Star Gate

Outside.

Li Hao itched to spring into action. Sword intent circulated within his sword, ready to strike with full force the moment the enemy walked out to stop him.

But no movement was forthcoming after waiting for a while. Li Hao was not happy about the lack of clashing with a powerful enemy.

"Li Daoheng... is even your replica this crazy and such a gambler?" he said softly after a while. He had an idea of what his opponent had in mind.

If he put himself in Li Daoheng's shoes... If he was Li Daoheng, would he choose to halt his refinement halfway, or take the gamble of having the exalted emperor severely damage the city and swallow it whole afterward?

It would be the latter, of course!

The latter might save me a ton of time.

Li Hao looked on solemnly, now this was troublesome. It wasn't that this guy wasn't ready, but that he was completely ready and shared the same plan as Li Hao. This kind of opponent was very difficult to handle.

"Come with me!" Li Hao walked off. The nervous three quickly followed in his wake. Where were they going?

This is Sword City, a place thatwe'remost familiar with. Where are you taking us?

Li Hao turned left and right, leading the trio into a certain area before long—the city lord manor!

The three jerked with surprise. What were they doing here?

The young man rushed into the main hall without a word of explanation. The three ran after him, still mystified.

When Li Hao reached the main hall, he promptly closed the doors. "The city lord manor is usually the center, the heart of a city. If the exalted emperor makes a move, he'll attack the city lord manor first! He'll want to destroy it!"

The three spirits trembled.We know that! We don't need you to explain it to us!

"Exalted emperors are normally very proud of themselves!" Li Hao said softly. "Are the three seniors willing to play hide and seek with me?"

"What?"

"We'll go into hiding and bet on the exalted emperor destroying the city lord manor with one blow, but that we'll survive it! If we survive, we can ensure that the city continues to ram forward. Once the exalted emperor notes that the city is still moving despite his devastating attack, he'll be sure to discover the existence of that sword. I'm going to bet that he'll also strike the sword with full force!"

Survive a blow from an exalted emperor?

The three spirits shook and the sword tree screeched with growing madness, "Did Li Daoheng send you to kill us?! It's one thing for the city to suppress the exalted emperor, but you want to enter the city lord manor and gamble that he'll bring his full force to bear against the structure, and that we'll survive it??"

What are you thinking of?!

"A blow from an exalted emperor, one that is half crippled..." Li Hao said softly. "We won't necessarily die if we take good shelter! Don't worry, I'll protect you guys. The longsword will go on the offensive so long as it survives. After the city is partially ruined, the sword is certain to run! It stands a chance to get away no matter what.

"Once it runs, that is when I will fight it. All you three will need to do then is to consolidate Sword City and steer it far away from that blasted place..."

The three tattered spirits wanted to cry, but could find no tears to do so. What kind of person was this young man??Should we trust him or not? Why does he speak so easily, but everything he says comes with infinite terror?

"The three of you can enter my Stellaris," Li Hao said softly. "You will be fine so long as I am alive!"

The three spirits hastily carried out a transmitted conversation. They came to a decision after a long while.

"I don't know how we've suddenly fallen in step behind you," the sword tree said in complicated tones. "I even suspect that you're here just to use the city in a blow against the exalted emperor. But we don't seem to have a choice now. Are you sure you're not here to cause our doom?"

What a troublemaker! We've spent so many years here quietly biding our time, but risk our necks again and again with you after you show up. This guy's basically a second Human King!

"The seniors seem to have misunderstood me... but that's alright, all misunderstandings will be resolved after this incident."

They'll be resolved if we survive this. If we don't... then none of us will know what's going on and the situation will be naturally resolved as well.

There was nothing that the three spirits could do but trust Li Hao once more. They'd already proceeded to this step.

With that, they darted into Stellaris to await an unknown fate.

......

At the same time, the exalted emperor opened his eyes. Sword City had drifted away before, but was now coming back. He frowned slightly.

Disturbances had appeared in Sword City before, but interspersed by many years. Recently, however, abnormalities had cropped up one after another. It'd clearly drifted away, but was now returning!

It felt like... someone was manipulating the city!

He quietly looked over, not making a sound. Was something else about to develop with the ancient city?

Sword City gradually drew closer; it advanced on the formation of the eight trigrams. The formation was the heart of the seal on the exalted emperor. He would be attacked by the formation if he walked out of the eight trigrams. He was invincible so long as he stayed put!

