The third-generation cultivator of Time descended upon chaos.
Yet, somewhat contrary to expectations, despite making quite a commotion upon appearing, the man was remarkably modest...
When the word "modest" came to mind, the onlookers felt a distinct sense of incongruity.
None of them were fools.
Anyone capable of fighting their way out of a brand-new heaven and earth to become the Master of the Myriad Realms might possess modesty, but they certainly would not be pedantic or weak. Otherwise, how could they have risen between heaven and earth?
The crowd still harbored a good degree of vigilance.
Of course, the strength was plain to see.
The newcomer's prowess was on par with Li Hao's. Today, all the ninth-rank experts had descended, and Huntian was an apex powerhouse himself, not inferior to the ninth-rank cultivators present. Therefore, despite all the questions lingering in his mind, Huntian felt somewhat relieved when he sensed the power of Order flowing back into him.
As long as this continued for a short while and his strength climbed, he would have nothing to fear, even if the other party harbored some scheme.
So long as there was no major trick hidden within this power of Order, it would be fine.
Ordinary ploys could not ensnare him anyway.
At his level, even if the man laced the power of Order with massive amounts of Dao energy capable of poisoning eighth-rank experts to death, it would be impossible to poison him, a powerhouse infinitely close to the ninth rank.
At this moment, Huntian felt much more at ease.
Meanwhile, Su Yu offered a faint smile. "Everyone, we cultivators of the Myriad Realms are newcomers here and have no intention of making enemies of you. If you have any needs, feel free to speak. Whatever can be accommodated, we will accommodate to the best of our ability. Our Myriad Realms waged war for countless years, and peace was hard-won. Long live peace! After fighting for so long, the kings of the Myriad Realms are utterly exhausted and unwilling to embark on further conquests..."
With a sigh, he made it clear to all sides that the Myriad Realms were not incapable of war, but had fought across too many ages. Now, the hearts of the people yearned for tranquility.
Chaos was powerful, and they had no desire to fight further.
Once spoken, these words did carry a modicum of credibility.
As soon as he finished, distant Sovereign of Tribulation's eyes flickered, and he chuckled softly. "How amusing. Do you know why so many people came today? Do you know that every one of us came here for you?"
Su Yu wore a look of bewilderment. "Were you seniors not originally here...?"
"Not so!"
Tribulation sneered. "Of course not! You ask what we want? Simple—hand over the Time beneath your feet to us, and that will suffice!"
This newcomer was not weak and held the power of Time. If it came to killing him, it was not impossible. The crux of the matter was that the situation was utterly chaotic. Huntian, the Human King, and Chunqiu were comparable in strength to them, but the ninth-rank camp was hardly a unified faction either.
If a chaotic melee broke out... they might not necessarily secure Time.
If this person truly proved willing to surrender Time... matters would be vastly simpler.
Of course, if he played dumb and refused to give it up... his true motives would become clear as well.
"Time?"
Su Yu tapped the star beneath his feet. "You speak of this Dao of the Great River?"
Frowning slightly, he said, "This Dao is the very foundation of my Myriad Realms. Senior's request is somewhat excessive. Our Myriad Realms do not fear war, but we are unwilling to initiate conflict. Order may be given, but Time cannot! It is the foundation of the river, the foundation of the Myriad Realms... Of course, if there is a Great Dao of comparable power to exchange with my Myriad Realms that can sustain them, I would not be stingy! This Dao... is ominous!"
He shook his head slightly, seemingly wary, his brow lightly furrowed. Combined with his frail frame, he resembled a refined scholar who had just heard terrible news, wearing an expression of sorrow.
*Ominous?*
Everyone froze. Time... was ominous?
Su Yu continued, "I see that your Great Daos are formidable, seniors, perhaps far exceeding mine. If someone is willing to trade their core Dao with me to support the foundation of the Myriad Realms, this Time is not something that cannot be given!"
At these words, everyone frowned once more.
At that moment, Chunqiu swiftly emerged in the distance. Right now, she was exceedingly diminutive, resembling a child of three or four years old, and her voice sounded far more childish: "You cannot!"
One after another, ninth-rank Sovereigns turned to glare at her, their eyes freezing cold!
Anxious and enraged, Chunqiu shouted, "Do you know how steep a price Li Hao paid to create the Myriad Realms? These people will never let you go! Li Hao killed too many people—he slaughtered their clones..."
Su Yu raised a hand to cut her off, smiling faintly. "And here I wondered what it was. Li Hao... that is not me. Do not bring up the origin of the Myriad Realms. I am not his successor, either. I am merely an ordinary human of the Myriad Realms who walked through life and death to arrive where I am today. What this little friend speaks of... has little to do with me."
