Reversing yin and yang, reversing life and death.
Undying, that was Chen Fan's greatest promise to his brothers.
"The City Lord is invincible."
"The City Lord is invincible."
"..."
Unlike others, those in the Realm of Life and Death did not wish for their City Lord to fight and die alongside them. They wished for the City Lord to live.
As long as the City Lord lived, they would live.
It seemed peculiar, different.
But that was the reality, and it was why those in the Realm of Life and Death fought without fear.
...
Beside them, the Sword Master and Dragon King, though lacking Chen Fan's means of resurrection, possessed their own charisma.
"Everyone."
The Sword Master's voice rang out: "A sword wielder fears nothing and advances without hesitation."
Clang, clang, clang.
Countless people drew their swords simultaneously.
Roar.
Above the people of the Sword Domain, a vast, immeasurable sword lotus seemed to materialize.
Sword intent soared into the heavens.
No further words were needed; their aura alone was enough.
Behind the Dragon King stood colossal chaotic beasts.
His expression was grave: "We chaotic beasts are born of chaos and die in chaos. We are born to be food for humans, resources for their cultivation. This King... is unwilling."
"Unwilling, unwilling..."
The dense ranks of chaotic beasts surged with battle intent.
"Therefore, I will lead you in resistance."
The Dragon King's voice boomed: "Resist this unjust fate. This battle, we will not retreat, even unto death."
"Not retreat, even unto death."
"Not retreat, even unto death."
Chen Fan and the Sword Master fought for dreams, for the shaping of their Great Daos.
But the chaotic beasts did not. They fought... simply to live.
This world was too unfair to chaotic beasts.
They would contend with heaven and with man.
A grand aura shook the heavens and earth.
Six factions stood, propping up the sky.
"Clang, clang, clang."
The clang of swords reverberated through the heavens and earth, and the Sword Master's voice rang out: "The Sword Domain will deal with the Five Realms Alliance. If the Five Realms do not retreat, this battle will not cease."
Opposite them, the powerhouses of the Five Realms Alliance wore grave expressions.
The Sword Domain's aura was too potent.
An endless aura of slaughter pressed down.
This palpable killing intent made even the most powerful, Emperor Xue Sha, knit his brows.
He felt the pressure.
Those who had only recently joined forces to resist the Demon Realm were now poised to fight him.
"Prepare."
Emperor Xue Sha raised his hand.
The Five Realms Alliance would not retreat either.
"Kill!"
The Sword Master unleashed a single sword strike.
The wooden sword instantly cleaved the battlefield, drawing Emperor Xue Sha away.
He was the strongest and needed to be dealt with first.
"Boom."
The powerhouses of both sides, dozens of Emperors, collided instantly.
Standing up.
"Sword Formation!"
From among the ranks, Emperor Du'an Jian let out a mighty shout.
Around him, ten Sword Emperors converged, some at the seventh, others at the eighth stage.
The Dao of the Sword surged forth, all of it flowing into Emperor Du'an Jian.
"Slash!"
On the opposing side, an eighth-stage Emperor could not dodge in time.
Puff.
Blood splattered.
With a roar, an eighth-stage Emperor was directly slain.
After effortlessly killing an eighth-stage, the ten individuals' power returned, their auras undiminished, not even a ripple of fluctuation.
They had so easily slain an eighth-stage.
On the side of the Five Realms Alliance, pupils constricted.
Killing an eighth-stage without injury was something even Xue Sha could not achieve.
"Kill!"
Emperor Du'an Jian struck out with his sword, engaging a top-tier eighth-stage.
The sword formation was meant to catch them off guard.
Killing an eighth-stage without injury was sufficient.
Behind them... Emperors found their opponents, and life-and-death struggles ensued.
...
"Hundred Blossoms Realm."
At this moment, the Dragon King's gaze fell upon the three eighth-stage Emperors behind Emperor Bai Hua: "You are demons, are you going against the natural order?"
The three Emperors behind Bai Hua were from the demon race.
Demons and chaotic beasts were inseparable.