The exalted emperor suddenly smiled as Sword City continued to draw near; he found the situation interesting. Could it be... that the city wanted to enter the formation?

In that case, don't mind if I do! I've been wondering for a long time if this city is the personal sword of the Sword Sovereign. Is that chance upon me today?

It's coming closer!

The exalted emperor rose from his cross-legged position and looked toward Sword City with a faint smile.It looks like it really is headed my way. If there is someone alive within the city, do they have a death wish?

......

Sword City continued to drift near; the Red Moon exalted emperor flashed a smile.Well well, they really do have a death wish! How would non-exalted emperors understand the might of one?

The eight trigrams lit up and eight shadows materialized. Of them, the Sword Sovereign's shadow erupted, as if sensing the arrival of his city.

At the same time, the city lord manor.

Li Hao was calm. Could the building withstand an exalted emperor's blow?

Probably not.

Or rather, can I avoid the blow and not die from it?

Who knew?

No one knows how much strength the exalted emperor has left after all these years and being within the seal. How can I fight them in the future if I can't even dodge one blow?

To the three spirits, this maneuver risked their lives, but it was a basic feint for Li Hao. If he was unable to even test himself, how would he be able to handle exalted emperors? It wouldn't be long until the seal shattered.

Sword City hurtled at the seal without hesitation. A ray of domineering sword qi rose out of it and slashed down at the exalted emperor!

It wasn't just Li Hao manipulating the blow, but so was the longsword and the seal...

Everyone seemed to have reached an unspoken accord in this moment—let's try on an exalted emperor's might for size!

......

"How dare you!" snorted the Red Moon exalted emperor. They really were too bold. There was someone inside the city who'd commenced an attack on him! "You guys dare underestimate an exalted emperor!"

Nothing else needed to be said. A large hand blotted out the sky and covered the cosmos. It rushed to the center of the city, at the city lord manor!

Rumble!

The formation of eight trigrams erupted with incredible battle intent, as did the Sword Sovereign's shadow. They struck at the exalted emperor!

Sword City responded as well, flaring with a second ray of domineering sword qi. Two currents of sword qi raced through space!

Crunch!

The void turned into a mirror and shattered from the exalted emperor's palm strike. The massive palm extinguished the sword qi that could kill an Empyrean King. It easily snuffed the two rays of sword qi out of existence and filled the universe with red energy!

The Red Moon exalted emperor was calm as he slammed through everything in front of him and pressed his hand down on the city lord manor!

Wham!

Sword qi rushed upward; Li Hao waved his sword amid a backdrop of space! Other than the eternal Sword intent, he put everything he'd ever learned in life into this sword!

It was powerful without end and could kill an Empyrean King!

"KILL!" Li Hao shouted, sword qi piercing the air. The 'dao' character manifested.

When the giant palm landed, it outright crushed the sword qi that Li Hao sent forward!

"Huh?" came the exalted emperor's voice. Was this tiny figure the descendant of the Lis? Was it that child?

Boom!

A very faint sword mark appeared on the giant palm—very faint. Li Hao's blow hadn't even managed to pierce his palm!

The young man lifted his head. Limitless pressure sought to force him to his knees!

You should kneel when you face an exalted emperor!

But, how would Li Hao ever do so?

The young man howled, his body stabbing through the firmament like a sharp sword. The palm blotted out the sun like a curtain in the sky. Li Hao hurtled upward, ignoring the pressure he faced.

This might of yours isn't enough! It doesn't even measure up to the Exalted Blood Emperor's blade!

"The Five Styles Sword!" The auras of the Five Styles suddenly exploded from Li Hao's body. A mountain peak appeared, a ferocious tiger roared, a willow tree extended its branches, waves leapt for the sky, and a metallic light flared!

Five enormous dragons melded into the five auras—they were the dao meridians of the five elements.

"Kill!" Another ringing battlecry accompanied one massive stroke!

Rumble!

An ant thought too highly of itself if it wished to shake the world!

A massive collision sounded and the enormous recoil shattered all of Li Hao's bones and tendons. He wasn't just evading the blow—he wanted to raise his hand in attack and commence an offense!

It was like a praying mantis stopping a chariot. The exalted emperor was both surprised and amused. The child had drawn his sword on an exalted emperor! How commendable! But... he was too weak!

For such a sniveling little boy to draw his sword on an exalted emperor was just a joke!

The palm descended with finality.