Star Gate

"You better not leave, Li Hao!" Zheng Yu exhorted from where he was fast disappearing into this distance. "You better help me delay the sword dao replica for a moment! Otherwise, this is the immaterial dao universe—Li Daoheng's territory! Once I'm defeated by him, he'll seize the star of time and your end will be nigh! Your plan has both succeeded and failed. You're a short-sighted bastard through and through!"

Even if you kill those Empyrean Kings and take Galewind, your death is at hand if you lose the star, particularly inside the immaterial universe!

"Therefore... Senior Zheng must successfully stop him!" Li Hao said in aloof tones without even a look back. He set foot into the passageway. "Once Li Daoheng claims the star of time, he will have the heart of great dao. With control over the complete dao universe and the power of time, Li Daoheng will be on par with an exalted emperor, if not outright one himself! That will be the doomsday for both you and I!"

Zheng Yu flew into a rage!

"Is this worth it just to kill a few Empyrean Kings?! If you want to kill them, Li Hao, this seat can deliver them to you after we seize the star of time!"Do you understand what's at stake here or not?!

Li Hao had already drifted away.

"Zheng Yu, Li Hao has left." Li Daoheng's voice reverberated through the immaterial universe. "The world is still within the range of the world, so I'm giving you a chance to leave. You can still return to Galewind. Otherwise, you'll die here!"

"Li Daoheng, do you think this seat is afraid of you?!" Zheng Yu sneered back.

Boom!

A domineering presence enveloped the world and Zheng Yu's presence instantly increased by thirty percent. His blood qi shook, as did the entire universe.

"Since Li Hao is gone... you and I can really get down to it!" Zheng Yu bit off. "You'll have to get through me first if you want the star of time!"

He turned around and punched the void, shattering the world. Li Daoheng slashed out with his sword, but shook on the spot. His longsword broke amid his incredulous stare.

"A replica wishes to kill me?" Zheng Yu glared. "Li Daoheng, you're a fool with a daydream!"

He set foot through the void and rushed for the end of the universe. He would keep the star of time away from Li Daoheng, even if he couldn't claim it for himself!

Li Hao... you're really ruthless! You dared to even expose this star. No wonder you were so certain that Li Daoheng and I wouldn't pay attention to whatever you are doing.

......

At the same time.

Li Hao reappeared in the outside world. His form was a bit illusory as power kept flowing out of his body. The strength from the future was dissipating. The young man sighed. He might be able to exchange a move or two with the half step emperors had he stayed, but what was the meaning in that?

He might as well take advantage of this opening and his remaining strength to do something more meaningful!

Li Hao vanished on the spot.

Galewind.

The ancient city and everyone within it had returned to normal following the disappearance of the star of time. The Empyrean Kings shifted uneasily. Where was Zheng Yu?

They'd vaguely seen him run out, but were promptly sealed away a second later. There was no sight of Zheng Yu to be seen now. Only the two moons were left overhead; they were slowly revitalizing as well.

Just as the Empyrean Kings panicked, a figure flashed in front of them.

"Li Hao!" A howl broke through the air from a terrified Empyrean King. What was Li Hao doing here?? Where had Zheng Yu and Li Daoheng gone?

Li Hao slashed his sword forward. It was incredibly domineering as it pierced through the world. One thousand sword daos descended, crashing into the ancient city with a boom and destroying the outer ring of defenses.

An Empyrean King-level plant spirit shuddered uncontrollably. "We need to flee!" it screamed.

Galewind trembled!

But the world seemed to be closed off with a grasp of Li Hao's hand. A ponderous force came down over the city, like the dao universe was upon them!

No, it was the opposite. He'd hauled Galewind into the dao universe!

The Empyrean Kings shot into the air, one of them screeching, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"We need to kill him or we're the ones who'll die instead!"

"Hold on until our lord returns! He will not die. Hurry!"

The seven Empyrean Kings erupted at full force, knowing that there was nowhere they could run to. Their only course of action was to fight. They had a great deal of battle strength given that there were seven of them. As dominating as Li Hao was, they could fight him.

"Moon God, Sky God, you need to join the battle!" they roared at the sky. "If you do not, Li Hao will come after you when we are gone!"

Both Moon Gods were on the level of Empyrean Kings. That would make for nine Empyrean Kings. As overpowering as Li Hao was, they would be able to stop him with that level of force, if not possibly kill him.

At the same time, for seven Empyrean Kings to lack confidence in holding off Li Hao... It was clear to see just how much pressure he'd been bringing down on them over the recent days.

Two moons came back to life in the air. A figure respectively walked out of them. One was the queen, the other was the Moon God.

The Moon God was cool and aloof, whereas the queen had her heart in her mouth. Li Hao had somehow removed Zheng Yu and Li Daoheng from the equation... that was horrifying!

It seemed like a good idea to ally with the seven Empyrean Kings to kill the young man. But in the next moment, the queen's moon fled the scene.