*Little friend?*
Chunqiu was utterly stunned, followed instantly by a flare of fury!
*Just because I'm small, I'm a 'little friend'?!*
*Is this guy truly an idiot, or is he playing dumb?*
*Bastard!*
*How could that idiot Li Hao actually leave Time in the hands of someone like this?*
She had originally assumed that once the new world appeared, Li Hao would reclaim it, swiftly becoming the Master of Time and even proving the ninth rank. But instead... Li Hao was nowhere to be found, and this newcomer... didn't look particularly bright.
Of course, his strength was decent enough.
Yet more than twenty ninth-rank experts had descended upon this place. Chunqiu felt a wave of helplessness and despair. These people had descended... earlier and faster than anticipated. Though she believed she could take on one of them without pressure—after all, these ninth-rank experts were not at their peak—what was the point?
Even if she and the Human King joined forces, there were only two of them. Even if all the eighth-rank experts from Xinwu, Silver Moon, and Chunqiu's factions banded together, could they deal with even one or two?
All told, excluding Huntian, a joint effort by all three factions of chaos could at most handle three to five ninth-rank experts.
And that was only against these weakened ninth-rank experts!
It could not change a thing.
Right now, her only hope lay in bringing this man to their side. He had numerous experts under his command and had inherited Time. If he possessed even a fraction of Li Hao's cunning, he might not be able to kill anyone, but at least before Time was stripped away, they would have some capacity to resist.
Once Time was lost, however... these people would be entirely negligible!
Even with a crowd of eighth-rank cultivators, they wouldn't suffice.
In the eyes of Tianfang and the others, an eighth-rank cultivator might not die in one punch, but a few more would certainly do the job.
Internally, she cursed countless times.
*Stupid Li Hao!*
*No, insane Li Hao—why did you give up Time?!*
*Look at the situation now... Don't tell me you expect some greenhorn to turn the tide?*
*Weren't you stronger than this person, Li Hao?*
*Pinning your hopes on a bunch of people from the future who don't know the first thing about the situation... Li Hao, you've completely lost your mind!*
She looked toward the Human King, hoping he would speak up and shift the situation.
Yet the Human King merely watched in silence, as if observing something, without uttering a word. He acted like a bystander, or perhaps seemed wary of the ninth-rank experts. The Human King, who had always been so domineering and arrogant, showed not an ounce of arrogance today.
Instead, he was remarkably subdued.
Up to this point, he had made almost no move and hadn't said a word.
*Has the Human King grown afraid as well?*
Looking around, Chunqiu was suddenly overcome by an unbidden sorrow.
*So... I'm the only one still thinking of turning the tables, hoping to crush the ninth rank? The Human King has given up, and Li Hao was even more direct—he vanished entirely, whether disheartened to spend the rest of his days in hiding or for some other reason, without leaving a trace.*
At that moment, she snapped her gaze toward Huntian and barked, "Huntian!"
*If the others won't speak, what about you?*
*Are you going to stand by and watch him hand over Time?*
*This person takes you for the sovereign of this place. Perhaps... only you can stop this!*
...
Huntian was still absorbing the power of Order. As it entered his body, the previously rampant power of Chaos began to subside.
He let out a breath of relief.
At this moment, his combat prowess hadn't risen, but his realm had completely stabilized. Charging toward the ninth rank was right within his grasp, possible at any moment.
All at once, he felt immensely reassured.
He glanced at Tianfang and the others, then back at Su Yu, letting out a soft laugh. He was no longer as deeply wary as before; his laughter had regained its former calm.
"Little friend... No, Emperor Yu!"
He smiled. "Do not fall for their tricks, Emperor Yu. These people are the survivors who brought ruin to chaos a million years ago. They drained the pond to catch the fish, siphoning the spirits of chaos, and none of them have recovered their peak combat strength. All of them are ninth-rank powerhouses! Once they grasp Time and use it to stabilize chaos, fully restoring their strength... even I would find it difficult to match them!"
Tribulation sneered. "Huntian, do you truly take yourself for a sovereign? Are you worthy? Furthermore... handing over Time today offers a way out. If he refuses... do you think anyone who walked out of that new world will survive?"
Surrendering it would spare them a fight.
If he didn't surrender it, they would take it by force!
At this stage, Time would not necessarily dissipate in an instant.
Standing upon the star above the great river, Su Yu nodded slightly, as though catching on. "So that's how it is... Ninth rank..."
At this, he looked somewhat perplexed. "The division of strength in my Myriad Realms differs slightly from chaos. What kind of power is this ninth rank?"
