“Mmhmm, I’ll think of a way.” Li Hao nodded after giving the issue some thought. “Let’s take advantage of no one noticing us yet to slip into Thunder World!”

This was the greatest cover for them! It would be hard for them to draw near Phoenix otherwise. But now. Thunder World was situated right next to Phoenix.

“I’ll take you down the river of time once Silver Moon ascends!” Li Hao smiled. “Once we truly walk the river of time, or rather, the river of memories, those seventh ranks won’t be able to discover anything amiss.”

“Then... I can’t wait!” Void’s interest was highly piqued.

All of Silver Moon trembled and ripples traveled through the dao universe. The two dao master’s presences started soaring. After devouring a seventh rank and consuming endless resources, Silver Moon finally set foot into sixth rank alongside Li Hao!

Li Hao had felt that they could all advance after their gains from Skyward, but reality proved that they were still a far cry away from a breakthrough. Success was finally at hand today.

Li Hao was overjoyed, as was Gan Wuliang and Hong Yitang.

“Everyone enter the dao universe,” Li Hao rattled off instructions. “Panther will swallow Silver Moon and bring it with us. We’ll take the river of time to my false world in Thunder World!”

The group instantly forgot their delight and settled down solemnly again.

“Whether it’s devouring Phoenix or Thunder World, Brother Void has dallied at sixth rank for far too long,” Li Hao continued. “Our only goal for this trip is to help Void verify his dao as a seventh rank!

“Everyone is to put their backs into it for this target. We would not be here without Brother Void’s help. I would not be a sixth rank and neither would Silver Moon. Silver Moon martial masters know to demonstrate gratitude for our debts. Does everyone understand?”

“We understand!” the crowd roared.

Reciprocating kindness was the style of martial masters in the martial world. And it was true, they would not have made it to their current heights if not for Void. Earth Dragon and Long Xuan would not have gone down so easily if Li Hao had faced them alone.

Void’s strength, domain of emptiness, power of revitalization, and healing abilities had helped them a great deal.

“That’s alright, we helped each other...” Void mumbled with embarrassment.

“This is how we Silver Moon martial masters do things,” Li Hao smiled. “We always show our gratitude. There’s no need to be humble. You were invaluable for us to reach where we are. It’ll be dishonor to us if you do not make it to seventh rank this time!”

The star of time materialized—it was bigger than before. One thousand worlds circulated it!

The power of one thousand worlds surged into the star of time. An illusory river of memories surfaced. One could call it a river of time.

“Come with me to Thunder World!” Li Hao took a deep breath. He’d left an immaterial world there and the Thunder master might sense his arrival. No one else would, however.

Even if he did, he wouldn’t say anything at this stage. He probably wouldn’t mind if Li Hao really did end up seizing Thunder World. It was why the young man was being so bold as to take the river of time directly to his destination.

......

Waves beat the sky when the group of people swiftly entered the river. Some swayed and shook with the waters. Li Hao took them running in one direction. The chaos outside turned blurry and ephemeral.

The river even ran through some worlds, but their chaos beasts remained wholly unaware! Even Void was stunned by the sight.

The power of time was too marvelous.

Traveling along the river proved to be a slight burden to Li Hao, but they were traveling so fast that it seemed like time had stopped. They passed world after world, soon arriving at an expanse of thunder and lightning!

......

Outside the world gates and preparing to sign the dao treaty, the Thunder master frowned. The star that he’d left in the palace... was twinkling. He could sense something shuttling through it. As a seventh rank master of the world, he could sense everything. The world was still his and the defenses of a seventh rank world were very strong. Its perimeter was enshrouded by a dao universe.

He could even sense something traveling through the dao universe. Its destination seemed to be the star in the palace.

Li Hao?

The thought struck him. He’d been quite worried when Li Hao gave him the star. Only with the young man’s promise that he would not harm Thunder World did he accept it.

Was he here?

But through what means?

That was terrifying!

Entering Thunder World was an exceedingly dangerous proposition at present. There were so many seventh ranks nearby!

“I can hand over Thunder World...” the Thunder master intoned darkly as he gazed upon Phoenix. “I can even permit one of your seventh ranks to enter my world when we fight!”

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. So this guy has fully lost his mind, has he? Aren’t you afraid that someone will attack you from inside?

Granted, that wouldn’t happen. That would be too much of a loss to Thunder World. There was also a clause in their agreement that no other exalted emperor could interfere in their battle.

“The Thunder Emperor is a reasonable man, alright!” laughed the Phoenix master. “We are not in a hurry either. We trust that the Thunder Emperor will keep your word!”

Although that was what she said, she wouldn’t abstain out of courtesy given that the Thunder master had made his offer. She would take over the world first, making it impossible for him to regret his actions!

