To gain freedom, yes, but a price must be paid.
The cost is rather steep.
Dao Origin, could truly be called the Root of the Great Dao.
It contains the full enlightenment of a Great Emperor's Great Dao.
Should it shatter, it could very well lead to the demise of the main body.
To hand it over is akin to placing one's life in another's hands.
And across from him, Chen Fan did not rush.
He believed the desiccated corpse would make the correct choice.
As he had said before, if I had never seen the light, I could have endured the darkness.
Those who have seen freedom will not give up the opportunity.
So what if the Dao Origin is paid?
After all… the worst outcome is but death.
Having been tormented by lightning for a million years, Lie Tian had long wished for death.
The desiccated corpse pondered…
"Fellow Daoist Lie Tian,"
At this moment, Emperor Chi Yang suddenly spoke, "He actually wants you to pay Dao Origin, isn't that asking for your life?"
"We cultivators can die, but we will never yield to threats. As a senior, you wouldn't let us juniors down, would you?"
Interference.
That's right, Emperor Chi Yang was interfering with Lie Tian's choice.
An irreconcilable rift had formed between him and Chen Fan; this animosity could not be resolved once Spatial Boots were in their possession.
The Spatial Boots must be united.
Therefore, he absolutely did not wish to see the other party grow stronger.
Lie Tian, an old Eighth Stage.
Never mind that he looked utterly miserable now, even crying out in pain from Emperor Yu Hua's attacks.
That was because he lacked the energy to support himself.
Once he was given the chance to break free, he would undoubtedly gather energy from all directions and become immensely powerful.
Upon hearing Emperor Chi Yang's words, the Dragon King also spoke.
"Great Emperor Lie Tian,"
The Dragon King stepped forward proactively, "I am willing to help you temporarily withstand the lightning and help you emerge."
Emperor Chi Yang quickly said, "That's good, I can help too."
Two Great Emperors were offering to help.
They would help Great Emperor Lie Tian escape from the lightning.
The Sword Master said nothing.
He remained standing before the Boundary of Life and Death, quietly recovering from the consumption of his Great Dao power.
He did not wish to be involved in this matter.
Lie Tian: "..."
He did not give an answer.
Silence.
He was contemplating.
His gaze fell upon Chen Fan, who was also silent for a long time. Suddenly, he smiled…
At this moment, Lie Tian found peace.
An unsightly smile crept across his withered face.
He looked at Chen Fan and said, "Fellow Daoist, I need you to promise me one thing."
As soon as these words were spoken, Emperor Chi Yang and the Dragon King's expressions changed drastically.
Lie Tian seemed to have made his choice.
Chen Fan nodded, "Speak."
Lie Tian immediately said, "I can give up my Dao Origin and serve you for a hundred years. However, during these hundred years, you cannot restrain my freedom. Whatever I want to do, wherever I want to go, you cannot stop me."
"Of course, when you need me, I will surely come to help, provided… it's not too weak."
"If you ask me to slaughter a group of Heavenly Emperors, that… I might refuse."
He was Lie Tian, and he only fought the strong.
"Agreed."
Chen Fan agreed.
"Very well, come then…"
"Lie Tian."
Chi Yang was unwilling, "You are actually willing to submit to another. I truly look down on you."
Since negotiation had failed, he could only try the opposite approach.
Chi Yang roared, "No matter what, you are a Great Emperor from the same era as the Thunder Lord. How can you be so useless…"
Swish.
Great Emperor Lie Tian turned his head.
The corners of his mouth curled slightly as he gazed at Chi Yang, "Useless, you say? Those words… Lord Thunder can say them, Guang Ming can say them, hey… when I get out, I'll show you what useless truly means."
Having said that, he averted his gaze.
He looked at Chen Fan and said, "Come…"
He lowered his Great Dao defense, and Dao lines devoid of any power fluctuations were traced out.
Withered.
Lie Tian's Great Dao was withered.
Chen Fan quickly located the center of the Great Dao, which was interwoven like a net.
The heart.
This was the true heart.
"Chirp."
Chen Fan struck, a point of sword intent piercing the opponent's heart.
It was Thunder Sword Intent, containing seven top-tier compressed Great Daos—life and death, yin and yang, dark water—buried within the opponent's heart like a bomb.
He did not take away the opponent's Dao Origin Heart.
"That's enough."
Chen Fan smiled and withdrew his hand.
"Whoosh."
Lie Tian breathed a sigh of relief.
He felt the sword intent that had appeared in his heart.
However, the aura contained within it made him tremble.
The Dao of Dual Extremes.
He looked at Chen Fan, a faint smile appearing on his face, "A heaven-blessed prodigy."
At this moment, he was convinced.
Truly convinced.
The Dao of Dual Extremes that so many yearned for, this young man before him had comprehended two of them.
And both had reached the highest level.
Chen Fan smiled, "Senior, you are free."
He pointed outward, "As long as you walk out now, you can absorb energy and recover."
"Thank you."
With a heart full of excitement, Lie Tian stepped out of the pillar of heaven.
He had walked out before, but the area within the pillar was filled with lightning power, which he could not absorb.
He needed to go further away.
Stepping out of the pillar, he walked towards freedom.
Lie Tian took a deep breath, the scent of freedom.
"Chi Yang."
Lie Tian turned his head and looked at him, "I am very weak now, are you… going to come and kill me?"
Chi Yang: "..."
He did not move, his face as dark as night.
The Dragon King on the other side also did not move.
This was the best time to strike Lie Tian.
But let's not forget, Jian Zhu and Chen Fan were still there.
Ultimately, neither of them moved.
"Heh."
Lie Tian's lips curled upwards, and with another step, he was tens of thousands of feet away.
Rumble.
Chaos immediately erupted.
Lie Tian's body instantly transformed into a boundless vortex.
Overwhelming chaotic energy, like great dragons, poured into his body.
In an instant, his Great Dao became replete.
His emaciated body, consisting of only skin and bones, rapidly regenerated flesh and blood.
Hair began to appear on his bald head.
"Alas."
Chi Yang sighed.
In his eyes, there was a deep sense of unwillingness, "This is why I didn't act."
Eighth Stage, capable of instantly absorbing energy from all directions.
Rumble.
Lie Tian strode out from the convergence point of the energy dragons.
In just this short while, the chaotic energy within a radius of hundreds of thousands of miles had been depleted.
Yes, completely drained by an Eighth Stage Great Emperor.
The terror of the Eighth Stage was truly immense.
The mixed chaotic energy was purified by the illuminated Dao network within his body.
The impure energy overflowed from the pores of his entire body.
"Hahaha."
Great Emperor Lie Tian let out a thunderous laugh.
His Eighth Stage aura was released without reservation.
He was… a top-tier Eighth Stage.
He walked out step by step, reappearing before everyone.
"Chi Yang."
His gaze immediately fixed on Emperor Chi Yang, who had just called him useless.
Within his pupils, which bore a creeping smile, boundless killing intent surfaced, "It's been a long time since I've fought. Come… let's spar."
You said I was useless, didn't you?
Come, let's fight and see who is truly useless.
Chi Yang: "..."
Looking at the battle-ready Lie Tian, Chi Yang was speechless.
Facing this man, he felt immense pressure.