Star Gate

Li Hao was incredibly excited over the river of great dao. Hong Yitang and Panther had long collapsed in the void and were hugging each other in shared misery. Their presences were extraordinarily strong—Hong Yitang even touched the Fused Dao threshold.

He had suffered extraordinarily for it, but was also extremely happy. But for the remaining one-fourth... he really couldn't take anymore!

Panther was even worse off than the man—Hong Yitang had started at seventh level Sun and Moon, at the very least. Panther started at fourth level and also neared Fused Dao. Its body was half black and half golden in color, with some colors of the chaos sparkling throughout it.

"This kind of mass cultivation by the people will probably happen only once in our lives. No matter if they believe our cover story next time, they won't be as sincere and genuine as they are this time!" Li Hao reflected with emotion. Everyone had truly exerted themselves to the utmost this time. Next time... would be difficult to say.

This was a rare opportunity!

Not to mention, he might not need such effort next time.

Seeing that one-fourth of the river remained to be completed, Li Hao exhaled as his body abruptly swelled. "Then I'll do it myself!"

Dao meridians materialized within his body, completing a circulation of thirty-six in the blink of an eye. Peak ninth level Sun and Moon and heading straight to Fused Dao!

Hong Yitang faintly raised an eyebrow and looked at Li Hao's physical body, slightly confused. There... seemed to be something off about this body. Its dao meridians seemed to have just opened.

What was going on here? Li Hao should've long partially opened these ones, but it was like they were newly forged.

The young man chuckled and looked over, suddenly transmitting, "Martial uncle, how much of my former self do I resemble?"

"......" Hong Yitang was absolutely at a loss. What did this mean? His face twitched when he thought of something the next second. "A replica?"

No way?So it was a replica that came out to see everyone over the past two days? Li Hao was much too skilled when it came to crafting physical bodies!

The young man smiled without a word. Indeed, a replica.

Or rather, not a replica since all of his mental strength, supernatural characters, consciousness, and whatnot were within this body. He'd sunk his true physical body into the river, so that the power of a myriad daos would nurture it!

Granted, that one was an empty shell since everything else was in Li Hao's current body.

It was also true that his current body was a temporary construct. This was true sleight of hand and substituting the fake for the real!

Hong Yitang was utterly shocked. If this was a replica, then where was Li Hao's primary body? He looked around and quickly settled on the river. It... couldn't be, could it?

If so, that would be incredible! The kid was entirely too bold!

BOOM!

Li Hao's presence rose explosively as he spontaneously set foot into Fused Dao. There were no corresponding ripples from the great dao this time because he had already done so before.

His presence at the moment was more dense than before!

"The remaining one-fourth should be sufficient to propel me into second level Fused Dao! When that is complete and there's still enough left after that, I may be able to reach third level Fused Dao!"

Third level Fused Dao would make him a real peak Saint!

This was also Li Hao's goal for this mass cultivation. He wanted his replica to set foot into third level Fused Dao. Completing one circulation of thirty-six made one first level Fused Dao. Seventy-two made one second level Fused Dao. 108 dao meridians made for third level Fused Dao. Of course, it was a question whether or not he could enter peak third level.

Li Hao didn't care. All he was focused on was cultivation. Endless dao strength roared to him; the river flowed swiftly and continued to connect together.

Having billions of people cultivate at the same time to provide cultivation resources and power to me... This is probably a feat that no one else has or will ever accomplish!

Perhaps the Human King or Supreme Zhang managed it, but at what level of strength? Look at what level I am when I did it!

Li Hao was immensely satisfied! He'd finally seen a return on his investment in the people. Although that hadn't been his goal when he toiled on their behalf, it still felt nice to be shown something in return.

......

The remembrance ceremony continued. Countless people cultivated through the night. Constant reports of new cultivation breakthroughs and the vast numbers of plant spirits raining down Water of Life everywhere was a cause for general jubilation.

The entire Hao Cosmos Continent was immersed in the joy of cultivation throughout the night. As a result, another batch of Battle Heaven soldiers set foot on the path of revitalization. Li Hao had kept his promise to resurrect all of the Evenround Martial students, and now his word to the Battle Heaven Army was underway as well.

Inside Skystar City.

Lin Hongyu no longer directed the ceremony. She'd sat down cross-legged to cultivate. The production of so much dao strength was a source of great anguish, but her eyes shone brightly with enthusiasm!

As Li Hao's spokesperson, she had to be strong enough for the post!

There was an abundance of seventh level Sun and Moon these days, and they weren't short on Saints either. She was only seventh level Sun and Moon to begin with, but as her presence soared, she was brought to peak ninth level Sun and Moon. Her presence continued to grow, so she might be able to enter the Fused Dao level!

