The Fall of Tribulation

As numerous ninth ranks fell in battle, the Lord of Tribulation grew increasingly powerful with every passing moment. A smile appeared on his face. Today, many had died, yet their deaths had also fulfilled the destinies of others. Himself, Chunqiu, Li Hao... All of them had advanced a step further this day. Even the Human King and his companions had grown vastly stronger. The tides had shifted, and as his own might swelled, Tribulation began to feel that he, too, stood a real chance today. Tianfang was formidable, perhaps the strongest being present. Yet... Chunqiu was now strong as well! Tribulation turned to Chunqiu and smiled. "Chunqiu, several demon Dao Lords gave their lives to empower you. They certainly wouldn't wish to see the demon race perish here..." Before he could finish, Chunqiu sneered. "I'd rather fight on my own than ever cooperate with the likes of you, Lord of Tribulation. Of all the ninth ranks who ventured out alongside you, who is still alive? Don't you have any shame?" *Do you take me for a fool?* Where were the ninth ranks who had fought beside him against Tianfang and the others? Where had they gone? Where were they now? Not a single one remained! How dared this fellow utter such words? If she were in his shoes, she wouldn't even have the face to open her mouth. Tribulation froze slightly and frowned. *True enough.* He laughed at himself with self-deprecation. Turning toward Li Hao, he began, "Li Hao..." Li Hao could not be bothered to acknowledge him. Instead, he looked at the Human King and the others, smiling. "Now that the small fry have been swept clean, shall I handle Tribulation alone, or will you join forces to eliminate him? Or perhaps you'd prefer to conserve your strength so we can spar with Daoist Tianfang together in a moment?" Blood dripped from the Human King's long saber. Hearing this, he gave a sinister chuckle. "Can you handle him alone?" Su Yu smiled as well. "Senior Time, do you truly not need our assistance?" Chunqiu was somewhat dazed. At this moment, though she felt herself to be no weaker than Li Hao, Tribulation was extraordinarily powerful. With so many dead, his strength was growing continuously. Previously, Li Hao had merely fought him to a standstill; right now, Li Hao ought to be at a distinct disadvantage. How could he hope to resolve Tribulation on his own? She was at a loss. Was he merely boasting? Surely not? The Lord of Tribulation's expression also shifted slightly. He glared at Li Hao. *Intimidating me?* *Resolving me?* *Never mind you alone—even if the Human King and the others joined in, they would fail. Although the Human King and his group can slay ninth ranks, they have only killed those in a weakened state. How could they kill me?* *I am nothing like those fools!* "Insolent boast!" A frigid look washed over the Lord of Tribulation's face. Sense of foreboding creeping in, he wasted no time. He vanished in an instant and invoked the power of destiny once more. Li Hao's pillar of destiny appeared pitch-black, like an abyss—even darker than before. This was an omen of absolute death! Seeing this, he felt somewhat reassured. *Good!* Li Hao instantly dodged backward and glanced at the others. "So you intend to refrain and preserve your strength for Tianfang?" The Human King held his saber with a grin. "It would be a pity for us to miss out on the final battle. Since you claim Tribulation is merely small fry, show us what you've got. Don't just brag—from the moment you stepped out until now, you've only slain a single ninth rank!" "Fair enough. In truth, I prefer fighting alone anyway." A faint smile appeared on Li Hao's face. An instant later, the smile vanished. He looked toward Tribulation. "Since everyone is so eager, I shall send Senior Tribulation on his way!" "Ludicrous!" Tribulation refused to believe Li Hao possessed the ability to kill him. With a low roar, countless bolts of thunder erupted, and innumerable pillars of lightning manifested, enveloping Li Hao within their midst! The pillars grew increasingly formidable. Surrounding him on all sides, they sealed Li Hao within in an instant. Tribulation was overjoyed. He had harbored some wariness toward Li Hao's ability to traverse spacetime, but now Li Hao had not evaded at all, allowing himself to be pinned down directly! A stroke of luck! In that split second, the thunder within the lightning pillars coalesced into colossal figures of boundless might, instantly merging into the pillars themselves. The countless lightning pillars seemed to transform into invincible giants! Wielding massive clubs, they struck down toward Li Hao in unison! Beneath the force of the lightning pillars, all Dao power was pulverized into dust, instantly shattered. The entire space seemed fractured, mirroring the primeval scene of the creation of heaven and earth! At the same time, Tribulation's true form vanished, merging seamlessly into the Thunder Domain. In that moment, the Domain of Tribulation bore an uncanny resemblance to the world Li Hao had opened back then. Tribulation seemed to become the master of creation. And those lightning pillars seemed to embody the creation gods. Compared to Li Hao of that day, Tribulation was far more powerful. Opening a world to empower himself was something he had learned from Li Hao; he had never conceived such an idea until Li Hao opened a world and nurtured Su Yu, sparking this ambition within him. *If Li Hao could do it, why can't I?