Normally, the Dragon King fought for his kin, and these demon beasts should have supported him.
For they were, in essence, of the same kind.
Yet, at this moment, they stood behind Bai Hua.
The Dragon King fought for righteousness, while Bai Hua represented gratitude.
"Dragon King."
Emperor Gui Mu, an eighth-stage Emperor who had attained enlightenment through peonies, bowed deeply from afar to the Dragon King: "We admire the Dragon King for fighting heaven for his kin... but, Bai Hua has treated us better than humans over the years. Gratitude must be repaid."
This was Emperor Gui Mu's choice.
She sighed.
Finally, she spoke with a hint of regret: "If the Dragon King falls, the three of us will do our utmost to protect you, even unto death. If the Dragon King triumphs, we hope you will treat the demons of the Hundred Blossoms Realm with kindness."
Emperor Gui Mu wished to repay a debt of gratitude, but also sought to gain something from the Dragon King.
"Heh heh."
The Dragon King grinned.
His eyes blazed with killing intent: "Defying your kin, going against the natural order, you play a clever game."
"Unfortunately, I cannot tolerate such actions. Since you have made your choice, you must be prepared to bear the consequences."
His voice was utterly cold: "Today, if I fall, so be it. But you three are not worthy to plead for my life. However... if I win, the demons of the Hundred Blossoms Realm will be exterminated, every last one."
Emperor Gui Mu's expression shifted.
Beside her, Emperor Lu Zhu and Emperor Han Mei also paled.
The Dragon King's words were too harsh.
Then, Emperor Gui Mu gave a wry smile: "Dragon King, why must it be like this?"
"Jie jie."
The Dragon King let out a sinister laugh: "Humans kill my chaotic beasts; it is a war between races, justifiable. But you demons aid outsiders; that is treason. Traitors are more detestable than enemies, and more deserving of death."
"Dragon King."
Emperor Han Mei's displeasure was evident: "We are demons, and you are chaotic beasts... not truly the same."
"Good."
The Dragon King did not refute this statement.
His gaze had calmed: "Since that is the case, then let us fight. Fate will decide, fortune is in the heavens."
Boom.
The Dragon King had no intention of wasting more words.
His stance was his decision.
Since your demon race did not acknowledge kinship with us chaotic beasts, there was no need for further discussion.
"Demon Realm, come and fight!"
The Dragon King, with a single strike, targeted the strongest: the Demon Realm.
The Demon Realm was the strongest here.
The Dragon King, unmatched in his dominance, chose the strongest.
"Roar."
A colossal golden dragon revealed its true form.
Its dragon tail shattered chaos, directly engaging the Demon Lord.
King against King, general against general.
"Wind rises."
Suddenly, from the Demon Realm's ranks, a massive black tiger leaped out of the battlefield.
The black tiger was a chaotic beast.
He had joined the Demon Realm a long time ago.
Now, he detached himself from the fray.
All eyes turned to him.
"Demon Lord, Dragon King."
The black tiger roared: "The Dragon King is the leader of our chaotic race's righteousness. To fight the Dragon King would be disloyalty."
"The Demon Lord has taken great care of me over the years. To fight against the Demon Realm would be unrighteous..."
"I am sorry."
Bang.
The black tiger knelt at the edge of the battlefield.
"All I can do now is withdraw from the battlefield."
Then, his gaze swept across the surroundings, finally landing on the three flower demon Emperors of the Hundred Blossoms Realm in another engagement: "Dragon King, you must win and fight for a glimmer of hope for our chaotic race. Black Tiger has shamed the King; I will go and slay those three traitors."
Boom.
The black tiger attacked.
A gust of Yin Sha wind whipped up a tornado, sweeping towards Emperor Gui Mu.
This scene was unexpected.
"Good."
The Dragon King rejoiced, his voice echoing through the heavens and earth: "All you demon races, all you chaotic beasts, no matter how much gratitude you owe to humans, do not forget that in their eyes, we are merely mounts, slaves... You may withdraw from this battle, but if you dare to attack, and if I win this battle, I will engrave this matter into my Chaotic Dao."