborn talents, tied to the Daos they had merged. Outside the river, an ancient beast of demonic flame slammed against the barrier frantically, yet remained unwilling to merge with the river, letting out furious roars. As for why everyone else merged while he did not... he simply refused! The ancient demonic-flame beast thought fiercely, his eyes chilling. Since you won't let me in... then I will resist you to the end! I dare not act rashly now, but sooner or later, I will devour this entire river! In the next moment, the beast flew swiftly toward the other end of the river... Since this river has a gate on one side and none on the other... while no one is paying attention, I might as well turn myself into the gate at the other end and see if I can compress this river and swallow it whole! The myriad realms began evolving. Li Hao, of course, no longer concerned himself with any of this. ... Meanwhile. Faint echoes of the river's rush still drifted through the void. Su Yu and his companions stared at the figure in the distance, their expressions grave and bewildered. The distant figure smiled faintly, and a star drifted from his hand. "This is the Time Star. No second Time Star can exist in the same era. At this moment, that person has relinquished it... Time is masterless, so I entrust this to you!" Su Yu was dumbfounded. What is this garbage, just dumping it on me? He looked at the distant figure, his brow furrowing slightly. "By nature, you will lack certain things compared to others... The foundation that person cast when opening the realm is inferior to the true primal chaos... To surpass him, match him, or achieve anything else, the only way... is to break through your limits!" Su Yu looked at the person before him. The man appeared pleasant and gentle, yet ethereal. In truth, Su Yu had already realized where he was. Looking around at the pitch-black void, he sank into deep thought. After a long silence, he asked, "What about you?" "Me?" The robed cultivator gave a serene smile. "I have seen too much. I am tired. I have no intention of taking part in these affairs. I was merely an ordinary mortal cultivator. In pursuing the Dao, I cultivated Time... Perhaps that is the greatest regret of my life. The one thing a person should never do is peer into the future..." Su Yu raised his eyebrows slightly, nodded, and chuckled. "True enough. Those who see the future all end up miserable! Trembling in fear, constantly dreading what might come. The more they fear, the more terrified they become. If the future is already set in stone, doesn't that make all our struggles utterly futile?" "Indeed." The robed cultivator smiled and nodded. "A pity... my curiosity was too great. In the end, I could not resist peering too deeply. Yet... the fascinating thing is that some matters truly might have been altered!" "I am leaving... Henceforth, Time is yours!" "I don't want it!" Su Yu sneered. "What do you mean, it's mine? I can see it clearly now—every single one of you is utterly shameless! This thing is obviously a scorching hot potato. He didn't want it, you don't want it, and in the end, it gets tossed to me? What kind of joke is this? I am the Lord of Cosmic Civilization, not some Lord of Time..." "It is no longer up to you." The robed cultivator smiled. "Years flow onward. You are the youngest; since your predecessors refused it, it can only fall to you! Furthermore, I am not giving it to you. Rather... generation after generation of successors refused to keep it... Even if you reject it now, in the end... it will still be yours!" The robed cultivator laughed heartily. "Truly, I am not giving it to you... I am merely leaving this object behind in this world. Whether you take it or not, you may use it for reference. Once you return to your original spacetime... this object will almost certainly appear beside you again!" Su Yu let out a string of curses! He was utterly exasperated. What was that supposed to mean? Racking his mind, he quickly grasped the general picture. In other words... giving it to me now meant what I held was illusory, or perhaps not fake, but a projection. The crucial point was that between him and me across these eras, everyone who had obtained this star had discarded it. I am the youngest, the very last handler. Since those before me refused it... I have no choice but to take it. Isn't that what he means? He could not help asking, "Why did none of them want it?" "I do not know." The robed cultivator shook his head with a faint smile. "Perhaps... you will find out in the future." With those words, the figure dispersed. Staring at the spot where the figure had vanished, Su Yu could not help cursing, "Not a single one of these old bastards is any good!" It truly incensed him! Looking at the star floating before him, he fell into deep contemplation. What was going on? So this was... the Time Star? The wellspring of the Dao of Time? None of them wanted it, so why dump it on me? I cultivate cosmic civilization, not Time... Well, actually, I do cultivate it too. Born within the River of Time, he had interacted with Time longer and more closely than anyone. All the universe and its four directions existed within Time. He had never transcended it! Silver Moon had also been born within