Star Gate

"It's fine, it's fine." Li Hao patted Panther's head. "It's just losing a bit of the will of heaven and chaos. Oh, and not being able to set foot into Fused Dao. The Barren wasteland was just a fake world... When I seize Silver Moon, I'll let you be the master of a real world!"

"Arf arf?" Panther barked mournfully.I'm not believing anything you say anymore! I was so excited this time, but I got nothing for it other than a ton of injuries!

Li Hao remained chuckling merrily and looked at everyone else. "Alright now, everyone should go back to what they were doing before. I need to go locate Guardian Turtle and the redwood. I was in such a rush that I don't know where I threw them to. I'll be down two Saints if I lose them!"

He'd randomly opened a passageway into the dao universe when he threw the redwood tree and old turtle inside. Who knew if they'd get lost wandering around?

"Almost everyone's at seventh level Sun and Moon now. This is a rare opportunity, so cultivate as much as you can. You guys aren't far off from ninth level Sun and Moon!

"I've decreased the distance between us time and time again because I wish that everyone can walk further with me!" Li Hao smiled happily at the sky. "The road ahead is long—it's better to view the sea of stars together than to walk it alone! Silver Moon martial masters each have their own distinguishing characteristics, but all of you have given up too much to follow in my footsteps!

"There's no need to be in such a rush, take back what's yours! The world should be able to tolerate Saints again in about a month. We don't need to be in a hurry then either. They won't come out that easily because they don't have that many Saints anymore.

"I can repeat my old tricks when the world can tolerate Empyrean Kings. I might succeed then too!" The young man waved at the ground and called out, "Senior Zheng Yu, look after your Empyrean Kings! You shouldn't have that many of them, so don't go losing one by accident! You'll have a tough time against the exalted emperor then!"

Li Hao threw his head back with laughter and broke through the void with his people.

Galewind reappeared aboveground after a long moment. Zheng Yu frowned at the sky.Li Hao is such a little bastard. But did he cripple his own battle strength just to strike at my Saints, or to strike at someone else...

He headed straight for the world barrier before detonating his great dao. Did he do so to force some people out of this world and into the immaterial dao universe?

Certain speculations swirled in Zheng Yu's mind.

......

At the same time, a bright moon illuminated the dao universe.

The man with a sword on his back attempted to rip through the void. "Damn, he didn't go easy on himself!" he laughed softly after a while.

"We're in trouble!" came the Moon God's voice. "The world will cut deeply into us if we leave now and my primary body seems to have been greatly impacted..."

Curse that Li Hao! Just look at what he'd done! He'd injured his enemies, but didn't gain anything himself from it!

If they ventured out now, the void would answer with unending fissures that attacked them. Even if they survived the onslaught, the resulting disturbance would draw everyone's attention.

"Let's stay here for a while." The man shook his head with a helpless smile. Li Hao was growing ever more interesting.

......

The young man in question hummed to himself; the world was finally at peace.That'll teach you guys to be so arrogant!Although his strength had declined because of it, he really didn't mind.

Just as he'd said before, the great dao that he'd cultivated was too messy and disorganized. Due to a lack of a clear path ahead, he'd been the one to decide where every step should be placed. He'd traced a winding and twisting road, so this was a chance to put his own affairs in order.

Excising the tumors from the world was also a nice byproduct.

Li Hao couldn't help but glance at the end of northern territory. There didn't seem to be any movement from the god of Initial Martial. Had he darted back to his hiding spot early on, or did the cutting effect of the void not affect him?

The former was easy to accept, but if it was the latter... That would mean that guy's physical body was horrifically strong!

......

Li Hao quickly left with his people. His actions in severing his own great dao to weaken the world took everyone by surprise.

At the same time, the eastern continent.

Ying Hongyue's presence flagged; there was no sign to be seen of the two Saints that'd been with him. Blood splattered the corners of his lips and he couldn't help but laugh to himself, "Damn, he was ruthless!"

Li Hao was quite a merciless fellow. How many Saints had he killed this time? And had he discovered something to pursue Ying Hongyue so relentlessly? The young man hadn't held anything back in his attacks. Was he not concerned about the seal breaking once he killed Ying Hongyue?

Or had Li Hao learned that his arch nemesis wouldn't die so easily?

He certainly thinks highly of me!

Ying Hongyue laughed loudly when he looked at two corpses next to him that'd nearly been sliced to smithereens. His laughter grew in volume until he suddenly threw his head back at the sky, a red light sparkling in his eyes. "Li Hao... seems to have forced you out of the world!"

You're really something, Li Hao! I've had my eyes on that guy for a very, very long time, but could do nothing against him. Today, however, you seemed to have forced him out.

Was this what you were waiting for?