She didn't know why she was running or what she would do after she ran. But she just wanted to run. Li Hao exerted too much pressure on her!

He wanted Li Daoheng and Zheng Yu to leave—they really did do so. Two half step emperors were at the mercy of the young man's manipulation. How would she dare work in tandem with the Empyrean Kings against Li Hao?

On the other hand, the Moon God hesitated. These Empyrean Kings were not with her.

When she hesitated, Li Hao's sword pierced through the world. A river of time seemed to flow through the background. He seemed to be his future self in this moment, having endured many years and raising his killing intent toward the heavens!

An Empyrean King's eyes widened with dismay at the blow and he howled, "Kill!"

The seven Empyrean Kings struck with full strength—massive currents of energy churned through the universe. They had to strike back!

If they didn't, they were dead without a doubt!

The immense power caused heart palpitations. That unbounded sword intent instilled infinite fear in their hearts. They seemed to see the Sword Sovereign in front of them, wielding his terrifying sword dao!

Li Hao's blow was intensely daunting. The seven Empyrean Kings erupted in return—boom!

The collision echoed through the world!

Li Hao's blow caused one of the Empyrean Kings to slow, which immediately enabled the young man to tear that target to pieces. The remaining Empyrean Kings snarled with fury and crashed through the young man's sword intent. They didn't have time to consider their wounds—an even greater fear swept over them.

An Empyrean King hadn't withstood even one of Li Hao's moves!

"His sword can slow us down!" yelled one of them. "Interfere with his sword intent..."

Bam!

The longword swung again, but it wasn't as cutting as last time. The seven Empyrean Kings were down one, but the remaining six were able to jointly break through Li Hao's sword intent!

One of them glimpsed a hint of the truth and was delighted to announce, "His strength is fading!"

Li Hao's strength was indeed constantly fading away. The power of the future was too unrealistic. He'd consumed a great deal to kill one of the Empyrean Kings as they worked in tandem. The young man raised an eyebrow.

As expected, strength that didn't result from his own efforts was not the most dependable. Otherwise, a half step emperor should be able to defeat these false Empyrean Kings through sheer attrition alone.

Thank goodness he hadn't stayed in the immaterial dao universe to fight those two. If he had, he would be a false emperor after the initial salvo, and not even that after a few more moves!

Li Hao didn't say anything; one hundred million dao stars converged from the dao universe and entered his body. Not only that, but so did the river and the mental world. His strength grew again.

The power of time circulated through his next stroke, but the Empyrean Kings were able to shake free of that influence when they flared their full strength. Li Hao's power of time was too weak at present. He could utilize it against one target, but would find it difficult to control multiple Empyrean Kings.

But even still, one thousand rays of sword intent burst forth in that dazzling moment.

Another Empyrean King fell to Li Hao's attack!

The five remaining Empyrean Kings jerked with shock. One of them howled with indignity and gnashed his teeth. "His strength is fading... don't give him a chance to recover. Everyone... I am... still half a New Martial citizen at the end of the day... Fuck it!"

He charged out; Li Hao took half a step back. An enormous cloud of power ripped through the world when the Empyrean King self-detonated!

Boom!

The explosion of an Empyrean King rippled outward. While Li Hao cut down the backlash that bolted him over, a large portion of the illusory strength in his body spontaneously collapsed.

The third Empyrean King had decided to take himself out!

Li Hao's presence cratered; the young man frowned. Even a false Empyrean King's self-detonation could dispel more than half of his strength!

There were four left of the seven Empyrean Kings now. Li Hao sighed; his mental sea agitated violently and his dao meridians stirred wildly.

External strength is unreliable... but don't forget that I myself am not a weakling! Killing a half step emperor is hard, but is it hard to kill you guys?

The shimmering blow of one thousand sword daos vanished. One hundred dao stars gathered!

The blow of one hundred daos incorporated 144 dao stars within itself. Li Hao's presence solidified, sharpening into a sword that swung at the four Empyrean Kings at the same time. His figure vanished, reappeared, vanished, then reappeared!

He attacked in all directions!

Rumble!

Explosions rang in the four corners and the four Empyrean Kings coughed up blood. They struck back again and again, but were increasingly appalled by the battle. Why was this happening? Li Hao wasn't turning any weaker in the absence of that strength!!

While the young man wasn't as fierce as before, his blows were cutting more deeply.

"Time!" Li Hao said softly. The power of time seemed to appear once more; the four Empyrean Kings called upon new reserves of strength.

A bright moon charged over at this moment, shooting from Li Hao's rear and wanting to crush him! It was the Moon God!

She'd entered the fray at last. Although Li Daoheng was fighting Zheng Yu at the moment, she couldn't let Li Hao kill these Empyrean Kings. There was nothing good in it for her either!

"You court death!" A sword suddenly appeared in Li Hao's hand, one with a particular sword intent—the Eternal Sword intent!

It was the sword intent that he'd gathered in Sword City. He'd been saving it all this time, and this was when he chose to deploy it!