The silence was broken.
"Quick, hurry!"
The brocade-clad youth's hair stood on end.
He was truly afraid.
From the day he was born, under the protection of his elders, he had never known fear.
With the power behind him, no one dared to provoke him.
Even if he committed acts that angered heaven and earth, he had influential figures backing him, so no one dared to retaliate or demand an explanation.
He had grown accustomed to this way of life.
But today, for the first time in his life, he felt a fear originating from the depths of his heart.
"Ching."
A sword light appeared before him.
This sword light was filled with deathly energy.
"Poof."
The sword light struck his brow and vanished instantly.
The brocade-clad youth, however, froze in place.
A moment later, he crashed to the ground.
His soul was instantly crushed by the deathly energy.
"Noisy."
Chen Fan frowned, "Anyone who moves, dies."
No moving.
Whoever moves, dies.
This was a threat from a powerful cultivator of Seven Dao Imperial Qi.
No one dared to ignore it.
The scene just moments ago had proven that Chen Fan could kill them like slaughtering pigs.
"Whoosh."
Tian Wen's pupils were filled with terror.
She was also afraid.
This fellow from the Wasteland was truly terrifying.
In just this short while, out of forty-three people, only twenty-three remained.
Even though his breathing was as ragged as a bellows, no one dared to move.
"Do you want to live?"
Chen Fan suddenly spoke, "Those who want to live, can step forward."
"Huh?"
A glimmer of hope.
They had thought it was a certain death situation.
Was struggling useful?
Even the strongest, Tian Wen, could only block one strand of Imperial Qi.
"Whoosh."
Tian Wen took a deep breath and said sternly, "Chen..."
"Call me City Lord."
Chen Fan revealed a smile.
"... Alright."
Tian Wen forced a smile to her lips, "City Lord Chen, it was wrong of us to pursue you. Does City Lord Chen have any suggestions?"
She wanted to live.
Tian Wen took a step forward.
The others exchanged glances, and finally, they all stepped forward.
Who would want to die if they could live?
"I'll give you a chance."
"Boom."
Chen Fan raised his hand and grabbed upwards.
The river of rules appeared, hovering above Chen Fan's head.
The Great Dao that belonged to him alone.
This Great Dao was colorful, with the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, and overwhelming deathly energy.
At the same time, a new strand of Imperial Qi appeared on Chen Fan's body.
Death Imperial Qi.
This strand of Imperial Qi was incredibly robust.
The moment it appeared, it suppressed everyone, making them feel suffocated.
"This..."
Suffocating.
"Eight strands of Imperial Qi."
Exclamations of shock echoed continuously.
"Alas."
Tian Wen sighed, cupped her fists, and said, "City Lord Chen is a prodigy of heaven."
To be able to condense eight strands of Imperial Qi, it was certainly not the limit.
Nine strands was the minimum.
No one would pass up such a good opportunity.
Perhaps, even nine strands were not the limit.
Chen Fan spoke again, "This river of rules belongs to me. On my rules, leave your imprints of Dao, and you may leave alive..."
This was what Chen Fan had just thought of.
His river of rules had had too many attribute rules exploded by himself.
He was wondering how to restore it.
Now, with so many people, so many test subjects.
He could try to see if he could use others' strength to help himself recover.
Any rule would do.
If I need it, I can have it.
"..."
Chen Fan's words made everyone's hearts clench.
"City Lord Chen..."
Tian Wen's tone was bitter, "If City Lord Chen makes us do this, it's better to kill us."
Who was a fool?
They could see that Chen Fan needed their Dao.
In the future, their cultivation would be for Chen Fan's benefit.
No one wanted their hard-earned cultivation and comprehension of Dao to become someone else's stepping stone.
Chen Fan's actions were to plunder their cultivation achievements.
Everyone was stunned, and they became anxious.
"City Lord Chen, what you are doing is cutting off our future. It's better to die than to do this..."
"Exactly, absolutely not."
"..."
They refused.
"Heh."
Chen Fan smiled, "Good, since you have chosen death, I shall fulfill your wish."
"Boom."
No one expected Chen Fan to act so suddenly.
Clang.
Sword of Deathly Energy.
The sword light was sharp, and a head flew off.
The crowd descended into chaos again.
In an instant, cold sweat appeared on everyone's faces.
Tian Wen's face was filled with bitterness, "City Lord, please stop."
They had thought there was room for negotiation, but it turned out they had no choice at all.
"City Lord Chen, I agree..."
Someone agreed.
With someone taking the lead, the others, unable to escape the fear of death, agreed one after another.
Even Tian Wen agreed.
"Hmph."
Chen Fan snorted, "A bunch of cheapskates."
If I didn't kill you, did you really think this City Lord was easy to talk to?
I gave you a chance, and you dared to bargain with me.
"Truly cheapskates," Chen Fan cursed again.
"..."
No one dared to retort.
They had initially thought Chen Fan wanted them to leave their Dao imprints because he needed them.
Now, it seemed, they were merely fish on a chopping board, with no chance to resist.
Choose, or die.
"Alas."
Tian Wen led the way, and her Dao of Rules appeared above her head.
The next moment, a trace of an imprint slowly landed within Chen Fan's river of rules.
"Buzz."
Instantly, Chen Fan's river of rules radiated with vibrant life.
The vitality was faint.
In the chaotic realm of rules, a portion of the chaotic rules belonging to life instantly converged.
After converging, a tributary of rules appeared.
It was very weak.
Compared to the Great Dao of the Five Elements, Yin and Yang, and Death, the tributary of life was pathetically weak, not even as thick as a strand of hair.
"Feasible."
Chen Fan's eyes lit up.
It was indeed possible.
After Tian Wen's rules were integrated, Chen Fan directly comprehended the insights belonging to Tian Wen.
"Life, it's actually life."
Chen Fan looked at Tian Wen in surprise, "I didn't expect you to be of the life attribute."
Tian Wen smiled bitterly, "As long as the City Lord is satisfied."
She also felt that her comprehension of the rules of life had been stolen.
Yes, stolen.
The word "stolen" seemed appropriate.
Her years of comprehension of the rules of life had all been shared.
Thinking about it, she felt a pang of bitterness.
Perhaps living was still better.
Who wanted to die?
It was just that from now on, her comprehension of life would always be shared with Chen Fan, equivalent to her helping him cultivate.
"Very good."
Chen Fan nodded with satisfaction, "You can live. Stand aside."
Tian Wen cupped her fists and stepped aside.
She was injured.
Tian Wen did not rush to recover but watched the integration of the others.
The second person stepped forward and cupped her fists, "Earth Sect, An Ran..."
She was also a female supreme being.
Chen Fan nodded, indicating for her to leave her imprint.
With Tian Wen having spoken, An Ran was less resistant.
Wood.
This woman was of the wood attribute.
The Great Dao of Wood integrated into the Five Elements domain.
An Ran's comprehension was shared with Chen Fan.
"En?"
Just then, An Ran's eyes suddenly lit up.
Sharing was mutual.
She also received Chen Fan's comprehension of the wood attribute.
Chen Fan's domain was deeper than hers.
"Boom."
A green light suddenly rose from An Ran's body.