* Far more people had died today than last time! Moreover, they were far stronger. Spirituality drifted everywhere, and Great Dao power permeated every corner. ... "What should we do?" Chunqiu suddenly asked, feeling somewhat anxious. *Are we really just going to stand by and watch?* *Is this... appropriate?* Though Li Hao insisted on a one-on-one duel, she felt uneasy, worried that if Li Hao truly won, he might settle scores with her later! Neither the Human King nor Su Yu paid her any mind. Neither of them understood why Li Hao had wanted Chunqiu to gather myriad Daos, but since Li Hao had chosen to do so, they refrained from interfering. Neither looked toward Li Hao. If Li Hao could not even defeat Tribulation, it meant he had no hope of contending with Tianfang. In that case, defeat and death were merely a matter of time! If Tribulation did not die and Li Hao fell in battle, there would be no difference anyway. The two turned their gazes toward Tianfang, who stood nearby with unruffled composure. Su Yu, who had remained quiet for some time, suddenly said, "Senior Tianfang, have you been waiting because you think Li Hao isn't strong enough, or because... the three of us haven't unified our sources?" Tianfang, who had paid little attention to him until now, suddenly looked over. Bearing a scholarly demeanor, Su Yu wore a faint smile. "Senior, will slaying Tribulation be enough?" Tianfang looked at him thoughtfully without answering. Su Yu smiled again. "I have a few questions. While Time is still dealing with Tribulation, would Senior be willing to enlighten me?" Tianfang smiled faintly. "Let's hear them." "What did you and the Emperor of Battle Heaven actually discuss?" Su Yu seemed intensely curious, yet somewhat perplexed. "I once even wondered whether Zhan was merely a piece in your grand scheme—a supreme expert who had not even stepped beyond the Xinwu world, yet somehow coalesced time. Once space and time unite, does that mean commanding spacetime and becoming the true Lord of Chaos?" He continued, "I also wondered whether you and Zhan were two sides of the same coin. Did he represent your benevolence, while you... are the malevolence? Or perhaps the reverse—he was malevolence, and you are benevolence?" Tianfang chuckled. "An intriguing deduction!" Two sides of the same coin. Time and space. Su Yu smiled gently. "It is merely my own speculation, not necessarily the truth. Senior has been waiting all this time—could it be that you felt the two sides were not balanced enough? You hope the three of us, who share the same origin, all hailing from Xinwu... at least in terms of foundation... if the three of us grow strong enough to rival you, does that mean the opportunity you've awaited all along has arrived?" Tianfang had merely observed the battle throughout. A supreme expert of his caliber could not possibly have acted without preparation, standing by idly while they eliminated the others. With every enemy killed, each of them grew slightly stronger. They were continuously evolving through combat! How could a brilliant strategist who had plotted across chaos for a million years allow such a thing to unfold unchecked? Su Yu added, "Or perhaps my guess is entirely wrong, and you simply wish to refine us into your other side!" Su Yu smiled. "Whether it is the Yin-Yang World, the Silver Moon World, or my own Myriad Worlds, I understand them to some degree. The Dao is divided into dual polarities. Your space, in my view, has always been a single side. Or could it be that you already possess both? Surely not, for if you did, none of us would have any way to survive." Tianfang smiled again. "Then do you think I am benevolent or malevolent?" He looked at Su Yu with what appeared to be genuine appreciation in his eyes. "If Zhan truly was my other side, was he benevolent or malevolent?" Before Su Yu could reply, Er Mao suddenly yowled from the distance, "Bullshit! You couldn't possibly be his other side, and he couldn't possibly be yours! You don't deserve it!" Er Mao seemed furious! Tianfang looked toward Er Mao and sighed with emotion. "The Dao of Replication... is indeed quite fascinating. It can be considered the core Dao of Zhan, can it not? Zhan's time was actually fraught with flaws. After all, he had only reached the sixth rank; for him to achieve time, the Dao of Replication played an indispensable role!" He did not say whether Zhan was his other side. Nor did he confirm whether he was waiting for the three of them to join forces, unite their sources into one, balance against him, and then be assimilated into unity so he could become the true Lord of Chaos. Since he would not speak, Su Yu could only speculate. It was difficult to judge, but he knew for certain that Tianfang had refrained from acting because he was indeed waiting for Li Hao to grow stronger—or waiting for him and the Human King to grow stronger. All three factions traced back to the same lineage. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind. Having just emerged from the Myriad Worlds straight into a battle of the ages, he possessed far too little information. He could only deduce clues from fragments of conversation; without clear intelligence, piecing together the full truth in short order was impossible. Yet he understood that before Tribulation was slain, their peril was minimal. Once Tribulation fell, however... the true crisis would arrive. He looked toward the surroundings. Aside from the Xinwu, Silver Moon, and Myriad Worlds factions, there was only one outsider in their camp: Chunqiu! *Did Li Hao truly never consider that at the critical juncture, the demon Sovereigns might pass their power to Chunqiu? Having Chunqiu gather the spirits of myriad Sovereigns was blatantly increasing her leverage...* Su Yu's mind worked in overdrive. He refused to believe any of this was an accident. There were no accidents under heaven. Even if there were, it would not happen at such a moment. Perhaps Li Hao stepping forward early was unexpected, but Chunqiu surviving and gradually being drawn to their side was definitely no coincidence. Was Chunqiu foolish? Easier to deceive? Not necessarily! From the corner of his eye, he observed Chunqiu, her Dao of Withering and Thriving, her myriad clones, past and present... Thoughts flickered across his mind. Yet he still could not fathom how Li Hao intended to utilize Chunqiu. Though formidable, expecting Chunqiu to handle Tianfang was nothing short of a pipe dream! *Could it be time?* He sank into contemplation. Using time to stimulate all of Chunqiu's clones and turn them into countless Chunqius? Impossible; with Chunqiu so powerful now, time could hardly move her. ... While they were conversing, Li Hao remained trapped within the Thunder Domain. Tribulation stood like a lord of creation, and those countless thunder giants swung their massive clubs, each strike carving out a distinct space! In truth, Tribulation was deeply apprehensive! He feared interference from the others, and he feared an attack from Tianfang. Thus, he remained exceptionally vigilant, even deliberately cloaking his Domain of Tribulation with the power of destiny, inverting heaven and earth in an attempt to pull the wool over everyone's eyes! He had laid his calculations long ago. The deaths of those ninth ranks came as no surprise to him. Today, they had to die. And today, he had his own objective: to open a world! To open a world of Tribulation! To fully perfect myriad Daos, advancing from roughly 9,600 Dao principles to the complete perfection of myriad Daos. Even if he could not achieve spacetime, it would not matter; by then, his Dao of Tribulation would be no weaker than Tianfang's! Opening a world was the fastest shortcut to comprehending the Great Dao. Once sealed completely, the flow of time within would diverge, allowing him to conceal everything and accomplish the feat in total silence. Tribulation felt a surge of excitement and anticipation. Those people appeared indifferent to him. No one was interfering! Tianfang had not moved, nor had Li Hao's allies. His joy mounted. The Great Dao of Chaos was currently in upheaval, and being a ninth-rank powerhouse fused with chaos, he secretly began siphoning chaos power, appearing to draw upon it only because Li Hao was too strong and forced him to empower himself! He had also deduced that Tianfang wished to see Li Hao grow. If that was the case, Tianfang would neither intervene nor meddle while he siphoned chaos power. Reality proved his deduction correct! Meanwhile, Li Hao did nothing but retreat. Retreating continuously! Within the Domain of Tribulation, the thunder giants were morphing into other colossal forms. Some radiated the aura of life and death, while others emanated yin and yang. Tribulation grew increasingly thrilled. Manifesting within the domain like a primordial god of creation, colossal in scale, his smile was brilliant! "Li Hao!" His laughter echoed out. "What do you think of this place?" By now, he had finished inverting heaven and earth, completely shielding the interior from outside observation. He finally let out a sigh of relief. The Dao of Heaven and Earth, the Dao of Destiny—all these Daos had been preserved for this very moment. They had served their purpose! He could not contain his laughter. With the ninth ranks dead and their Daos stripped of spirituality, Dao power was dispersing frantically, fulfilling the second step of his plan: absorbing the power of myriad Daos to replenish his new world! Li Hao had opened a world before. Tribulation knew Li Hao must have seen through part of his scheme by now, but it was already too late! *Here, I am invincible!