He’d just offered it up on a silver platter!

“What do you wish in return, Thunder Emperor?”

Letting a seventh rank into the world ahead of time was complete capitulation. He must want something in exchange!

As expected, the Thunder master said, “I want a world to be prepared ahead of time so my people can leave. They should be permitted to head to the three regions...”

“This is a small matter,” frowned the Phoenix master. “It’s just, I’ll need some time!”

She would not permit the Thunder master to play for time at this stage! She wouldn’t care if ten billion humans left or not, if it wasn’t for the time that they wasted. What did she want with twenty weak exalted emperors?

She really didn’t care if they lived or died.

The Thunder master thought too little of her. Would she endure an eighth level tribulation for the sake of that trash?

The Thunder master thought for a bit, then nodded with a sigh. “That is just as well then. But I have another request. If I...” He switched to transmission. “If I surrender at a critical moment, you must accept it and not kill me!”

“......” The Phoenix master laughed deeply. So the human was... afraid of death! How unexpected!

The Thunder master had previously voiced lofty sentiments of dueling to the dead with her. Who would’ve known that he was actually afraid of death!

Hahaha!

It’s good that you’re afraid of dying. You’re a difficult opponent if not. I would be highly wary if you really wanted to put our lives on the line. But now... hah!

The heavens are on my side! 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

She naturally understood why the other had transmitted the last part of his request. It was too humiliating to voice it out loud. She was willing to preserve that bit of dignity for the man. Otherwise, it would be difficult to manage if he lost his temper and truly decided to ensure a pyrrhic victory.

“Very well!” The Phoenix master agreed decisively. It’s best that you’re willing to surrender! There was hope when it was voiced aloud like this.

She smiled, completely forgetting about the two dead seventh ranks. There would be an explanation for that later, but now, Thunder World was hers!

The Thunder master looked on with an undefinable expression. He’d raised these terms because he... saw a bit of hope again. Li Hao and his people seemed to have entered Thunder World.

As for whether or not it would transform into hope... he would wait and see.

It was better than being completely without hope, at least.

This might also relax the chaos beasts’ guard. If a seventh rank really did enter Thunder World to take it over, then Li Hao’s group might be able to kill another seventh rank!

If they killed one seventh rank and he preoccupied Phoenix, then they might have a chance of killing the other seventh rank!

Although the presence of other world masters in the vicinity meant that the end result might not be good, at least there was a chance!

......

Li Hao landed within a palace. The star that he’d left behind was sparkling. There was another Thunder exalted emperor present, but he froze the man as soon as he arrived.

Li Hao took a look around and probed the surroundings, then shook his head. “This environment sure is lousy. There is such a dense power of destruction. Only those who live on this world know that it’s a seventh rank world. Those who don’t will think that it’s a prison cell!”

The humans on this world suffered through daily doses of destructive force. It was a miserable existence.

Li Hao looked outside and smiled at what he saw. The Thunder master was an interesting one. He’d probably sensed the presence of outsiders on his world and thus raised the idea of permitted seventh ranks to enter.

Would Phoenix send a seventh rank?

If they did... then things would be very interesting!

It’d be nice if they could kill a seventh rank ahead of time. So what if there were four more in the vicinity?

“Brother Void, let’s head to the world origin and repair it. If push comes to shove, we can run off with Thunder World first!”

“Can we get near it?”

“He’s almost lost his world, don’t worry. It’ll be better that it goes to us than to the enemy...”

Reality was as Li Hao expected. The group darted into the void and vanished on the spot, following a presence to a tattered world origin.

It showed signs of falling into silence, like it struggled on the verge of death. Some world strength hovered near it, but dissipated when Li Hao drew close. Clearly, the Thunder master sensed Li Hao’s arrival and didn’t stop the young man.

Things had reached this state. He couldn’t be bothered if these guys really did break all of the world’s origin. He’d signed an agreement with Phoenix, but the terms didn’t include forbidding others to damage the world.

That had nothing to do with him!

......

Li Hao observed for a while before turning to Void.

“It’s simple enough.” Void nodded with a smile and transmitted back, “Whoever did this didn’t actually want to cause too much damage and ruin the world. They only broke a small portion of it. It’ll be easy to fix!”

“That’s good, then please focus on fixing it first. But leave one last part of it untouched, so that it remains in a half silenced state!” Li Hao’s grin broadened. “If Phoenix does send a seventh rank into the world, they will absolutely stop by this place! We’ll kill them, leave the world, and kill the other one. Then we’ll take down Phoenix major world!

“But then, we might not need to run. We can maybe conquer more of the worlds nearby!”