Huntian was much friendlier now. "Emperor Yu may not know, but chaos cultivates myriad Daos; only above nine thousand Dao principles does one reach the ninth rank! From what I see, Emperor Yu is comparable to the former Silver Moon King Li Hao, having cultivated around five thousand Great Dao laws. In truth, you count as eighth-rank—anything above two thousand Dao principles is considered eighth-rank. However, your Dao principles are formidable, having already formed rules of Order, likely carrying the power of eight thousand Dao principles. In our chaos, you are already a foremost, top-tier powerhouse!"
At this, Su Yu seemed to achieve complete enlightenment. "I see. Now I understand a bit... That means in my Myriad Realms, two thousand Dao principles corresponds to at least twenty Rule Daos. Still... the Dao principles in my Myriad Realms are stronger, so sixteen Daos and above should roughly equate to it... which means... a first-class Master of Rules!"
He finally understood entirely.
He nodded.
It didn't matter if the others didn't understand; he didn't care. He looked back, made a quick comparison, and nodded faintly. So that was it.
He understood.
A first-class Master of Rules was not weak. In the past, only the apex powerhouses of the myriad races qualified as first-class, all of them hegemons of their respective realms.
So here, that was merely eighth-rank.
In its prime, the Myriad Realms had possessed several dozen first-class Masters of Rules. Of course, many had fallen, but many had also been born. Even now, several dozen remained, which was hardly weak.
The emergence of several dozen beings at the level of eighth-rank Sovereigns... was quite respectable.
It seemed his myriad races were not weak at all.
Su Yu smiled.
Of course, the gap within the eighth rank was enormous. To have anything from two thousand to nine thousand principles all grouped under the eighth rank... that span was truly vast. And the people before him were all ninth-rank.
Su Yu clicked his tongue inwardly.
There were quite a few!
More than twenty of them.
No wonder that old bastard Time was a bit of a trickster, fleeing all over the place. Fleeing was one thing, but dragging him in as well—now he understood. The bastard had brought him along just to take the fall, hadn't he?
This was quite a massive pit!
At this moment, the distant Yang God looked worried and moved to speak, but the Supreme caught his arm, shaking his head slightly.
A look of doubt crossed the Yang God's face.
The situation was perilous. He was actually familiar with the people before them. Although his past memories hadn't been very clear, as timelines aligned, they were growing clearer by the moment.
Back then, it was these very people who had taught him many things.
Now, stepping out of the new world, their predicament was terrible.
He wanted to voice a warning, but Zhang Tao held him back.
Why?
Of course, he knew Zhang Tao was a man of many schemes. Though puzzled, he suppressed the worry in his heart.
Tribulation spoke again: "Su Yu, now that you understand the disparity, handing over the Dao of Time is your only chance of survival. Otherwise..."
Su Yu looked at him, unperturbed, merely curious. "May I ask for senior's... honorific title?"
"Tribulation!"
Sovereign of Tribulation smiled faintly.
Su Yu started, then nodded slightly. "Tribulation... Sounds familiar..."
*Familiar?*
The Lord of Tribulation was somewhat perplexed.
*Did some residual spirit remember me? Or what?*
Meanwhile, Su Yu was thinking: *Tribulation... that's a terrible title. I was once known as the Calamity of the Myriad Races, the Progenitor of Tribulation, the Disaster of the Heavens and Myriad Realms... And you take that name too? That's a direct conflict!*
He cast another glance around, confirming that the Master of Time had not shown up.
He felt somewhat disappointed.
*He really didn't come!*
*Does he want to test my mettle? Or what?*
As for whether the man had fled, that was unlikely. Su Yu glanced behind him toward Futiling, who controlled the Five Elements, and smiled. At this moment, he seemed to sense something; the honest little Futi's eyes seemed to be shifting.
That clever fellow was always half a beat slower than everyone else in whatever he did, yet he had managed to walk all the way to the present, stepping out of the Myriad Realms while controlling its Five Elements. It seemed... he likely had some connection to that fellow.
Su Yu didn't care much either way.
It was no big deal. Time had opened the great river and nurtured the Myriad Realms; leaving behind a hidden hand was nothing unusual. Su Yu had never worried about such things, especially since he had fleeced plenty of benefits from Time over the years.
While Futi was considered one of the core members, he was not part of the innermost circle. With or without him, Su Yu wouldn't lose sleep.
As long as Old Wan, Blue Sky, and a few others remained sound, that was the best outcome.
Before stepping out, he had thought that perhaps many people would awaken, but now it seemed only a select few had. Everything remained within his acceptable boundaries. It appeared that old bastard Time was truly carefree, leaving behind virtually no traces.
Listening intently to their words, he swiftly assessed the situation.
The Human King and the Master of Time ought to be in the same camp, sharing an intertwined legacy. That brat whose true form was a great demon belonged to their side in a loose sense, though likely without deeply intimate ties.