Time, but Silver Moon's Time had not yet grown powerful and had been concealed, later seized by Li Hao to break free from Time itself. Yet the myriad realms had been born of Time from the very start. Time ran through his entire life. "So, if I don't master it, I can't transcend?" Muttering to himself, Su Yu gazed at the distant world, lost in thought. But if I master it... and transcend, what use do I have for this thing? What's so great about Time! Nothing good at all. Find another sucker to dump it on? He began to understand. Every single one of these predecessors had been looking for a fall guy. From the looks of it, this time, I am the one taking the fall, aren't I? As for why none of them wanted it... what point was there in keeping it? Having nothing better to do than watch the past? Watch the future? Just to give oneself grief? The past was fine for watching little shows, but the future... who would want to know what lay ahead? He glanced back at someone and smiled faintly. Old Wan had peeked at the future once in the past... and what happened? He was nearly ruined by that glimpse of the future! No one who saw the future ever met a good end. Time was simply a giant trap. Mulling this over, he suddenly spotted someone wriggling outward from the distant world. Su Yu glanced over, feeling puzzled and finding the figure somewhat familiar... Suddenly, his heart stirred. Huh! He seemed rather familiar. Although he had only seen him across the river last time, that cultivator in the big boxer shorts... was it this guy before him? His strength... was quite ordinary. Just at the level of a Ruler of Rules... Does that mean I truly returned to the past? Is this considered the past era? Is this... the source world of Time? With this thought, his heart moved. Suddenly reaching out with his hand, a gargantuan palm snatched up the distant figure who had been squirming outward. The man was terrified! Who? What was that? In the next instant, a face loomed before his eyes. The youthful Yang God was filled with shock. Who was this person? Why was he... so terrifyingly powerful? Scary beyond belief! Where was this? Was this outside the Seed World? "What a pity..." A transmission of divine will drifted over. Yang God was shaken to his core, exceedingly nervous. "Who... are... you?" What a terrifying powerhouse! "Who am I?" Su Yu smiled and let out a soft chuckle. "Some... call me Emperor Yu." Emperor Yu? Yang God was horrified. Where... did this powerhouse come from? Where did he hail from? "Interested in taking a stroll with me?" It was rare to encounter a cultivator capable of walking out. As for the world ahead, he was not too keen on entering. If he entered and saw too much, interfering with its workings and altering the past, perhaps... the future would change as well. Would he himself be altered? Too much trouble! This fellow shouldn't pose much problem; last time, he seemed to recognize me, perhaps from this very encounter. Since that was the case... that made things simple. "Where... do you intend to take me?" "Just wandering around..." Su Yu smiled. "I am quite interested in your civilization! Of course, rest assured, I won't do anything to you, nor can I. The outside world is perilous. Do not run about blindly, and do not rush to venture outside... Venturing outside is where the true danger lies!" Do not rush to venture outside? Yang God wondered, is it dangerous? He didn't know. At this moment, he was ignorant of everything, having merely risen within his own world and only thinking of stepping outside to take a look. Yet... on his very first day, he had run into grave danger! It truly was perilous! Su Yu said nothing more, merely glancing back at that small world. It was not powerful at the moment, yet he knew a grand deity resided within. The man might not be extraordinarily strong right now, but he... had cultivated Time! What a terrifying fellow. Time was actually cultivated into existence by a mortal. With a casual wave of his hand, a realm materialized in the distance to serve as a temporary dwelling. Since he could not depart in the short term, resting nearby for a while would do fine. It seemed he had to grasp some power of Time himself and carve out a river to return to his original timeline. Because right now... the River of Time had vanished. Evidently, without cultivating it and mastering a portion, he likely could not leave, trapped within these memories of the past. Indeed, in his view, this was merely a memory, not necessarily the true past; the past had already dissipated. What he had arrived at was merely the deep recesses of memory. The deep memories of the river. The deep memories of Time. Consider it an opportunity. "I shall rest here for a time. Once I grasp some power of Time, open a river, and connect it to the river of our myriad realms, I should be able to return. It seems I must wait for Time to flow until it aligns with our original timeline... I wonder what the time ratio is. We are hundreds of thousands of years away from the era of heaven's opening... Who knows how long it will take." The era of heaven's opening was hundreds of thousands of years away from them. It seemed that old bastard of the previous generation had deliberately tangled spacetime