Lin Hongyu also knew that if even she was able to enter Fused Dao... then Saints might be able to enter the world again. That would be faster than they anticipated!

Perhaps Zheng Yu hadn't sensed it at the moment since Gan Wuliang was effectively distracting him. Galewind had isolated itself from probing the outside world. But they would know sooner or later, just that they might not immediately send Saints out once they knew.

There weren't many left in Galewind, whereas Li Hao had quite a few.

"It will only take twenty some days for the world to revive once more... that means that the great dao is stronger and that the world is stronger!"

Li Hao must be stronger as well!

She was both expectant and rather excited. Would Li Hao make it to second level, even third level Fused Dao this time?

......

Within the dao universe.

The sword-shaped river was almost complete.

"Martial uncle, Panth, keep your distance. It's about to connect!"

They were almost finished, so there might be drastic changes in a moment! The beginning and end of the river starting coming together.

BOOM!

A massive collision shook the universe. The sound of a wave growing traveled into their ears; it was like the river was charging forward. It swept through the entire dao universe in the blink of an eye, shaking the cosmos studded by innumerable stars!

It was at this moment that the previously vanished star suddenly appeared!

Li Hao's eyes widened and he hastily summoned the 'dao' character. Hong Yitang and Panther in the distance had spontaneously frozen. The raging river was also quiet, as if time had stopped.

The massive star circled overhead for a while, as if very interested in this river. Next, it plummeted into the water!

It seemed to bestow a unique strength to the river. The massive star swam through it, making a circle and seeming to be in a wonderful mood...

When the star finished its swim, it vanished with a loud splash!

Li Hao's eyes shook and he gasped with astonishment. This was terrifying! The river started flowing again, more stable than it'd been when it leapt and surged moments ago!

"This is good... but how many days was it this time?" he wondered with resignation. Perhaps quite a few more days had passed again!

The stars no longer sparkled. Clearly, the people had stopped cultivating.

"Martial uncle, Panth!" Li Hao called out. Both of them jerked awake, unaware of what'd just happened. Panther seemed aware that it'd been frozen in place again, but Hong Yitang was oblivious.

It wasn't until Li Hao ripped through the void and took stock of the world that he learned three days had passed.

Whew! That's okay!

Li Hao breathed out more easily and quickly threw himself back into absorbing energy from the river. Power surged into him and dao strength rapidly opened dao meridians.

Seventy-two dao meridians!

He soon completed two circulation cycles, putting him in the true sense of second level Fused Dao. He was still drawing from the river and had surpassed the eighty-some meridians that he'd opened before. However, what he'd accomplished before was too haphazard. This time, he'd opened only unattributed dao meridians!

They were a better fit for him and more closely integrated together!

Eighty meridians, eighty-five meridians...

Hong Yitang and Panther began organizing their dao meridians as well. The two improved rapidly as the strength of a myriad of daos churned through the cosmos.

As Li Hao cultivated, he also slowly sorted through a star that'd sunk to the bottom of the river. Not only did he organize it, but he also helped purify it on a massive scale. After some thought, he further pressed it down into the river instead of hanging it up again.

This was Lin Hongyu's dao star! Her dao would be at the bottom of the river from now on. Even if the river of stars broke, no one would be able to shatter her great dao so long as no one discovered the riverbed!

However, concealment of the river was a problem. It was far too conspicuous right now.

Li Hao contemplated as he cultivated; the river soon transformed into a person and began sinking downward. Billions of stars continued to float above, illuminating the dao universe.

The young man watched it descend, but was still not at ease.Moving downward but not fully disappearing... Perhaps... I should do something. Maybe I should move Battle Heaven and some of the other cities into the dao universe. We'll have stars overhead, the cities below, and the river below that!

It wasn't a difficult task to achieve. Li Hao grinned brilliantly. He'd finally completed the initial construction.I have so much support behind me after this!

Cultivation continued for a while. The young man opened his eyes again after an indeterminate period of time. He vibrated his dao meridians, sending ninety-nine outside his body. Li Hao considered them, slightly disappointed. "I've yet to enter third level Fused Dao... I only have ninety-nine. The power of great dao is starting to congeal!"

Hong Yitang and Panther were awake next to him; they goggled at the sight of ninety-nine dao meridians.

How are you still not satisfied with that??

Hong Yitang was disappointed as well. "I just opened my thirty-eighth and am still a bit lacking..."

Panther couldn't be bothered to talk to either of them!

What are you two so proud of? I should be close to a Saint as well, am I saying anything?