Chapter 2126: Villain (IV)

“The envoys of light and dark were outsiders. That also goes for the Exalted Coiling Dragon Emperor who was skilled in body dao.” The look in Li Hao’s eyes shifted as he thought rapidly. “Why did the Skyward master let these people into his world?

“...he did so because he wanted to perfect his own dao system. Spatial dao isn’t everything. On the contrary, the Skyward master must be skilled in daos of the extremes! He should be adept in the five elements, yin and yang, light and darkness, and life and death...

“He must know all of them very well! Many of them are very useful in offense, but this guy’s only ever demonstrated spatial transport or running away when he appears in battle. It's like he only knows spatial dao.

“The more he acts this way, the more guilty he appears!”

Panther understood! The dog stared at Li Hao, full of adoration. The young man meant that the Human King and the rest only counted as minions. They might be effective against some of the ninth ranks, but they wouldn’t be able to do anything to Skyward.

So boss means that... Skyward is even more devious? That he’ll make a move after Skyward becomes the ultimate winner and kill Skyward then?

The dog pranced with excitement!

But...

Skyward is so strong. Panth drooped. Can you return to that level of strength through just comprehending the aura?

I don’t believe you!

Although the dog really wanted to believe Li Hao, it felt that there was no hope when considering the idea of only utilizing the aura against Skyward.

“The aura is a kind of faith and will,” Li Hao chuckled. “It’s the great unification that Chaos Sky has been seeking. What a pity that he’s only scratched the surface and doesn’t know anything else about it!

“The root of all things in the chaos is neither order or disorder, nor is it life or death, yin or yang. It’s not time either!”

Panther looked at the young man blankly, which was exactly the kind of look that Li Hao liked on the dog.

“The root of the chaos, its foundational will, is none of this! But these are the factors that powerhouses take into account. However, they are the minority. For the chaos, it’s mundanes that are the majority! There are so many mundanes that they cannot be counted. Their most basic pursuit is very simple—survival!”

Panth continued to grace Li Hao with a lost stare.

“It’s not life, but survival,” Li Hao nodded. “Since we are alive, we must survive! That is the shared sentiment of all people, whether they are powerhouses or weaklings. They must find a place for burial even in death. That is to survive and the shared will of all beings in the chaos...

“There is actually one massive will for integration in the chaos. The docility, unification, and order that Chaos Sky seeks is in the wrong direction. It’ll be hard to attain what he wants to do, no matter the time period.

“Only survival is a commonly shared goal. That applies to me, the Human King, and the ninth ranks. Even the worlds themselves are this way. Everyone pursues this achievement!

“When it comes to freedom, time, and order, those things come after. Only when we are alive do we have the right to discuss these. What I want to do is to take in this only shared will and strengthen my own aura.

“As the chaos becomes more unsettled and people’s desire to grow stronger strengthens, that will give me the chance to overtake the overlords and break through my limitations with one stroke!”

Panther nodded with understanding. But although it now grasped what Li Hao intended, it still didn’t know just how the young man would absorb this shared characteristic.

What exactly are you going to take in? You make a lot of sense, but can you really devour the will of all beings in the chaos?

Is that possible?

Why do I feel like you’re just huffing out a lot of hot air?

A smiling Li Hao caressed the dog’s head and patted it.

“Don’t worry, I have my ways,” he said softly. “We’re either going to abstain from doing something, or we’re going to be the best when we attempt it. Everyone else is my shield, they can have fun fighting each other. You and I... can watch the show first!”

“Arf arf arf!”

“You’re the villain!” Li Hao patted its head with a laugh. “Who says that only villains can do what I’m proposing? Why can’t the good people do the same? Not to mention, it’s the results that determine who’s good and who’s bad. If the villains win, then that makes them the good people!”

Panther wagged its tail, that made sense. Its eyes creased from a wide smile. It was at ease since Li Hao had some ideas in mind. The dog trusted that Li Hao could succeed because... the young man was utterly devious.

He was so evil that of course he would live for a very, very long time.[1]

......

Some powerhouses shifted uncomfortably at this moment, they itched all over. Had they forgotten something and gotten off on a wrong tangent somewhere?

......

The chaos did not fully settle back down. Unrest continued.

The factions of New Martial, Silver Moon, and Spring Autumn struck in all places. Although the ninth ranks had managed to kill Disorder when they summoned their people, it’d also exposed where their worlds were.

These worlds had been silent for many years, and now they were all revealed.

Chaos dao undulated wildly, preventing the ninth ranks from returning. They could only watch as their home worlds were destroyed. There was nothing they could do but shake with rage.

......

In the depths of chaos dao.