Huntian and this group of ninth-rank experts were most likely rivals, yet with elements of cooperation.
In just a few moments, he deduced the relationships among them.
He glanced once more at the only somewhat familiar figures in the crowd—the Human King and his group...
He had observed the rise of Xinwu before.
This Human King... was by no means a gentle soul. He was a man of many words, yet today he remained entirely silent. It seemed that, just like Time, he wanted to see what Su Yu was made of, didn't he?
Su Yu saw through their thoughts with ease.
*If you're useless... good riddance if you die. Only if you show some capability will you be considered one of us.*
With a soft sigh, Su Yu addressed the surroundings: "The Myriad Realms fought for countless years, and peace was hard-won. In truth, I never mastered the Dao of Time; it is merely that the Daos of the Myriad Realms all rest upon Time. If Time is surrendered and you seniors refuse to discuss an exchange, it will cause quite a problem!"
Of course, the Dao of Time was indeed the core.
Yet ever since he had independently opened his own heaven, he had already siphoned the River of Time mostly dry.
Today, Cosmic Civilization was his true foundation.
As for Time... after being fleeced for so many years, it was already quite frail.
At this moment, he looked toward Huntian and said softly, "Emperor Huntian, who actually calls the shots in this chaos? If we can resolve our conflicts and coexist in peace, and if the Myriad Realms can be kept from collapsing, the Dao of Time is not entirely impossible to surrender..."
Huntian's heart stirred.
He glanced at the ninth-rank experts.
Right now, some among the ninth-rank experts were already sending voice transmissions: *"Just slaughter him and be done with it. We cannot allow another uncontrollable Li Hao to emerge—suppress him first! If you fear that killing him will cause Time to collapse... I am inclined to believe that this time, it won't!"*
*"I agree. The Dao of Time has become the foundation of the Myriad Realms and has likely already materialized. Under normal circumstances, killing him will most probably not cause it to shatter!"*
*"To eliminate future troubles, it is better to kill him. Furthermore, Huntian is absorbing Order; once he enters the ninth rank, he will also become a problem. We might as well kill them both!"*
*"Agreed!"*
The ninth-rank experts all turned their gaze toward Tianfang.
Though they suspected him, he was ultimately the strongest. Right now, everyone was waiting for Tianfang's decision.
Kill, or wait?
Waiting held little meaning.
Better to kill and end it!
The Dao of Time had already become a materialized river, no longer the invisible stream that others could not perceive. This signified that at this stage, the Dao had solidified, which also meant... everyone had a chance to control it.
The Lord of Tianfang remained silent.
He merely looked at Su Yu in silence. At that moment, his clone swiftly returned, merging back into his true body. His aura grew far more formidable than that of the other ninth-rank experts, not in the least inferior to Huntian, who had integrated Order.
"No more waiting! If we wait any longer, Huntian will truly step into the ninth rank! Everyone, since Brother Tianfang hasn't made up his mind... majority rules! Whether to kill or wait is up to all of us!"
"Kill!"
"Kill!"
"I also vote to kill him..."
The group of Sovereigns swiftly reached a consensus. Aside from a few who still harbored unease, the rest agreed to execute Su Yu on the spot, disregarding all else. The materialization of the River of Time was their greatest reassurance.
It was unlikely to dissipate, and that was enough.
Previously, they had refrained from dealing Li Hao a fatal blow solely out of fear that Time would completely vanish. Now that this concern was gone, what was left to fear?
Fear that rabble of eighth-rank cultivators?
Laughable!
No matter how numerous, they were nothing more than ants!
The ninth-rank experts began advancing rapidly toward the great river. Seeing this, Huntian's expression shifted slightly, but glancing at the flock of eighth-rank cultivators behind Su Yu, he kept his peace.
Su Yu saw them too and frowned slightly. "Everyone, do not come too close. Emperor Huntian, what do these people intend to do? Does this chaos possess no rules whatsoever?"
*Rules?*
The crowd found it ludicrous.
What rules could there be?!
In this heaven and earth, fists were the only rules.
Huntian sighed as well. "These people... are thoroughly wicked. What rules could there be to speak of? The order of chaos has collapsed, and rules are hard to come by..."
"This place... has no rules?"
Su Yu seemed taken aback, then let out a sigh. "So that's how it is. No wonder this place felt so foul—the rules are gone!"
He smiled faintly.
Without rules... did that mean he, the most rule-abiding person of all, no longer needed to follow rules either?
He understood!
A wonderful thing.
Since there were no rules, whatever he said and whatever he did would become the rule.
He looked back at the people behind him, then at the powerhouses closing in, shaking his head with a touch of helplessness.
