Star Gate

In the depths of the universe.

The enormous Sword City smashed through the firmament. A young man gradually took shape in the airspace over the city. His face was extremely pale and the entire city was falling apart, but he smiled at the situation.

His expression changed abruptly the next moment and he looked at where the city lord manor had stood—that structure did not exist anymore.

A faint burst of sparkles shimmered at the spot where Li Hao had been. He was supposedly dead from one palm strike, but a figure padded out of the illusory radiance at this moment!

The firmament split open; a long river manifested from it. Stellaris in his hand, Li Hao walked out of its waters and said softly, "I am exterminated if the great dao is extinguished. I remain if the great dao stands. The exalted emperor destroyed my body, but not my spirit. Li Daoheng... or shall I say, Lifeless Sword, it looks like success is far out of reach for you!"

He walked out of the shimmering light and landed on the giant sword. The longsword in his hand exulted in his location because they were on the true Stellaris. The exalted emperor had sent the giant sword flying with a punch, but it hadn't shattered because it was the true personal sword of the Sword Sovereign!

The three tattered spirits materialized in the void as well, shocked beyond comprehension at their current state!

Weren't we dead? How are we out here again?

"If a person dies, but their dao remains, then for a period of time, they can revitalize with the flow of the river. Only a little bit of the power of time is needed to reverse time and return as the self!" Li Hao chuckled.

Lifeless Sword's expression flickered before he responded coolly, "What a good trick of reversing time and recovering the self! But if my guess is correct, you wouldn't be able to return if I cut the river apart!"

His presence grew harsh, as did his tone. "I was wondering why a fellow who dared charge an exalted emperor and draw his sword would die so easily and fast. I was thinking that it felt wrong, somehow. So I did underestimate you!

"It's not just the river breaking, but that you'll find it difficult to return to life again if I kill you right now!" he laughed softly. "There's a special kind of power on you, one that will leave you dead if it's stripped from you!"

"You've got a good eye!" Li Hao nodded. "I have to say, you probably would successfully refine everything if it wasn't for me. Just the fact that your two replicas dare attack an exalted emperor...

"If your primary body successfully cultivates the new dao and you devour everything after three bodies become one... You will certainly be the sovereign of one part of this universe. It's just, what'd you go and get on my bad side for?"

Li Hao walked through the void with sword upraised, drifting between real and illusory.

"Your cultivation level is higher than mine and you're stronger than me." Li Hao gently drew his sword. "Even now, you're stronger than me. I won't take advantage of you, so don't take advantage of me either. Sever your connection with Sword City."

"Do you think I'll ever do that?" laughed the young man. His eyes widened when Li Hao struck. A surge of pure Eternal Sword intent dissipated as the blow swung down on Sword City!

The city shook violently and trembled like a leaf when sword intent entered the city! Li Hao hadn't brought that ray of sword intent to bear against his enemies!

He'd spent seven days collecting this immensely powerful sword intent, but now sank it all into Sword City. The ancient city erupted with scintillating radiance!

Boom!

Sword intent flared after a loud explosion. The young man that was a longsword was thrown outward. A mouthful of golden blood sprayed through the air and endless sword intent dissipated. His body turned see-through for a moment as he transformed into a longsword.

A thin line that connected him to Sword City immediately snapped!

Lifeless Sword's presence promptly fell off a cliff. He was previously a half step emperor, but his presence continued to slide until it was almost below Empyrean King. The longsword transformed into a young man again, this time with a shocked expression on his face. "You've... you've mastered the Eternal Sword intent?"

Li Hao hadn't used this sword intent against his enemies, he simply poked the real Stellaris with it so it could stir to action once. This singular instance of awakening was sufficient to expel Lifeless Sword from it and break the other's process of devouring the city.

"This levels the playing field," Li Hao smiled. "You're initial Empyrean King, I'm peak Saint. But I'm human and you're a sword. I'm a primary body, you're a replica. I can accept you being a little bit stronger than me. Lifeless Sword, what do you think about the situation now?"

"It's fair!" laughed the young man. He didn't seem too dejected by the development. "It's very fair and I'm very interested in the special energy within your body! You seem quite interested in me too. What's your name?"

"Li Hao!" Li Hao stooped down, the smaller sized Stellaris in his hand. He caressed the trembling city. "Hush and find a good place for us to fight! Li Daoheng's sword replica is very strong. No matter who wins, you're just a sword with a budding consciousness and will find it difficult to escape from us.

"I can only say that the Sword Sovereign wasn't gentle enough with his own sword. That made it impossible for any soul to develop."

The young man across from him didn't say a word. The world spun around them at this moment and they appeared in a massive fighting ring.

"So now... we go against each other?" Li Hao breathed out and looked ahead of him.

"As you wish!" the young man laughed softly, spontaneously turning into a black sword. He materialized over Li Hao's head. The latter slashed down, bringing two swords together.

In the distance, the three tattered spirits were frozen on the spot. They didn't know how Li Hao had pulled them out of death's grasp, but wanted to help him against the enemy.

"You guys don't need to do anything! I'll face him alone," he transmitted to them. "Only then can the Stellaris in my hand swallow everything that he is and become a stronger sword. The sword of a swordsman should learn how to fight on its own as well! I want him to temper the sword in my hand!"

After that, perhaps the sword that'd been with him all this time would no longer be called Stellaris. No matter what, it would be a trial and tempering for his sword as well to cut down Lifeless Sword.

The two swords crossed paths and sword intent split the air!

The three spirits watched with complicated expressions. If the Sword Sovereign was still present in this age... then these two would be the greatest heirs of sword dao there could be. He would be immensely gratified!