* Thick, colossal Great Daos permeated the surroundings. For the first time, Tribulation revealed his Dao domain—a Great Dao domain in its complete form. Above each of the countless giants, a Great Dao appeared to connect directly to their crowns. Tribulation seemed to have transformed himself into a river of worlds. He looked down at Li Hao. "Thanks to you, I saw hope... Otherwise, I would never have dared to rebel against Tianfang. Only I know how truly terrifying he is. But I also saw that he has been waiting for you to mature, or perhaps waiting for time to mature..." Tribulation seemed desperate to vent the unwillingness and cowardice he had harbored for so long. "For countless years, I never dared resist him! Li Hao, Tianfang schemes with effortless ease, yet the more one ponders his methods, the more terrifying they become! "Back then, the Lord of Order possessed 9,800 Daos and was immensely powerful. Yet... the Lord of Order died, slain by our own hands!" Tribulation spoke with a hint of madness. "At first, we had no idea we were being used by Tianfang. He didn't even show his face; with merely a slight, subtle nudge, we became his hitmen and killed the only one capable of contending with him! "Only after Order died did I realize the trouble we were in. No one could balance Tianfang anymore, leaving us no choice but to huddle together for warmth... "Yet as the spirituality of chaos waned, we were forced to rely on him to find secret realms for refuge and replenish our spirituality... That was what led to a million years of entrapment!" He poured out everything he had been unable to voice before, feeling liberated, as if he finally possessed the hope and foundation to defy Tianfang! He laughed joyfully. "Li Hao, fortunate indeed that you appeared! I know I am no match for him, but I also know he might have been waiting for you, hoping to see you slay me..." Li Hao dodged the encircling strikes of the thunder giants and looked toward Tribulation with a smile of his own. "So you believe that by opening a world of Tribulation here today, you can comprehend myriad Daos and officially step into Tianfang's realm?" "Is that not possible?" Tribulation adopted a facade of humility. "You have experience, whereas I cannot be entirely certain. Li Hao, Tianfang is the ultimate threat. He has been manipulating all of you, and I know your kind despises manipulation above all else... Tell me, what flaws remain in my world? Once I slay you and grow stronger, only then can I kill Tianfang..." Li Hao surveyed the surroundings, brandishing his longsword to repel a thunder giant as if conducting an inspection, then nodded. "A ninth rank is extraordinary indeed. Your strikes are grand in scope, constructed from the spirits and Daos of ninth ranks, brimming with abundant Dao power and spirituality. With so many dead today, vitality is abundant as well. Taking Tribulation as the core, myriad Daos as the world boundary, and Dao spirits as the creation gods... this is already comparable to when I opened the Myriad Worlds, perhaps even slightly superior. The only difference is that I used time as my foundation, whereas you rely on Tribulation." Li Hao smiled. "Once successfully established, the time flow may differ slightly. For instance, several hundred thousand years inside the Myriad Worlds equated to a few months outside... Without the River of Time, you might only achieve a differential of a century or a millennium..." Tribulation beamed! Li Hao was genuinely appraising his creation, and the appraisal delighted him! "Truly? Only a difference in time flow?" Li Hao nodded. "More or less." A gleam of delight surfaced in Tribulation's eyes. "Then if I kill you... Li Hao, how about I nurture you into the next Su Yu? I shall be the master of creation, and you could very well become the sovereign of this world of Tribulation!" Li Hao chuckled without responding to the offer, continuing, "However... your world is still missing one thing..." "What is it?" "A core source!" Li Hao explained, "That is to say... the origin of the Dao. Your Dao of Tribulation must thoroughly merge into the domain... just as I completely integrated the Dao of Time as the core back then..." "I know!" Tribulation nodded. "That is why... I brought you in with me. I was reluctant to do so myself because a period of weakness is inevitable, and the current situation does not allow for that. I thought perhaps someone else could serve as a substitute!" He stared at Li Hao. *Yes, you.* *You shall be the substitute!* *Slay you, gather your spirit, gather your source, and sustain the world with your source—it amounts to the same thing. Li Hao is no weakling; he is a supreme powerhouse. Once the world takes form, I can directly assimilate it into myself!* *A twofold enhancement!* Only then could he truly challenge Tianfang! Li Hao sank into thought and nodded. "Not bad. A sound plan. Truly, if you succeed, you might genuinely stand a chance against Tianfang!" "You agree as well?" "Naturally!" Li Hao chuckled softly. "That is also why I kept my eyes on you, waited for you, and watched you open your world. Tribulation, why don't you merge into this place entirely and fulfill me instead? You aren't clever enough to outmaneuver Tianfang anyway. How about letting me do it?" "You?" Tribulation snorted coldly and vanished in an instant. The entire world contracted violently, its concentrated Dao power condensing into liquid rain that poured downward. Innumerable strands of Dao power manifested in the sky as giants from all directions lunged toward Li Hao to slaughter him! In the darkness, Tribulation was immensely satisfied. He could already sense that within this domain, he could suppress Li Hao using the domain's power. *Is this the advantage of opening a world?* *Had I known, I would have prepared years ago!* *Of course, today is not too late; back then, such an opportunity might not have existed anyway.* Meanwhile, Li Hao glanced around from the corner of his eye. *It's about time!