With a soft chuckle, he said, "As a newcomer, I dare not make enemies of you... Very well, very well, I shall surrender Time... But I will not give it to you; you harbor too much malice toward me. I give it to Emperor Huntian..."
With that, the River of Time churned violently!
Seeing this, Huntian's brows shot straight up!
*Fuck!*
This felt distinctly... like Li Hao setting up Chaos back then.
Right now, he was still absorbing the power of Order, while Time was being eyed by more than twenty ninth-rank true bodies. This was even more dangerous than the predicament Chaos had faced before. He had no desire to take over this mess right now.
Even though he coveted it!
With Chaos serving as a cautionary tale, he didn't want it now. Even if he took it, it would only be after he had completely absorbed all the power of Order.
He swiftly backed away!
He hurriedly called out, "No, absolutely not..."
The ninth-rank experts looked at him with half-smiles. Huntian was tactful enough!
In the distance, Chunqiu flew into a complete rage: "Give it to me instead! Since none of you want it, give it to me! My Chunqiu clan has limited lifespans. Since this useless Huntian doesn't dare take it, even if this king becomes a chess piece, I am willing to take this Time and see if these ninth-rank bastards can truly kill me!"
She recalled what Li Hao had said that day: if Time belonged to her, all her clones would instantly recover to their peak.
*Fine!*
*Since none of you are willing to step forward, I will! This old woman will blow everyone to pieces today!*
*Risk it all!*
*Every single one of you acts so arrogant normally, but today you've all gone limp?*
*What kind of men are you?!*
*If you don't want it, I'll take it!*
Leaping into the air, she charged straight for the great river, shouting, "This king accepts it!"
"Chunqiu!"
"You seek death!"
One after another, the ninth-rank Sovereigns erupted in fury. Even Huntian dared not wade into these murky waters, yet she was bold enough. Then they would kill her as well!
Meanwhile, Su Yu glanced at Chunqiu speeding through the void and barked, "A mere woman, a little demon, and a non-human at that—how could you bear Time? Absolutely out of the question!"
Appearing somewhat incensed, he waved his hand. The river surged, his aura erupted, space shook, and the Book of Cosmic Civilization manifested as he berated, "Vying for supremacy over heaven and earth, fighting across the lands—these are the affairs of men, having nothing to do with women! Truly... she doesn't know what's good for her!"
Space violently shuddered!
As though time itself were rippling, Chunqiu suddenly caught a shockwave, squeezed by spatial distortion, and was knocked off course, charging entirely in the wrong direction. Chunqiu was incandescent with rage!
*Bastard!*
*This fellow actually discriminates against me!*
*Even Li Hao never discriminated against me, yet he does!*
At this moment, Emperor Yu sighed, shaking his head as he began extracting the River of Time directly. Looking at the advancing crowd in the distance, he sighed. "I give it to you, then. Why harbor such immense malice? I am not the Master of Time, nor do I cultivate the Dao of Time..."
With those words, the star beneath his feet flew straight toward the crowd. He added, "Regardless, this is our first time stepping out of our world. We share no grievance or enmity with you. Debts have debtors and grievances have heads; if you seek retribution, you should seek out Li Hao, not me..."
Chunqiu felt unspeakable rage!
*You coward, you incompetent wretch, you useless waste—to be so utterly spineless, giving away whatever is demanded!*
"Su Yu, what kind of man are you?!"
Chunqiu roared, utterly furious, charging once more toward the crowd. Since no one would resist, she would resist alone!
*Was the ninth rank truly invincible in this chaos?!*
Behind her, myriad avatars emerged. Su Yu glanced at them and paid little mind; they lacked the breathtaking brilliance of Blue Sky's myriad avatars—nothing interesting.
Meanwhile.
The ninth-rank experts rushed toward the star, each overjoyed. He truly gave it up!
This third-generation cultivator of Time was indeed utterly different from the second-generation Li Hao!
This time, things were far too agreeable.
Right then, the ninth-rank experts swiftly exchanged voice transmissions: *"Suppress Time first! Do not rush to fight over it—beware of falling into his trap! A single peach killing three warriors was a trick Li Hao used just recently. This time, we resolve these people first before dividing it. Besides, Time is primarily meant to stabilize chaos, not to be monopolized by any one person. Whoever seizes it becomes the target of all. No one must cause a mess!"*
Fearing internal strife, someone urgently sent word!
"I have no objections!"
"Neither do I!"
The slightly weaker ninth-rank experts chimed in one after another, instantly forming an alliance. If they couldn't have it, nobody would hold it alone; using this Time to stabilize chaos was the optimal outcome.
Otherwise, who knew who would benefit? Most likely Tianfang, who was the strongest.
In any case, if they couldn't monopolize it, nobody would.