so they wouldn't interfere with history, hadn't he? He understood somewhat. Only when the flow of time matched that of the primal chaos could he return. He just didn't know whether the flow of time over there was fast or slow. If it was very slow... he would have to stay here for a long time! Still, learning more about the true primal chaos would also benefit their eventual emergence into the outer world. ... Boom! The blood-colored world quaked. Li Hao stepped out. Before him hovered a world—the very realm he had opened. A small gateway faintly materialized upon it. Outside, the various powerhouses had nearly all emerged by now. Once their spirituality was obliterated within, they naturally returned to the outside world. Many were murmuring in discussion. The Human King and a few others had already moved away from the immediate area, standing ahead because two powerful auras had arrived. Li Hao instantly recognized them as Tianfang's clone and Sovereign Huntian. Those two truly hadn't died. Li Hao did not rush to attend to them. Instead, he looked around. Nearly all who had entered had emerged. It seemed that most of the god-fiends slain earlier had been these individuals. Those who entered through such means were best not left inside, as their true bodies remained outside. Now that the pseudo-chaos was completely sealed, if they did not return now, it would be difficult to return at all. If they remained within for ages, accumulating millions of years of memories before returning... things would become troublesome. At that point, who was who would be hard to say. Li Hao swept his gaze across them; almost everyone was out. Yet soon, his brow furrowed slightly. He looked toward Chunqiu, who had recently regained awareness, and frowned. "One of your subordinates hasn't come out!" Chunqiu looked around, slightly startled. Indeed, someone had not emerged. Several great demons had accompanied her this time. Yet now... one great demon had failed to emerge. Its physical body remained here, completely devoid of spirituality; evidently, it had not stepped out. Li Hao frowned. "When I opened the heavens earlier, I killed nearly every god-fiend with normal spirituality that I could sense. That fellow never appeared. It seems... he deliberately avoided me!" Leaving spirituality behind might alter certain things. Of course, without memories, at most the being would possess slightly better talent and stronger power. Yet someone had intentionally avoided him and refused to emerge, which did not sit well with Li Hao. Chunqiu glanced at the great demon beside her, somewhat exasperated, and frowned. "Can he be brought out now?" "No. I have severed all connection with the interior. Unless this realm is broken open... but I will not do such a thing for just one or two individuals." Saying this, he glanced at the colossal beast's body and said, "Forget it. A stray being or two won't affect anything. However... fairness must be maintained inside." Fairness? What did that mean? Li Hao raised a hand and struck toward the giant beast, declaring, "Shatter its physical body so its spirituality and flesh unite. There is no reason why those inside stay dead when killed, while he can die and return unharmed... Since he consciously avoided me before entering... so be it!" Chunqiu looked grave. "Wait! Poshan is a rank-eight great demon under my command! You—" Just as she moved to intervene, Li Hao vanished, reappearing in an instant atop the colossal beast's form. With a single punch, the body disintegrated into fine powder, its flesh and blood completely absorbed into the blood-colored world. Li Hao laughed softly. "Chunqiu, abide by my rules! I am not killing him; rather, I am helping him. With his flesh and blood infused within, he will be stronger and more talented inside. With his spirituality reunited and blood essence concentrated, his talent will far outstrip those with mere fragments of spirituality..." Pausing, he added, "His name is Poshan?" Sovereign Chunqiu's expression was grave. Hadn't Li Hao severed Time? Li Hao did not feel exceedingly strong at this moment, yet he had effortlessly evaded her, obliterating a rank-eight demon beast with a single blow. Granted, the beast lacked a soul and was merely flesh and blood, so destroying it was normal. Yet dodging her so easily... that was entirely abnormal! Watching Poshan's shattered body being swallowed by the blood-colored world, Sovereign Chunqiu could not help frowning. "Was that necessary? Time flows rapidly within; once the person you are waiting for emerges, he could have followed him out... Now that his inner and outer spirituality are fused, if he dies inside, he is truly dead..." Li Hao smiled. "Only this can be called fair, can it not? My teacher's spirit is inside as well. It wouldn't do for my teacher to have only one life, while this fellow could die and return. That would hardly be fair." Chunqiu cursed inwardly! Fine, I see what you're thinking. Fairness, my foot. You're just bitter because your teacher didn't grow strong, wasn't found by you, and couldn't be brought out. What a pity for Poshan. Of course, if Poshan survived, grew powerful, and returned later, it wouldn't be a bad thing. With his flesh and blood infused, even if Poshan