With these two present, the path of sword dao would be immensely prosperous!

What a pity that Li Daoheng was a traitor and had exterminated the Li family bloodline. He was an unrepentant lunatic, a demon!

And Li Hao... didn't seem to be much better than that guy. Well, at the very least, Li Hao hadn't killed any Li family members.

......

The two swords continued to clash against each other. Sword intent raced in all directions, as did killing intent. Li Hao wielded his sword, a light sparkling in his eyes. He was like a sprite in the darkness when he soundlessly lashed out. He converted seamlessly between various styles, at times gracefully beguiling like willow leaves drifting in the wind, sometimes stalwart in defense like the earth!

He utilized a great variety of battle methods in the fight. The Earthturner Sword, Sky Sword, even the Light Sword, Umbra Sword, Weeping Willow Sword, Jadelight Sword...

The Sword Sovereign's sword intent was very powerful, but Li Hao had his own heritage and sword dao. All Silver Moon martial masters were his teachers.

Across the way, Lifeless Sword was marked by being only cruel and unyielding! Every move he made was required to end in death!

Bloody marks appeared on Li Hao's body as they fought, so deep that they cut to the bone.

Each impact brought with it a frightfully deep mark. Sword intent scoured his body and rampaged inside, spraying blood everywhere.

The two combatants didn't say a word to each other. There was no need!

Li Hao displayed all of the sword methods that he knew, easily calling upon each of them. What a pity it was that none of them seemed strong enough to decisively cut down his enemy. Stellaris didn't seem strong enough either. There were even cracks forming on it.

How could the methods of a group of martial masters compare to a swordsman like Li Daoheng, one who was adept in the Sword Sovereign's sword intent?

In comparison, Li Hao's fighting seemed disorderly and unnecessarily fancy!

Did Li Hao know the sight he presented?

He did!

He also knew that while he knew a lot, none of his knowledge was very strong. All of it was very weak and some of it was downright useless.

Light Sword and Umbra Sword erupted together! Twin swords of light and darkness came together as one!

Five elements erupted next as five became one!

"You've got some nerve to hone your sword on me," rang Lifeless Sword's aloof tones. "Are you seeking to meld a myriad daos into the sword? The Sword Sovereign's sword is also one of a myriad daos. Are you seeking to start anew and create a different sword?"

Such ambition! But can you succeed?

"We can do this one step at a time," Li Hao answered with amusement. "I've already given my sword technique a name—the Hao Moon Sword! It can be divided into ten moves, one hundred moves, one thousand, and finally ten thousand!

"In the world of Silver Moon, the brilliant moon illuminates the sky![1] Ten moves can kill an initial Empyrean King, one hundred can kill a peak Empyrean King, and one thousand can kill a half step emperor. Finally, ten thousand can kill an exalted emperor. What do you think?"

"Speak of it when you do complete it!"

The two met in battle again, sword light flashed in all directions!

Li Hao closed his eyes, seven blows flashing around him and coming together as one. Nine Forged Force exploded with nine layers combined as one!

They were the most basic techniques, but they flared with unbelievable force and usage when it came to Li Hao. Wind, thunder, light, darkness, and the five elements became one. The sword struck!

Bam!

Lifeless Sword was sent flying for the first time in his life. Faint marks appeared over his body.

"Just nine coming together as one? That's not enough!" Lifeless Sword vanished once more and suddenly erupted with brilliant sword intent. One stroke cut through the void, pierced through Li Hao, and came back around for another blow.

Li Hao raised his sword in defense; Stellaris shook violently!

Indeed, it was only ten strokes—the elements that he used most often. He couldn't seem to deploy the tenth.

The Saints on the perimeter shifted with agitation. The sword tree was widely knowledgeable and called out, "Nine moves... but you also have the Eternal Sword intent! You'll kill him if you incorporate that!"

What are you waiting for?? Do it! Haven't you been comprehending that sword intent all along? Can't you utilize any of it? You'll be able to kill this guy if you combine that too!

"The Eternal Sword?" Lifeless Sword laughed mercilessly. "Sword Tree, you are quite the fool. The Eternal Sword is not one kind of sword dao alone! You guys have comprehended too little of the Sword Sovereign's sword intent. The Eternal Sword intent is that of a myriad daos becoming one. It is a combined sword technique to begin with, how is it to meld into something else? Fools!"

"You're right," Li Hao sighed. "The ten blows require the incorporation of pure sword techniques. Would I need to go to all this trouble if it could incorporate the Eternal Sword intent?"

The sword tree... didn't understand enough at the end of the dao. Plant spirits weren't human, after all. They weren't pure swordsmen.

"With ten swords as the basis, that will provide a center for the ten thousand blows. The Eternal Sword intent is not the core of my sword and I do not walk the same path as the Sword Sovereign. I can grow stronger if I imitate him, but I cannot surpass him...

"Tell me, Lifeless Sword, what sword intent should I use to lead the ten thousand?" Li Hao vanished, but a radiant smile stretched his lips. "Why don't you guess?"

Lifeless Sword abruptly turned back into a frowning young man. He looked solemnly at Li Hao. "Your energy... is very weak and you control very little of it. Dare you use it as your foundation?"

"Why not?" A unique ripple burst out of Li Hao's body. Time seemed to freeze! "I was wondering what kind of sword intent would be able to consolidate ten thousand blows. All of them have their pros and cons, but now I know that time is the most terrifying of all!

"The tenth blow, the Sword of Time!"

1. Hao is also the character for "bright". ☜