The River of Time rapidly compressed. The profoundly mysterious river was condensed in the blink of an eye into an immense orb of light, instantly merging into the interior of the Time Star.
In that instant, the Time Star unleashed an overwhelmingly powerful aura, resembling the descent of a ninth-rank Sovereign.
The crowd was ecstatic!
Peak of the eighth rank!
Now, they clearly sensed that this power of Time had genuinely reached the peak of the eighth rank, and might soon grow to the ninth rank.
When that happened, chaos would be permanently stabilized!
The ninth rank would no longer face the risk of suppression, nor would they need to seek refuge in the depths of the Chaos Great Dao again.
Meanwhile, Su Yu led the group of experts behind him in a swift retreat, heading straight toward Huntian while shaking his head. "Truly... savage and crude, murdering people to seize their treasures. I had thought such things would not happen among supreme powerhouses, yet I never expected to be taught a lesson the moment I stepped out. Emperor Huntian alone possesses the bearing of a sovereign..."
Huntian frowned slightly. *Why come toward me?*
These people clearly had no intention of sparing this newcomer.
He had no desire to start a battle with them right now.
He backed away rapidly, his laughter still steady: "Emperor Yu need not worry. Since you have yielded Time, it no longer concerns you... They have always wanted to kill me; if you stand too close, beware of being caught in the crossfire..."
He found a rather grand-sounding excuse.
Su Yu started, then nodded, halting his steps. After a moment's thought, he said, "They... also want to kill Emperor Huntian? Truly... utterly barbaric!"
*Are you truly stupid or just pretending?*
Huntian frowned slightly. At this moment, the power of Order within his body had reached an absolute pinnacle, and he was instantly thrilled. He felt it—Order and Chaos were merging!
*I am about to become a ninth-rank!*
The first cultivator in a million years to truly step into the ninth rank in the authentic sense.
Joy showed plainly on his face!
He had pursued this for countless years, yet he had never imagined succeeding today, far more easily than he had originally anticipated!
Previously, what he had pursued was grand unification, a mighty will, a mighty Order...
In the end, someone had completed it for him!
Indeed, Order had achieved grand unification within the Myriad Realms.
Thus, it aligned with Huntian's Dao. Although he had not led it, Order did not distinguish who spearheaded it. The grand unification of the Myriad Realms was merely slightly inferior to the grand unification of chaos, but the difference was not overwhelmingly vast.
Coupled with the fact that after Chaos died, he had taken control of Chaos, making his Great Dao even stronger.
Now, as the two merged into one, he felt a boundless, mighty will enveloping him, and his spirituality surged violently. He was about to prove the ninth rank!
Huntian was ecstatic!
Meanwhile, the ninth-rank Sovereigns still busy suppressing the great river looked over, their expressions changing. Tribulation cursed under his breath: "Huntian... kill him first!"
The group swiftly split into two waves.
Half remained behind to suppress the river star, while the other half charged straight toward Huntian!
*How could they let you prove the ninth rank?!*
...
On the perimeter.
The Supreme frowned.
"Should we intervene?"
The Human King shook his head slightly and smiled. "No rush. Wait a moment!"
*Still waiting?*
...
At the edge of the Four Regions.
Li Hao was watching as well. Touching his noticeably shortened chin, he fell into deep thought.
As if realizing something, he furrowed his brow slightly.
*Playing it this big?*
"I still... lack a sufficient understanding of you," Li Hao murmured. He knew too little.
Yet looking at the situation... perhaps some unexpected turn would surprise even him.
He suddenly smiled and whispered, "It is also your chance. Black Panther... you may act."
In that instant, the void seemed to ripple faintly.
Li Hao turned his gaze toward one of the cultivators in the group, a ninth-rank cultivator with a five-colored halo above his head, appearing extraordinarily dazzling. That was the Five Elements Dao Lord among the ninth-rank experts!
Ignoring everyone else, he stared at the Five Elements Dao Lord for a while, before finally shifting his gaze toward the group behind Su Yu. Soon, he spotted a figure—very young!
His eyes were constantly darting about, looking rather clever and lacking some of his former maturity.
Li Hao chuckled helplessly!
*No way?*
*Old man... how did you end up like this?*
He didn't care about the life or death of anyone else, yet he cared somewhat about this person. Free of attachments, all of it had ultimately been a grand dream, but he still held a few lingering ties.
Perhaps... this was his final attachment on this martial path.
His arms trembled slightly. His originally shortened arms seemed to be recovering some of their length. Paired with his diminutive stature, he resembled a gibbon, looking somewhat comical.
He stared at the Five Elements Dao Lord for a long while.