If so, I can only say that you've got quite the good ideas! If not, then you accomplished a deed of great merit all the same.

Ying Hongyue grabbed the two corpses with a casual reach of his hand. He swiftly absorbed all of their inherent energy before going into a coughing fit. How much had Zheng Yu suffered after all this?

What a good day!

He turned to look in the direction of the Tranquil Star ruins—Zheng Yu seemed to have another replica stuck there. The world did not tolerate Saints again, so that replica would likely have to stay there for a while.

The caveat was if Li Hao didn't take action against him ahead of time. If he did... that replica wouldn't be long for this world either.

"Perhaps...Ishould go meet him," Ying Hongyue mused. Li Hao wouldn't necessarily take care of that replica at first light since he was preoccupied elsewhere. Perhaps Ying Hongyue would be able to see what a half step emperor replica tasted like!

A light danced in his eyes as Ying Hongyue sped for the Tranquil Star ruins. While all sides had suffered heavy losses this time, it was also an opportunity.

Li Hao had finally cleansed the world of various influences—he'd even cleaned out the existences hidden in the shadows. Ying Hongyue had to give it to him, this had been quite the operation.

As for how Li Hao would handle the next stabilization of the world, Ying Hongyue didn't care. Someone like the young man would have endless ideas in mind. How would he easily undertake what he had, if not?

Ying Hongyue sped toward the Tranquil Star ruins. Time was of the essence. Perhaps there would be other unexpected harvests in store.

......

On the other hand.

The Divine Nation queen's body was a broken mess. She was a pitiful sight as lunar strength had nearly fully departed from her. She continuously coughed up blood as she sprawled on the ground, heaving for breath.

Thunderclouds gathered overhead and raindrops smashed onto her face. Her presence was also flagging, but she started laughing. Blood gushed out of her as her body was wracked with maniacal laughter—dao meridians were opening one after another in her.

I am the Moon God?

She tilted her head at the sky.I am the Moon God?

She'd sensed some things when the moon vanished. When combined with Li Hao's recent strange actions and words, purposefully letting the queen go on a few occasions, and some dao meridians that she'd accidentally opened...

And the strange way in which some of the divine spirits had revitalized...

She'd never considered any of this before. But now that the faith of Divine Nation had crumbled away and her divine power dispersed, she'd suddenly sensed her true nature when the world slashed lunar strength to pieces.

My core essence... isn't that of the power of faith or the moon. It is not divine energy, but strength of the new dao!

How ludicrous was that?

"I am... the second generation Moon God?" The light of madness, fury, despair, and hate dawned in her eyes. Too many emotions erupted in this moment!

Memories had popped into her mind when she was a toddler. They told her that she was the Moon God, the first divine spirit that existed in the world. She was the queen of the Divine Nation when she was a child!

The god of prophecy and others had found her, whereupon more of her memories had awakened. She knew that she was a divine spirit, a god of the world, the most noble of them all—the Moon God!

She was a natural ruler and nobility!

While Li Hao still eked out his empire at twenty-one years old, she was already queen at the age of six! No one had protested because the divine spirits had issued a divine decree!

She was born to be noble!

But everything was revealed today! The outer layer enshrouding everything was flung open.

Li Hao found her idiotic, perhaps Ying Hongyue did as well. But this was because they'd all risen from the lower echelon of society and didn't know how smooth life was for a natural-born queen!

Hundreds of millions worshipped her and swore loyalty to her when she was six. They did so without a word of complaint!

Divine spirits safeguarded her cultivation and her potential was the ultimate peak of existence! She easily set foot past countless obstacles. Whether it was Solar, Nova, Arcanus, Sun and Moon... None of that was an issue for her.

Wherever the limits of the world were, there she was!

She was capable of everything since the heavens favored her. It wasn't until she attacked Skystar that she tasted the first hint of frustration. And yet, it was still Li Hao who lost more in their first engagement...

"So as it turns out... I am nothing at all..." The queen grit her teeth and laughed grimly, resentment echoing through it. Many details that she'd previously ignored came to mind. She finally saw the world for what it was in this instant.

So I've been living a lie ever since I was born!

She thought back to something meaningful that Li Hao last said. "She is the Moon God so long as she is alive!"

I am the Moon God so long as I am alive!

The queen turned over these words and abruptly screeched with laughter.So you... saw through things a long time ago? I am the Moon God so long as I am alive! The real Moon God is in the shadows... What if she dies?

A variety of ideas ignited in her mind!

A split second was all that was needed for a person to change. The queen who'd never suffered a setback before spontaneously grew and matured, but also turned a bit fanatical and extreme.

Everyone's been lying to me all these years! Twenty-one years of using me, lying to me, treating me as a puppet and an idiot... and I've been living in lies and deceit!

Bitterness and rage exploded.

I want revenge!!