* Waiting for Tribulation to finish opening his world completely might take too long. At that moment, the Heart Gate manifested once more. The longsword transformed into the Heart Gate! Tribulation sneered. *Falling for it once was enough; do you think I'll fall for it a second time?* *Nothing more than an illusion!* Having suffered once, did Li Hao truly believe everyone was an idiot who would fall into the same trap twice? The Heart Gate manifested, standing like a portal amidst the void. An instant later, a sword flew from above the gate, followed by a second, a third... Countless swords! Blotting out the sky and obscuring the sun! In that single breath, millions upon billions of swords poured forth! Each sword seemed to represent a living being, projecting their forms. Every face was drenched in despair. These countless swords contained nothing but sheer despair—devoid of hope, devoid of a future! As the swords emerged, darkening the skies, they blanketed the Dao spirits. The Dao spirits struck out, shattering the countless swords, yet with every blade destroyed, the aura of despair only thickened! ... Simultaneously, across chaos, innumerable worlds and living beings seemed to sense something, and an even deeper despair erupted from within them. "It seems... we are going to lose... destroyed..." They did not know what was truly happening, who would triumph, or what the outcome would be. All they felt was endless catastrophe! They envisioned worlds collapsing, countless deaths, extinction of living beings, chaos withering away—the entire world gone, all of chaos erased! Despair! Boundless despair! *We see no hope.* *Why must it be so?* That despair permeated the entirety of chaos at this moment. Within the hearts of countless beings, a portal seemed to appear, drawing all those despairing emotions inside. Tianfang, who was conversing with Su Yu and the others, suddenly looked in all directions, raising an eyebrow. A smile broke across his face! The smile grew increasingly radiant. *Li Hao, you truly have not disappointed me. Even now, you continue perfecting your path to supreme strength. Tribulation is no match for you. Excellent. You are the one I have been waiting for.* The Human King and the others seemed to sense it as well, strange expressions appearing on their faces. They looked into the distance. There, only a silhouette shrouded in a Dao domain was visible, indistinct, yet vaguely... a portal could be seen! ... Inside the domain. Billions of swords of despair shattered continuously, yet the more they broke, the darker the portal became. Tribulation reappeared, his expression shifting slightly. "The power of despair..." The more they shattered, the stronger they grew! Even the swords themselves were in despair. He felt a headache coming on; such a unique force was difficult to annihilate. Wasting no words, he bellowed, summoning countless strands of Dao power in the void that instantly coalesced into a mighty river crashing against the endless swords! *Rumble!* Sword after sword shattered. Seeing this, Tribulation charged straight for Li Hao. Since dispersing the sword intent of despair was troublesome, he would simply kill the man himself! Destroy his true form, obliterate his physical body, and extinguish his spirit! Only then could this be resolved once and for all. As Tribulation drew near, Li Hao appeared somewhat despairing as well, and the deeper the despair, the sharper the sword intent became. A black sword manifested in his hand, trembling faintly. The sword seemed to merge with him as one. Despair, indignation, ferocity, darkness, chaos... All manner of emotions brewed within it. Li Hao tapped his sword against the void. Suddenly, blood dripped from the blade, writing something in the empty air. Instantly, a character formed! "Tribulation!" The moment the character appeared, countless forces of Tribulation surged toward it. The Sovereign of Tribulation barked, "Break!" *Boom!* The forces of Tribulation detonated one after another. His expression was grim, though he recovered quickly. *A petty trick!* *Hoping to weaken my power of Tribulation is mere wishful thinking.* The divine character for "Tribulation" had merely siphoned away a fraction of his power. Li Hao did not care; the divine character vanished in an instant, ascending and disappearing straight into the world. *Hm?* Tribulation was taken aback. Though the weakening was negligible, the divine character was undeniably troublesome for him. Li Hao's spirituality was exceptionally potent; had he forcibly manipulated it, he might have stripped away more power. Yet the fellow seemed unbothered, casting the character away directly. Tribulation was bewildered for a moment. He dismissed it quickly. *If you discard it yourself, you are only courting death.* Yet at that exact instant, Li Hao let out a breath. Suddenly, the Heart Gate before him shattered completely, bursting into millions of fragments like stones. In a flash, they paved a Great Dao across the world! Tribulation landed upon this path in an instant. With a stomp, countless fragments broke apart, only to heal again in the blink of an eye. Li Hao smiled softly. "In this world, time and space hold no true meaning. We martial masters have always walked... the path of the martial world!" *What?