couldn't absorb all of it, he would naturally be far stronger than other deities. Chunqiu said no more, merely gazing at the world and asking, "So what do we do now? This world is right here. If someone breaks it open..." Saying this, she looked toward the distance where the Human King and the others stood in confrontation. Chunqiu did not particularly care whether it was broken or not. The crux was that the situation was murky, and Li Hao's current strength was hard to gauge. Though Huntian was heavily injured, he remained the foremost powerhouse present. Moreover, the rank-nines were still alive. Li Hao had expended immense effort to open a pseudo-world, yet thus far she had not discerned much benefit from it. At that moment, Huntian's voice echoed from afar: "Li Hao, you have returned? You succeeded in opening the heavens? In that case... have you abandoned Time, or do you still possess it?" At this instant, the distant standoff paused. Everyone was curious about Li Hao's current condition. Had he gained any benefits from opening heaven and earth? Had he grown stronger, or weaker? Li Hao ignored them, casting a glance at the blood-colored world before him. The flow of time differed between the inside and outside; that was inevitable. The crux was that he didn't know when the interior would develop to the point where that person unified the pseudo-chaos. Perhaps the one who stepped out wouldn't even be him. Leaving it here, someone might forcibly smash it open. With that thought, Li Hao suddenly kicked out as though punting a ball! With a low hum, the blood-colored world shot through the void, vanishing from everyone's sight in an instant. Someone tried to trace its trajectory, but sword-qi erupted around Li Hao, instantly throwing the entire void into chaos. Just as the Sword Venerable had once flicked Silver Moon away, Li Hao now sent the pseudo-chaos flying with a single kick. In the blink of an eye, the world disappeared. Li Hao laughed softly. Tracking it down would take them quite some time now. Exactly how long, he didn't know; they would have to see for themselves. In the next moment, Li Hao vanished from the spot. In a flash, he appeared before the group. Everyone turned their eyes toward Li Hao. The Human King looked on with curiosity. Opposite them, Huntian was in a wretched state, covered in blood, while Tianfang's clone retained some of the dignity of a rank nine, though visibly weakened. All eyes fell upon Li Hao! Had any change occurred in Li Hao after opening the heavens? Observing him closely... Several of them grew thoughtful. There didn't seem to be any major change. The only difference was that he had lost some of his former mystery, along with a touch of his... madness. Today's Li Hao was exceptionally placid. He lacked the frenzied aura from when he had slain his teacher and slaughtered everything in his path. The Lord of Tianfang swiftly probed and sensed, his brow furrowing slightly. Had he truly abandoned Time? He could no longer detect that mysterious power of Time on Li Hao. Had this lunatic truly cast Time into that world? His heart stirred, and he looked toward the direction where the world had vanished. In that case... Time was inside? Huntian evidently realized this as well, his eyes flickering. "Li Hao, where is my Order Heavenly Strategy?" Li Hao smiled. "Inside. Time is inside, along with many other things. I came out empty-handed." "What were you after?" Huntian said grimly, "Do you know how many died in this great war? How many worlds were annihilated? Countless lives perished! Even rank-nines fell, all for your selfish desires, for your grand ambition of opening the heavens... Yet in the end, you kept nothing. Li Hao, I don't understand!" So many had died in this war; the west had been completely shattered. Yet Li Hao had truly discarded everything. He could not comprehend it! Not just him—even Tianfang found it baffling. One could say Li Hao was the ultimate victor of this clash, yet by discarding everything, he was no victor at all. On the contrary, having discarded Time and Order, he was nowhere near as formidable as before. Even if he retained rank-eight power, that amounted to little. Without Time, Li Hao was not frightening in the least. Had he not discarded those treasures, but incorporated the new world into his own system to serve as his River of Time and River of the Great Dao, Li Hao might have had a chance to ascend to rank nine! He might not have succeeded guaranteed, but he would at least have been no weaker than Huntian, becoming a true hegemon of the primal chaos. Before the true rank-nines descended, he would have been virtually invincible under heaven, especially with Time in hand. "What was I after?" Li Hao laughed. "Peace of mind! Comfort! That thing clung to me constantly, ruining my sleep, ruining my appetite, and robbing me of all enjoyment. It was pure suffering! If anything, I regret not giving it up years earlier. Look at the Human King—sleeping well, eating well, living it up without a care... Whoever touches Time ends up cursed. Wouldn't you say so, Human King?" The Human King burst into laughter. "Spot on! Years ago, I knew it was best not to touch that junk. Us young folks aren't like these old fossils. They're