On the way back, Chen Fan was lost in thought.
Yi Fu actually knew the Imperial Corpse, not only knew it but also asked Chen Fan to help suppress it.
Was there any enmity between them?
Well, it was highly possible.
...
Inside the inn.
"City Lord."
Tian Zai quickly stepped forward, "You're back."
"Mhm."
Chen Fan glanced at Tian Zai, saying nothing.
This fellow Tian Zai, after Chen Fan saved his life this time, seemed to have developed some subtle, inexplicable thoughts.
What was he doing?
What was the meaning of such sycophancy?
Wu Sheng stepped forward and asked, "Did you ask about my father?"
A large part of the reason he came forward was to follow in the footsteps of his father, Wu Ji Supreme.
"No."
Chen Fan shook his head, then explained, "I think Yi Fu must know something. That Heavenly Crown was brought to the Immortal Realm by your father, yet he wants to be the one to give it to me and make a deal with me."
This made things clear.
Yi Fu could make decisions regarding the Heavenly Crown.
Either Wu Ji Supreme was dead, and Yi Fu had seized the Heavenly Crown from him.
Or Wu Ji Supreme had given the Heavenly Crown to him.
The second possibility was more likely. Based on Tian Zai's understanding of Wu Ji Supreme, that person was definitely a peerless genius rarely seen in a million years, and such an existence would not fall so easily.
"Focus on cultivating properly first."
Chen Fan said, "As long as we obtain the Heavenly Crown, I believe we should be able to find news of your father."
"..."
Wu Sheng said no more.
Finding his father was important, but his own cultivation was even more crucial.
"I understand."
Wu Sheng nodded and returned to his room to cultivate on his own.
Chen Fan looked at Huang Die and said again, "I will try my best to find a way to help you restore your physical body."
"Thank you."
Huang Die flapped its wings.
Saying nothing.
They left together with Tian Zai.
Finally, Chen Fan's gaze fell on Pang Tong, and he asked, "How have you been lately?"
"Pretty good."
Pang Tong's smile was a little strained.
He didn't say anything, but his smile was somewhat awkward.
"Your cultivation hasn't grown much recently." Chen Fan added.
"Mhm."
"How about this."
Chen Fan thought for a moment, "I see you cultivate the earth attribute, right?"
"Yes."
"I have a way for you, but I don't know if you're willing."
"Can I become stronger?"
"Yes."
Chen Fan was very sure of this. "I'm confident I can help you break through directly to the peak Supreme, even Grand Perfection is not impossible. Of course, this has both pros and cons. I won't mention the pros, but the con is that perhaps..."
"Perhaps what?"
"If I die, you will surely die."
"Huh?"
"I'm not joking."
Chen Fan explained, "The Grand Dao of rules I cultivate is different from yours, and even feels somewhat incompatible with this world. If you are willing to merge into my Grand Dao of rules, your life will be connected to mine."
"I am willing."
Before Chen Fan could finish, Pang Tong immediately agreed.
Chen Fan: "???"
So decisive?
In fact, he didn't understand the cultivators of the Immortal Realm at all.
As long as they could become powerful, they would do anything.
Even drinking water could lead to choking to death; cultivation was always accompanied by danger.
"Then all right."
Chen Fan said no more. "Since you are willing, come on."
*Rip.*
As soon as he finished speaking.
Chen Fan directly opened the long river of rules above his head.
The long river surged, and monstrous waves crashed.
"This..."
Pang Tong was stunned on the spot, swallowing hard. "City Lord, this is your... long river of rules?"
"Not entirely."
*Rumble.*
Monstrous waves churned.
Pang Tong immediately saw the flowing Grand Dao of Five Elements.
Among them, a giant yellow dragon rolled like a huge wave.
The rolling dragon exerted immense pressure on him.
"Sever your dao, and merge." Chen Fan instructed.
"Okay."
Pang Tong no longer hesitated.
He could feel that the rule of earth was many times stronger than the rule he had comprehended.
*Crack.*
A crisp sound that only Pang Tong could hear.
Instantly, his face paled slightly.
Then, without hesitation, he brought his severed rule into contact with Chen Fan's rule, and with a roar.
"Boom."
Pang Tong's aura began to grow rapidly.
The speed was astonishing. In the blink of an eye, his aura rose like rolling waves, layer upon layer.
Pang Tong's cultivation was not strong, only at the God level.
But at this moment, the God level was bypassed.
Beginner Supreme, Intermediate Supreme... Peak Supreme.
"Boom."
A leap in growth.
Peak Supreme was not the limit. When Pang Tong's cultivation blazed past all the way to Supreme Grand Perfection, even Chen Fan was shocked.
"Quite a deep foundation," Chen Fan remarked.
Without a deep foundation, Pang Tong could not have reached this level.
Finally...
*Bang.*
An Imperial Qi appeared on Pang Tong.
Imperial Qi had appeared.
This meant he had directly opened the door to the Imperial Dao. If he wished, he could become an Imperial Dao expert right now.
A single strand of Imperial Qi still made him an Imperial.
Although it was weak, many cultivators with insufficient talent would never be able to comprehend a second strand of Imperial Qi in their lives, ultimately only becoming a one-strand Imperial.
There were not few such people, but rather many.
After all, true prodigies were a minority.
After the single strand of Imperial Qi, Pang Tong's aura finally receded.
At this moment, he was already immensely excited, "City Lord, I..."
"Very good."
Chen Fan encouraged him.
The fact that Pang Tong could directly comprehend a strand of Imperial Qi was, to be honest, somewhat surprising even to him.
This was also his fortune.
"Alright."
Saying no more, Chen Fan patted his shoulder, "Cultivate well."
"Mhm."
Pang Tong nodded vigorously.
These past few days, although he hadn't said anything, he had still had some lingering dissatisfaction.
Following Chen Fan, his cultivation had hardly grown.
He had felt this, even if he didn't voice it.
Now, all his dissatisfaction had been resolved at once.
This fortune was given by the City Lord.
...
Ignoring Pang Tong's excitement, Chen Fan got up and left the room, soon finding the innkeeper.
"Senior."
These past few days, the innkeeper had been living an unprecedentedly comfortable life.
He hadn't felt this good in a long time.
In the Dead Tower, death qi appeared again, but it was very scarce, and he could easily refine it.
If he wished, he could even save up the death qi and endure it only when he could no longer bear it.
And all of this was thanks to Chen Fan.
Without Chen Fan, he would probably be dead by now.
Seeing Chen Fan approach him proactively, the innkeeper quickly stepped forward, "Sir, you've arrived."
"Mhm."
Chen Fan nodded and said, "I recall you mentioning before that someone wanted to hire me to drive away death qi, right?"
The innkeeper's eyes lit up, "Are you willing to help, sir?"
"Mhm."
Chen Fan nodded and said, "While helping you drive away death qi, I comprehended the rule of death. I think I need to experience even greater rules of death."
"That's wonderful,"
The innkeeper was overjoyed, "As long as you are willing, sir, I can find as much as you want."
The City of Freedom lacked many things, but it did not lack death qi.