* *The path of the martial world?* Tribulation froze. Beneath his feet, flashes of sabers and swords suddenly erupted along the Great Dao, accompanied by boundless heroic passion! "The martial world is the true path of the martial master!" Li Hao smiled, gripping his sword as he walked forward step by step along the road. "Tribulation, you open your world, and I will not stop you. If my martial world lacked opponents, could it still be called a martial world? "The martial world is bustling and lively, full of life and death, desire, undaunted courage, relentless perseverance, conviction, and unsung heroes..." Wrapped in the emotion of despair, those myriad fragments gradually brought forth other sentiments. Before Tribulation's eyes, countless silhouettes seemed to emerge. Like a dream of the martial world! Figures materialized along the road: some laughing heartily, some desolate, some slaughtering innocents, some resisting invaders, some bending bows to shoot eagles, some wandering picturesque mountains with companions... This was the martial world in Li Hao's eyes. "What is so wonderful about time? Spacetime, the universe, myriad Daos unified, sole supremacy across chaos—does any of it carry meaning?" Li Hao approached step by step, sword in hand. The Lord of Tribulation roared, stomping to shatter the path of the martial world! Yet in the blink of an eye, it restored itself once more. Li Hao smiled. "The martial world belongs to people, to living beings. Where there are people, there is a martial world! Whether competing in strength, technique, or wit—as long as you and I exist, the martial world exists!" "Pretentious nonsense!" *What path of the martial world?* Tribulation refused to believe it could not be destroyed. In an instant, his power of Tribulation erupted again, tearing the Great Dao apart completely, yet it fused back together in a heartbeat! Li Hao advanced steadily. "It's useless. This path serves no grand purpose. To me, its sole utility... is that here, perhaps, there is a modest measure of fairness!" Instantly, the Great Dao enveloped Tribulation entirely. Tribulation felt the Dao power within his body compress in a flash. Li Hao was under the exact same constraint! Standing in the center of the Dao, he looked at Tribulation and smiled. "Silver Moon's Li Hao—grant me your guidance!" Tribulation's expression darkened. *What kind of sorcery is this?* "This is the Dao of the martial world. Senior, the Silver Moon martial world has an unwritten rule: between equals in strength, when I issue a challenge, you must either accept or admit defeat. If you admit defeat, I will let you leave. If you refuse to yield, you can only accept the duel—life and death determined by fate!" "A joke!" Tribulation bellowed again. On the perimeter, countless thunder giants appeared, hacking down toward the Dao of the martial world. Yet the instant a thunder giant entered the Dao, it seemed stripped of all energy! A flash of Li Hao's sword cleaved off the giant's head—a manifestation of a Dao spirit! In that breath, the Dao spirit seemed eradicated! Devoured by the boundless emotion of despair! Li Hao smiled. "When we duel, others may only observe. In the martial world, this is one of the rare instances of fairness... Naturally, this is my Silver Moon martial world!" Only now did Tribulation's face truly change. He felt it: one of his Daos had truly been severed, severed beyond recovery! *How can this be?* *This is my world!* *I am the master here!* Li Hao had actually carved out an absolute domain within his world. His so-called Dao of the martial world sounded unremarkable, yet it was absurdly powerful! "Impossible!" Tribulation still could not believe it. "This is my world!" Li Hao nodded. "It is yours. But as I said, wherever there are people, there is a martial world; it is the same everywhere! The destination of the martial world may very well be despair, which is why I used despair as the foundation to open this path! Tribulation, you cannot break it unless you are far stronger than I am. Tianfang might stand a chance, but you cannot. Do you accept the challenge?" Tribulation's face was grim. "And what if I refuse?" Li Hao smiled. "Then in my martial world, I call the shots! This sky is mine! This world is mine! This domain is mine!" *What?* Tribulation was tempted to test the claim, refusing to believe it. Yet the next moment, recalling Li Hao's cunning methods, he realized it might genuinely be possible. The disappearance of Li Hao's divine character for "Tribulation" earlier might well have been part of the setup. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. "Then bring it on!" "Thank you for the guidance!" In a flash, Li Hao moved like a ferocious tiger, treading across the air. On either side of the martial path, spectral figures seemed to watch. Tribulation attempted to mobilize his Dao power and breathed a sigh of relief upon finding he still could. It felt constrained, unable to radiate outward, but that hardly affected his raw strength. He detonated his power, charging straight toward Li Hao! Yet a moment later, his expression changed. Both were subjected to the same restriction—their Dao power constrained internally—yet Li Hao possessed the ferocity of an unleashed tiger! A piercing roar erupted from Li Hao's lips, stinging the ears! "Die!" The longsword whistled through the air, bringing forth light and darkness, the five elements, yin and yang, life and death! In an instant, myriad forces converged, shaking the soul! Tribulation threw a punch with a thunderous roar. Boundless despair surged along the sword, sending the power of Tribulation churning violently inside him! A bloody gash appeared across Tribulation's fist. He frowned instantly. Looking at Li Hao, he demanded, "Is this your Silver Moon force?" Li Hao nodded. "Senior, again!" The sword struck! His force was like that of a god. In Tribulation's eyes, Li Hao seemed like a deity of heaven and earth, drawing upon the momentum of the world to suppress him instead. His face fell. *This is my territory—it shouldn't be like this!* He stomped to crush the path beneath his feet, but it instantly reformed into a road, barring his escape. Tribulation grew thoroughly exasperated. *How can such a bizarre Dao even exist?* *Shattered one moment, reformed the next!* *What in the world is this?* He had no time to dwell on it. Looking somewhat disheveled, he dodged Li Hao, but in the next split second, Li Hao's foot swept out like a striking serpent's tail, catching Tribulation before he could react. *Crack!* Sounding like a fractured bone, Tribulation grunted in pain, dumbfounded. "How..." Li Hao ignored him. Blood Qi surged within his body, condensing into the form of a saber that merged into the sword, instantly turning the black blade crimson! Brutal combat! A silent sword, carrying overwhelming momentum, thrust forth in an instant! *Boom!* A deafening explosion rang out. Tribulation raised his fists to block, only for both to be pierced clean through. Blood sprayed as he stared in disbelief. "An illusion!" He could not block Li Hao's sword! Not only that, his speed and Dao power seemed sealed within his body. Li Hao was under the same constraint, yet Li Hao was far more familiar with the martial world! Thus, even with matched strength, he was being thoroughly suppressed by Li Hao! "Flying through the heavens and tunneling into the earth—how boring is that for the martial world? In my martial world, I set the rules. Tribulation, here... our raw strength hasn't changed, but certain things have." Rules, for instance! Indeed, this was a form of order, a set of rules! His strength remained the same, yet he had lost certain advantages. Tribulation bellowed furiously, "Impossible! This Dao is far too unfair to me! There must be a way to break it!" Such a Dao could not be entirely unassailable. Otherwise, how could anyone win? No Dao was invincible! Li Hao smiled. "There is. The foundation of this Dao is despair! When all living beings in chaos no longer despair, this Dao will collapse on its own. Tribulation, you are the embodiment of calamity. When do you think disasters will vanish, causing the martial world to disappear? Unless... calamity ceases to exist in this world, the martial world will always endure!" Tribulation's expression twisted. "How can that be..." *This Dao is rooted in despair!* *As long as despair remains, the Dao will never dissipate. Could such a Dao truly exist under heaven?* "You could have done the same—as long as tribulation remains, your Dao never dissipates. But you... don't understand!" Li Hao smiled. *You don't understand.* He struck with his sword! At this moment, he fought like a mortal martial master, as if returning to the past. If he could not weaken his opponent or make himself stronger, he would drag his opponent into his own domain of expertise! Here, raw power remained unchanged, but the method of combat shifted. This was his opportunity! Both possessed the same level of might, yet here, restrictions abounded. This was the Dao of the martial world. It was also Li Hao's greatest comprehension over the years. His conviction! Even his faith. Drenched in blood, Tribulation roared in frenzy. *This is impossible, it cannot be!* He counterattacked with wild desperation! Yet here, Li Hao unleashed a flurry of punches, kicks, and sword strikes. In the blink of an eye, Tribulation was riddled with wounds, his Dao power battered apart by the sword and dispersing into the world! Tribulation grew increasingly weak, his eyes bloodshot! Suddenly, as if catching an opening, he threw a mountain-shattering punch. Li Hao staggered, and just as he leaped into the air, Tribulation soared after him. "A quick learner..." *Boom!* A tremendous crash sent Li Hao tumbling backward, blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. He smiled. Tribulation truly learned fast. Tribulation panted, glaring at Li Hao and surveying the surroundings. This was still his world. *Li Hao, you cannot defeat me!* In an instant, he lunged forward, kicking toward Li Hao's head. Li Hao gathered momentum within his sword, and a blinding radiance erupted from the blade. Tribulation's eyes burned with agony, and in that split second, the sword plunged into his body. With a muffled grunt, feeling his Dao power steadily draining away, Tribulation sneered, "You cannot kill me..." He realized that the dissipation of his Dao power was not necessarily a bad thing. Once it leaked outside, it became... active again! This meant that even if all his Dao power drained away, it remained within this world without vanishing. As long as his spirituality survived, he could break through Li Hao's restrictions and step out of this damned Dao of the martial world. Having realized this, he cast all caution to the wind. He clashed violently with Li Hao once more! *Li Hao, you understand nothing...