Calculating for a moment, he noted that the current Five Elements Dao Lord possessed strength infinitely close to nine thousand Daos. Unfortunately, his spirituality was deficient; otherwise, he would be a bona fide ninth-rank expert. A ninth-rank body was bound to be extraordinarily robust.
The power of Five Elements... balanced both offense and defense.
Thought after thought surfaced. Finally, he looked again at the person behind Su Yu. Within his body, the power of the Five Animals gradually emerged, seemingly sentient, faintly vibrating the void!
...
Behind Su Yu.
That young man's eyes were slightly dazed, yet also held a spark of cleverness, flickering from time to time as he glanced into the distance, seeming to sense something.
A faint smile gradually surfaced on his face.
He looked at Su Yu, somewhat tongue-tied.
*Ruthless men truly belong to the same lineage.*
*Time certainly knows how to pick its masters—without exception, it chooses absolute savages.*
He felt some emotion, along with a touch of annoyance. After all these years, he was always half a beat behind everyone else. Was he simply inadequate, or was he meant only to be a supporting character in this era?
His gaze fell upon someone.
The distant Five Elements Dao Lord!
He glanced at Su Yu again. Su Yu turned his head to look at him, seeming to grasp something, and smiled, sending a voice transmission: "You want to leave?"
"Probably... yes?"
The young Futi appeared somewhat awkward. Others might not know the truth, but he knew the score.
"If you leave and take away the Five Elements of my world... that wouldn't be very appropriate."
Futi, or rather Yuan Shuo, frowned slightly. Soon, he heard Su Yu chuckle via voice transmission: "Of course, I am not a wicked person. The Master of Time left behind the Myriad Realms, but he didn't harbor good intentions either. Look, didn't he dig a massive pit for me? I am a man who keeps debts clear; I don't mind it much, and at worst, I'll beat him up. However, if you leave and take the power of the Five Elements with you, that has nothing to do with him. As for you... you'd be taking advantage of me."
Yuan Shuo transmitted back: "What does Emperor Yu want?"
"You and he share no shallow relationship; I can sense it. I don't have many hobbies, but you must have some dirt on his early days, right? You know what I mean!"
"..."
Yuan Shuo was speechless!
*Fuck!*
*I do know.*
*But... is this really the time for that?*
*What kind of moment is this, and you're still in the mood for such nonsense? Are you that bored?!*
"This..."
"What, can't do it? Or don't have any?"
Su Yu's voice transmission carried deep meaning: "What are you afraid of? I won't leak it! Who doesn't have some embarrassing history these days? When everyone has some... we won't make it public, right? I don't have many pleasures in life... you know me."
"..."
Utterly at a loss for words!
After a moment, Yuan Shuo transmitted: "Fine... that works... Just don't say... it was me!"
"Of course!"
Su Yu smiled. Of course he wouldn't, because... there was no need.
Who else could it be besides you?
Did Li Hao lack a brain?
Of course, if you insisted on burying your head in the sand... he didn't mind playing along.
"Need a hand?"
Su Yu asked with a smile, "After all, we worked together for a time. Though I pressured you a bit over the years, it was for your own good. On your departure today, I should at least offer a farewell gift!"
"No need. He... can achieve it, and he is stronger than you!"
At this moment, the young Yuan Shuo seemed to recover more of his memories. His eyes gradually shifted as he looked at Su Yu. "You are the Master of the Myriad Realms... He is a chivalrous wanderer of chaos. Perhaps you can unify chaos, but you... cannot rule over him!"
"Is that so?"
Su Yu smiled, paying it no mind.
What did it matter?
Was chaos so wonderful?
Was unifying the realm really so amusing?
All the tumult was nothing more than a grand dream. He merely found it interesting; he didn't harbor grand ambitions of conquering the world. He wasn't even familiar with this chaos, so why bother unifying them?
"Li Hao is certainly carefree!"
He sighed softly, then chuckled.
*A chivalrous wanderer of chaos?*
*Bullshit!*
*He is simply unbound by responsibilities, slightly more carefree than the rest of us.* Looking at the crowd behind him, then at the distant Human King, he sighed softly. Perhaps that was it.
The Human King was bound by Xinwu, and perhaps I was as well.
That Li Hao was truly heartless.
*Why dump Time on me? Truly insufferable.*
*And Zhan as well—did you think I was easier to provoke than Li Hao, so you clung to me without letting go?*
Watching the large group of ninth-rank experts flying toward him while another portion headed toward Huntian, Su Yu let out a soft laugh.
"Time entangles endlessly, forsaken by man and gods alike. What... are you all pursuing?"
His voice drifted out slowly.
"Zhan, Li Hao, and that Human King... none of you wanted it. That alone proves this Time is no treasure. Be it the Method of the Three Bodies, or the past and future, man will ultimately triumph over heaven!"