The ninth ranks no longer pretended to be dead. They’d sealed themselves away as statues before in order to prevent spirit from leaking and consuming too much of their vitality. With the state that the chaos was in these days, there was no point to further self-sealing.

Countless great daos had materialized as physical manifestations in front of the statues. Those great daos hovered in front of the crowd. This was their dao, the true dao with spirit and of ninth ranks.

Their great daos were incredibly thick and wove through chaos dao.

Someone grunted when they felt their home world being destroyed. He couldn’t help but say, “Skyward... has your replica found the new chaos yet? If not... can you help everyone else and prevent New Martial and the rest from attacking our homes...”

Dissatisfaction was rising.

Everyone had taken action together previously and all had paid a hefty price for it. But now only Skyward’s replica was still in the chaos and all he did was follow Chaos Sky around these days. He still hadn’t found the new chaos in all this time.

In actuality, the rest of the ninth ranks didn’t want him to find it.

It was a good thing for many that Li Hao had given up time. They wanted nothing more than for the new chaos to just disappear.

Well, it would be nice for it to appear again for their benefit after they returned.

But Skyward’s repeated refusal to help them meant that their home worlds were obliterated one after another!

"New Martial and the rest will grow stronger if this continues,” someone else said. “That Human King grows stronger day by day. If this continues, I fear a second Chaos Sky will come to life!

“Li Hao is trash now, but the Human King is not a weakling. He comes from that world too, after all. Although he does not wield time, you guys should have sensed it too that with all of the world strength that he’s been furiously taking in over this period of time... he’ll essentially be on par with a ninth rank, even if he doesn’t break through!”

Many people looked at Skyward. His replica was over there, but did not seek to stop their opponent. His dogged pursuit of the new chaos was drawing their ire.

“It isn’t that I’m ignoring our collective interests, but that the Human King won’t possibly set foot into ninth rank so easily at present,” Skyward said calmly when he opened his eyes. “Chaos Sky, on the other hand, is sure to spontaneously become a ninth rank once he finds the new chaos and strips it of time and order.

“So many powerhouses died in those battles that there is ample spirit in the chaos right now. If he comes a ninth rank, he’ll be a more difficult opponent than Disorder! On the other hand, the Human King will be of limited threat to us if he becomes a ninth rank.”

That was the logic, but it still rankled to see their homes destroyed with their own eyes.

“This is all because of that animal Li Hao...” someone else grumbled. “We must kill him, even if he’s trash now! If we’d known that this would be the straits we’re in now, we should’ve found a way to kill him earlier on...”

The complaint didn’t meet with much agreement.

“Brother Skyward,” Calamity interjected. “Li Hao has established a new chaos and has now given it up. I feel rather uneasy. He knows that he’s offended us to the point of no return last time, that he will die without a doubt once we descend.

“He has a hope of improving at this critical moment, but chooses to give it up. What do you think about that?”

Calamity didn’t understand the young man’s actions, and to be honest, neither did Skyward.

“Perhaps... he sees despair in the future!” Skyward said after considering the possibilities. “Perhaps time has caused him to lose himself and be unable to extract himself from its clutches. Maybe he’s consumed too much lifespan. Or perhaps he is just passing through and time ultimately does not belong to him.”

All of that was possible.

Ultimately, Skyward said, “Of course, we cannot set aside the possibility that he might be able to regain control over the new chaos again. That’s not entirely outside the realm of possibility. Although he’s given it up now, that doesn’t mean he’ll actually give it up for good.

“Perhaps he’s letting it develop freely, waiting to take control again after it’s stronger. He might’ve left some contingency plans behind in that chaos. That would be very normal to see.”

Many nodded at his words. Those speculations made sense. It was what they would do if they were in Li Hao’s shoes.

“So Brother Skyward means that he’s just purposefully presenting a weak side now?” Calamity said after digesting these words. “That he might swiftly return once the new chaos develops enough and immediately verify his dao as a ninth rank?”

“That’s possible.” Skyward nodded.

“If the third generation cultivator of time is really born inside, will he clash with Li Hao?” the dao master of the five elements suddenly asked. “It won’t be that easy for him to take it back then, right?”

“Then he’ll have crafted his own prison!” someone else laughed.

Many nodded in agreement. While Li Hao was quite mad, he clearly wasn’t a fool. His strength had declined by a large amount at present, but would he really allow that to happen when he had so many enemies?

Perhaps this was exactly what he wanted!

First, to lower everyone’s guard against him. Second, to wait for the new chaos to come into its own. He would then spontaneously take it back and verify his dao as a ninth rank.

It was a good plan!

1. There’s a saying in Chinese that those who are good pass away quickly, and those who are evil live to plague the world for one thousand years. ☜