* *You don't understand worlds?* A thought crossed his mind: *No, Li Hao opened a world himself. How could he not understand?* The moment the thought arose, the sword pierced straight through his skull. A third arm manifested from Li Hao, striking out with a brutal blow—*crack!*—as something shattered! Fury blazed in Tribulation's eyes! *You dare humiliate me!* "So small..." Perhaps because no one was watching, Li Hao suddenly smiled. Like a giant bear, he locked Tribulation in a crushing embrace. With a deafening crunch, bones and sinews snapped! *Crack!* Every bone in Tribulation's body seemed shattered, and vast amounts of Dao power bled out once more. A vicious glint flared in Tribulation's eyes. *Splendid!* *This serves to break your Dao.* *Li Hao, your Dao is riddled with flaws.* Outside the Great Dao, countless forces of Tribulation gathered again, preparing to coalesce into a second Tribulation. Meanwhile, within the Dao of the martial world, the Sovereign of Tribulation's head was pierced clean through! Li Hao raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "Focus without distraction—it seems you still didn't understand what Tianfang said!" *What?* Tribulation had no time for his words. Losing a bit of spirituality was nothing! It was inconsequential. He needed to get out! And battle Li Hao anew. A wisp of spirituality broke through the despair, rushing straight toward the external Dao power and the gathering force of Tribulation. He could recover instantly; Li Hao could not kill him. Yet at that very moment, the boundless Dao power seemed summoned by something. Suddenly, the power of Tribulation spiraled out of control! In an instant, a Great Dao of Chaos manifested, guided by a divine character. Within the Dao, a dog appeared! Black Panther was immensely surprised as well! Right now, the power of Tribulation and Tribulation's Dao spirit were... separated? *What is going on?* Black Panther did not stop to question it. Opening its maw wide, it inhaled deeply, siphoning away the endless power of Tribulation in an instant. Even Black Panther was astounded by how easy it was; without spirituality to control it, the power of Tribulation was drained completely in a breath! Only then did Tribulation's spirit break free from the Dao of the martial world, instantly taking human form. He stood frozen. *Where is my power of Tribulation?* Behind him, Li Hao stepped forth and shook his head. "You are no martial master, nor are you a wanderer of the martial world. Fleeing in the midst of battle is courting your own death! Had you persisted, you might have had a sliver of hope, but choosing opportunistic shortcuts spells certain doom!" A sword flashed! Had Tribulation not fled and continued the battle, Black Panther would have had no opening. Yet he chose to gamble on a shortcut—the ultimate taboo of the martial world! The Sovereign of Tribulation whipped around, a sword reflecting in his eyes! The blade fell, and sword Qi detonated within his spirit in an instant! Tribulation felt his spirituality dissipating frantically. In disbelief and filled with indignation, he stared at Li Hao. "I want to know... if not for that dog, had I emerged... could you have killed me?" *What if Black Panther hadn't stolen his Dao power?* Li Hao nodded. "You were never up to the task. When you fight, you hesitate and vacillate, looking forward and backward. Sooner or later, you would have died all the same!" Tribulation felt profoundly bitter. *Hesitate and vacillate?* *How could I not?* "Tianfang... is simply insurmountable..." "Fearless and undaunted—defeat is merely defeat. There are no undefeated legends in the martial world! My master was defeated, and I was defeated... Where is there an undefeated martial world?" As his spirituality drained away rapidly, Tribulation gazed at the world before him, murmuring, "Yet I... opened a world... Can a master of creation truly be killed inside his own world?" *Then what was the meaning of opening this world!* Li Hao spoke no more. *You still do not understand. A world without people cannot be called a world; you merely carved out a space, not a world.* *To you, this world was merely a shackle.* "Survival is the core of a world, the core of spirit, and the core of wisdom and civilization!" *Boom!* Sword light erupted. Spirituality scattered in all directions, collapsing instantly. With lingering resentment, helplessness, and incomprehension, Tribulation's consciousness gradually dissolved, merging into the surroundings before vanishing entirely. Amidst this world, a tiny heart materialized, orbiting like a star. Li Hao let out a breath and suddenly smiled. "Even in death, you were unwilling to shatter this world and break out. What kind of world were you trying to open?" *Foolish!* Had he shattered the world to escape, he would not have died so easily. This world had only constrained him. Tribulation, your death was no injustice!