A gentle laugh echoed across the surroundings.
"Li Hao, is today, is this moment, is it me you have been waiting for?"
The laughter echoed in all directions.
The ninth-rank Sovereigns changed color one after another. *What does he mean?*
In an instant, the distant Time Star began to spin frantically.
Not far away, the Human King smiled and shrugged with profound amusement. *Zhan, you were wrong. Only an incompetent person would accept your Time, yet an incompetent person could never inherit it. Those capable of inheriting it are neither incompetent, nor cowardly, nor lacking in bold resolve...*
*This is the contradiction!*
*Did you truly not understand, or had you understood all along and were simply waiting for today?*
*You regretted it, didn't you?*
*Yet you couldn't bear to do it yourself, so you could only pin your hopes on future generations to finish it... Well and good, well and good!*
Even further away.
Li Hao seemed to have anticipated this and laughed. *As expected, then?*
*Makes sense!*
"Zhan... it's time to say goodbye!"
Murmuring softly, he raised both hands toward heaven, reaching straight into the Chaos Great Dao. His hands seemed to plunge into the Dao in an instant, seizing a colossal Dao of the Five Elements.
*Five Elements, it's time for you to die.*
*My teacher has returned, so make way!*
*Consider this a celebratory gift for my teacher's return. I hope he won't be angry. He must have suffered terribly all these years, right?*
*Indeed, being bullied by that fellow must have been quite miserable.*
...
"Time exists naturally—why would anyone need a Dao of Time? The stars are merely external forms; the years flow of their own accord, so what Dao of Time could there be..."
With a booming laugh, the Time Star that everyone was suppressing suddenly radiated boundless brilliance.
In the distance, the Lord of Tianfang's expression shifted drastically.
In an instant, he vanished.
Right at that moment, space violently convulsed. The Book of Cosmic Civilization manifested, shattering the void. Nearby, the Human King chuckled softly as his blade swept out, silent and soundless, devoid of any arrogant words.
This single slash seemed to pierce through chaos!
*Tianfang, don't you interfere.*
The blade's light reflected across chaos, unimaginably formidable.
Even further away, a pair of hands plunged into the Chaos Great Dao, seizing the dragon with both hands. Li Hao's voice drifted out faintly: "Li Hao of the Five Animals Sect respectfully welcomes the return of the Five Animals Sect Master!"
"Slash!"
"Detonate!"
"Sever!"
Three soft shouts rang out simultaneously, tolling like a death knell!
The Human King's blade struck; before the horrified eyes of the ninth-rank Sovereigns, the Time Star abruptly exploded! Heaven and earth lost all light, years came to a halt, and in the distance, that immense hand covered the sky, gripping the Dao of the Five Elements as both hands came together like a slashing sword to sever the Five Elements in a single blow!
The Lord of Tianfang's brow furrowed tightly!
He vanished once more in an instant.
Yet in the next second, heaven and earth fell entirely silent. All things seemed to plunge into stillness. The soundless explosion instantly froze the entirety of chaos in place!
Above the void, within the core of the Time Star, an illusory phantom emerged.
A figure stood proudly in the void, looking toward the three directions. He shook his head with a faint smile, murmuring something softly, as though a long-cherished wish had been fulfilled and a lingering knot had dissolved.
*Time... was never meant to be controlled, nor should it ever be.*
*My reluctance, my attachments... come to a complete end today.*
*The three of you have finally resolved the knot in my heart.*
*Let everything scatter with time!*
Light illuminated heaven and earth!
The river shattered, years flowed away, and chaos trembled.
In a single instant, someone cried out in agony. Their Great Dao seemed to snap, their physical body collapsed, and their eyes were filled with disbelief, bewilderment, and helplessness... *How could this be?*
*It shouldn't have been me!*
*It could have been Life and Death, Tribulation, or anyone else... but of all people, it shouldn't have been me!*
In a flash, what appeared to be a colossal beast manifested above his head, instantly devouring the dispersing spirituality and Great Dao. He opened his eyes, glaring in fury!
In his ears, that person's voice sounded with a sigh: "A gift of filial piety from my disciple. Today, I refuse to believe I'll still be half a beat behind!"
*Boom!*
The earth-shattering roar only truly erupted at this very moment, blasting open heaven and earth, shattering chaos, and turning chaos entirely into a realm of light!
Darkness no longer shrouded the expanse; brilliance emerged.
The sky of chaos had brightened.
The light in the Five Elements Dao Lord's eyes dimmed completely. Looking at the sky... he collapsed silently.
*So when chaos is illuminated, it is this radiant, this beautiful. Unfortunately, I will never see it again.*
Chapter 614