terrified of dying—the older they get, the more cowardly they become. With Time, maybe they think they can squeeze out a few more years. But we aren't afraid! If you ask me, it ought to be obliterated entirely! That thing burns the hands of anyone holding it!" "Congratulations to you!" The Human King laughed again. "Without Time shackling you, you're the real Li Hao. Otherwise, you'd never have freedom. Some things simply shouldn't exist!" Tianfang paid no heed to their wild banter. Time... was nowhere near as simple as they imagined. Without Time, the primal chaos might eventually meet destruction. He said in a deep voice, "Li Hao, that world was opened by you. Since you didn't want it and didn't care who got it, why... conceal it?" If you didn't want it, why hide it? Huntian also said darkly, "My Order Heavenly Strategy is still inside. Li Hao, without Order emerging, the primal chaos falls into turmoil, bringing harm to all living beings and the world at large. Why must you do this?" He looked toward Chunqiu, who had stepped forward through the void. Huntian eyed the gathered figures warily. None of them were easy to deal with. Though he was still alive, he was injured. Even if Li Hao truly lacked combat power, facing the combined might of the Human King and Chunqiu would be difficult enough. As for Tianfang's clone, it had consumed immense energy. While a clone of a rank nine was not weak, there were numerous rank-eight Sovereigns present! If a battle broke out, he would hold no advantage whatsoever. Since Li Hao didn't want those things... why couldn't he just hand them over? He was furious! He had initially assumed Li Hao was bluffing, but this lunatic had actually thrown everything away. At this moment, he could not fathom Li Hao's mind at all. A complete madman! Half the powerhouses in the primal chaos had died just for him to open the heavens. Aside from those present and the rank-nines trapped outside... do you have any idea how many died? You beast! You threw it away just like that? Doesn't that mean this war was fought for nothing? No one gained any advantage; instead, all the benefits went to the cultivators inside that realm? Or... the spirits? Li Hao smiled. "Huntian, your Order Heavenly Strategy is inside, so... you stand the best chance of finding it. Why not search for it yourself? Tianfang, I'm not trying to sow discord, but the truth is... following Huntian will surely give you a better shot at finding it. Once you find it, it has nothing to do with me! Concealing it was merely an act of basic decency; after all, I opened it, so I should grant it some protection. But as for now... even I don't know where I kicked it!" "If you two want to search for it, go search yourselves. It has nothing to do with me!" "Or do you wish to slay me? You're welcome to try. Though I no longer have Time, I don't necessarily fear either of you!" The two exchanged glances, cursing inwardly! Damn it, here he goes again. He was stirring discord once more. Yet the fact remained: Huntian, with the Order Heavenly Strategy inside, had a far greater advantage in finding it than Tianfang. Tianfang understood this well; even without Li Hao pointing it out, he would have shadowed Huntian. What they debated now was... whether to strike at this moment! After careful consideration, Huntian abandoned the idea. Forget it. Striking now offered no advantage. Perhaps... once Order was reclaimed, there would be hope; furthermore, Time was inside as well. With a cold snort, he vanished on the spot. Tianfang's clone sighed with emotion. "You... truly exceeded my expectations. Li Hao, I actually admire you greatly. When the Great Dao of primal chaos calms and my true body descends... perhaps we can talk. We need not meet with drawn blades." Now that Li Hao no longer wielded Time, slaying him was no longer an absolute necessity. Even though this fellow was a consummate trickster! Yet the factions under everyone's command had been virtually wiped out in this conflict. Even without Time, Li Hao remained an exceptional talent. Li Hao smiled placidly. "No hurry. We can speak after Senior's true body descends. With so many dead this time, the pressure on the primal chaos has eased somewhat. Although I siphoned away a portion, plenty dissipated into the surroundings, which will aid the descent of rank-nines! I hope all the seniors manage to descend smoothly..." Tianfang's clone said no more, vanishing into thin air. Without Time, Li Hao could be killed, yet slaying him now was no easy task. Though everyone detested him for getting so many people killed, finding that new realm was far more critical! At that moment, Li Hao exhaled a breath and chuckled. "What a relief! Without Time, those fellows finally stopped staring at me!" The Human King grinned. "I pity that kid in the future. The moment he steps out... he'll probably be surrounded and suppressed by everyone... You truly are a piece of work!" Li Hao shrugged. "You can't put it like that. When Senior Human King dumped Time onto me, all you left behind was a territory that couldn't even match a small world. When I pass it to him—setting aside whether he gets it or not, even if he does—I left behind such a massive foundation. His starting point is a hundred steps