Steady Cultivation: Starting With the Perk “Work Hard, Rest Hard” Chapter 537: Venerable Yuanhao’s Speculation

Huang Hao knit his brows, a sense of unease washing over him.

He returned to those Dao Courts he had previously visited, only to discover that in a remarkably brief period, they had already pledged their allegiance to the Seven Stars Dao Court.

Consequently, the entirety of the Chaos Kingdom had been absorbed into the territory of the Seven Stars Dao Court.

While the Chaos Kingdom had lacked a centralized government in the past, it could now be rightfully branded the Seven Stars Chaos Kingdom.

The Seven Stars Dao Sovereign was poised to become nothing less than the Chaos Nation Lord.

Momentous shifts were occurring with dizzying speed. Huang Hao recognized that the Seven Stars Dao Court had transcended the level of a minor nuisance and was now a problem that necessitated urgent attention.

He rushed back to the Taihao Holy Hall to report to its leader, Venerable Yuanhao.

"Hall Master, word has arrived that the ten Dao Courts surrounding the Seven Stars Dao Court have all submitted. The Chaos Kingdom is now under their total control, and their influence has surged to the forefront of the entire Chaos region."

Huang Hao delivered his report with urgency.

Venerable Yuanhao listened with a calm expression, showing no signs of surprise.

"The Seven Stars Dao Sovereign is a man of significant power who clearly possesses vast opportunities. It is hardly shocking that he could suppress those forces. But tell me, what of the investigation I tasked you with?"

Venerable Yuanhao inquired.

Huang Hao nodded slowly. "I made diligent inquiries, yet the past of the Seven Stars Dao Sovereign remains a blank slate. Even the subordinates and followers he commands appear as if they simply manifested out of thin air. Nevertheless, those individuals are remarkably gifted. Dozens of them achieved breakthroughs into Dao Venerables within a fleeting window of time, which is truly formidable."

Yuanhao fell into deep meditation. "It appears they did indeed originate from a different Chaos!"

"A different Chaos?" Huang Hao asked, clearly taken aback.

Yuanhao answered serenely, "Why be so shocked? Every Chaos Dominator establishes their own unique Chaos. Beyond the Taihao Chaos, other realms must exist. It is simply that these domains rarely interact, making encounters with entities from elsewhere exceedingly rare."

Huang Hao nodded in acknowledgement, though a flicker of bewilderment remained, suggesting he was still unsettled by the revelation.

Yuanhao lowered his voice, his tone taking on a strange character. "However, traversing between different Chaos realms is virtually impossible without external guidance. This implies that there could be a powerful Chaos Dominator lurking behind the Seven Stars Dao Sovereign!"

Huang Hao turned pale. "Should we still intervene? Or perhaps maintain surveillance?"

Yuanhao countered, "Yet, whose identity could this hidden Chaos Dominator possess? Every known entity of that caliber has already staked their claim on established territories. Venturing into foreign lands to aid a mediocre Dao Court makes no sense. The entire situation reeks of suspicion!"

Huang Hao looked confused. "Where exactly is the contradiction?"

Yuanhao squinted. "The Taihao Dominator once spoke of a specific Chaos Dominator caught in a cataclysmic crisis, forcing his consciousness into a state of perma-slumber. It would take eons for any hope of recovery to manifest."

He paused for emphasis. "I strongly suspect he managed to secretly bridge the gap in from that very Chaos."

Huang Hao was stunned. "Such a thing is actually possible?"

He realized instantly what was at stake—the Hall Master was coveting that very Chaos and the inheritance left behind by that fallen Dominator.

The mystery of why he had been ordered to monitor the Seven Stars Dao Sovereign was now crystal clear.

Still, he harbored doubts. "Even so, why would the Seven Stars Dao Sovereign abandon his original point of origin?"

"The path forward was likely sealed. Without the guidance of a functional Chaos Dominator, that domain would be stagnant; finding a way to reach the next level would be immensely difficult. Necessity drove his departure."

Yuanhao paused thoughtfully. "Upon reaching the Taihao Chaos, he discovered the missing path. By leveraging the legacy of that previous Dominator, he bypassed obstacles and ascended to the quasi-Dominator realm with ease! Investigate the terms of those surrenders. If my predictions hold, the Seven Stars Dao Sovereign must have utilized vast quantities of resources to buy their loyalty!"

Huang Hao felt a surge of excitement. "Could it be that he still holds a massive cache of resources? He must still be guarding the Chaos Dominator's inheritance!"

"Highly probable," Yuanhao confirmed. "You must investigate his situation thoroughly to verify if this legendary treasure truly exists."

Yuanhao's gaze glinted with intensity. Ultimately, he was more interested in the potential of the other Chaos itself. Gaining control over it would allow him to nurture his own Little Chaos and accelerate his ascent to the rank of a genuine Chaos Dominator.

Huang Hao bowed eagerly. "I understand. I shall peel back every layer of the Seven Stars Dao Court to uncover their deepest secrets!"

"Excellent. The matter is yours to handle," Yuanhao said with profound satisfaction.

Huang Hao departed in haste.

Yuanhao remained alone, casting a hesitant, expectant glance toward the heavens. Beyond merely pushing Huang Hao, his deeper goal had been to bait the Taihao Dominator into revealing himself.

Yet, despite the gravity of his words, the Taihao Dominator remained silent.

"Is it possible that the Taihao Dominator has also succumbed to a slumber?"

The thought flickered through Venerable Yuanhao's mind.

He felt a mixture of trepidation and panic, tempered by mounting greed and a thrill of anticipation.

He possessed a secret ritual to reach the Taihao Dominator's Little Chaos, yet he had always abstained from using it, fearful of walking into a calculated trap.

But what if he first ascended to the rank of Chaos Dominator, consumed the essence of another's legacy, and then drained the Taihao Little Chaos as well? What ultimate state could he reach then?

Venerable Yuanhao extended his palm, revealing a floating pearl. Within its depths, a miniature version of a developing Chaos churned, nearing the final stage of evolution.

Inside, twenty-four Dao Principles were intertwining in perfect harmony.

"The final threshold is finally within reach!"

Yuanhao's resolve wavered briefly before hardening.

"Let Huang Hao serve as the distraction, while I maneuver from within the shadows."

With a flicker of light, Yuanhao vanished.

A significant time later.

Within the heart of the Seven Stars Dao Court, a dormant mechanism—planted deep within the consciousness of a senior Elder eons ago—finally clicked into motion.

The Elder's original spirit had long faded into oblivion. A foreign consciousness now claimed his True Spirit and his physical Dao body.

Venerable Yuanhao opened his eyes, examining his current vessel, and nodded with grim satisfaction.

His influence permeated the entire Chaos. Naturally, a major power like the Miluo Dao Court was not exempt from his covert infiltration.

As his consciousness took complete control of the Elder, he noted that another manifestation of himself was currently attending a grand meeting at the Heavenly Palace.

He promptly shifted his focus to that location, hanging onto every word being spoken.