higher than mine! If he's still unsatisfied... where am I supposed to complain? If he comes looking for me, who should I look for?" He glanced at the Human King with a half-smile. Could I even be considered malicious? Not at all! How much of an inheritance did Xinwu leave for Silver Moon? Less energy than a single small world, and then... nothing. What about me? How much did I leave for that fellow? How many died, how many powerhouses were slaughtered to pave the way? Compared to the Human King, I'm practically a saint, a genuine hero eager to help others. This time... Li Hao felt calling himself a chivalrous hero was entirely justified. Granted, the enemies were different too. Back then, they were merely ignorant weaklings; this time... the entire primal chaos was watching, including a horde of rank-nines! That, however, was outside Li Hao's concern. Looking at the sky, he smiled. "Right now, quite a few rank-nines remain. But in this vast primal chaos, the only one who poses an immediate threat is Huntian..." Chunqiu remained silent behind them. I am not on your side. Still, there was no need for conflict at the moment. "Everyone gained something from this conflict, so let us digest our gains. While those two have run off to search for the new realm, we can rest for a few days, perhaps a few years, or even decades, depending on when the Great Dao of primal chaos settles its turmoil!" Until the turbulence subsided, they could not pose a threat in the short term and would not return. Saying this, he glanced toward Xinwu's side and smiled. "Senior Yang God, rest well these days. Don't run around blindly." Yang God was taken aback. Li Hao's words were heavy with meaning. What was he getting at? His heart stirred... A thought crossed his mind, and he could not help asking, "What do you mean..." Li Hao chuckled. "I cannot be certain. But perhaps some of your memories from bygone years are rather hazy. Resting well this time might make them a bit clearer!" With that, he turned to leave, sighing with emotion: "Only today am I truly Li Hao... Time brings endless misfortune. It ends after three generations. May there... never be Time again!" The Human King's eyes flickered, and he chuckled. "That depends on whether the third generation is ruthless enough!" "Who knows?" Li Hao walked away with effortless ease, laughing heartily. "I'm off. Everyone return to their homes, rest for a spell, and then we'll play with those rank-nines..." His laughter was crisp and clear, devoid of his earlier madness. The Human King watched him for a moment and chuckled. "A leopard can't change its spots. Don't blame everything on the Dao... As if you could ever settle down, you little rascal!" Beside him, the Supreme sighed. "Indeed, a leopard can't change its spots. So... as if you could ever settle down either!" "..." The Human King wanted to curse. Why bring me into this? Ignoring him, he looked off into the distance, baring his teeth in a grin. "I don't care how strong Li Hao is now. I only care about... when that fellow emerges, how many people will gang up on him, and whether he'll fight Li Hao to the death!" You're just bored out of your mind! The Supreme was speechless. The Human King suddenly looked back, looking somewhat mischievous. "Old Zhang, when you came out, did you leave anything behind in there?" The Supreme frowned slightly and shook his head. "How could I?" The Human King smirked. "Drop the act. When I died and my memories returned, I saw you... Did you imprint your clone Dao into it?" "..." The Supreme remained silent. How could that be? The Human King remarked with emotion, "You truly are rotten. That clone Dao of yours is such a trap; who knows if you'll screw someone over terribly. If you want to experiment, do it yourself. Why go around trapping people..." The Supreme coughed softly. "Nonsense. I was slain normally and imprinted some Dao principles normally... You're overthinking things!" The Human King scoffed! Beside them, Yang God suddenly asked, "Li Hao has no Time, no River of the Great Dao, and no divine characters left. He has lost everything... Relying purely on his physical body, what level of strength does he actually possess right now?" The Human King glanced at him and grinned. "I have no Time, no divine characters, and no River of the Great Dao either. Guess what strength I have?" Yang God froze. The Human King chuckled. "That little bastard doesn't even cultivate an internal world. From what I see... this lunatic truly intends for myriad Daos to yield to himself... No, he intends for the primal chaos to yield to himself alone!" Chaos of Self Only? Yang God was stunned. The Supreme grew thoughtful and nodded. Neither said anything further. Cultivating no external Daos—Chaos of Self Only? Still... that path might not be easy to walk. Having given up so much, could Li Hao... truly reach the summit? It was hard to say, hard to judge. Yet having the will to let go was already a mark of supreme resolve, surpassing countless others. In the past, neither he nor the Human King had dared accept Time; otherwise, they might not have been able to let it go. Of course, that was hard to tell. But now, among those who had accepted Time, Li Hao was the only one who could truly abandon it.