Chen Fan's physical body was cracking.
This time, he had exerted too much power.
The Path of Death, summoning deceased heroic spirits to aid in battle, placed an immense burden on Chen Fan.
It was only because he had just broken through to the Great Perfection of the Supreme Realm; otherwise, his physical body would have exploded just now.
It wouldn't have been able to withstand it.
"Haha."
Chen Fan laughed heartily, "This City Lord always keeps his word. Fight, kill to your heart's content, unleash your final glory."
The army of the dead arrived, riding the wind and rain.
"I, Heng Jiutian."
Amidst the dense figures, a burly man charged out first.
His body pulsed with a volcanic, tyrannical aura. He threw a punch.
"Dong."
With this punch, the burly man unleashed a volcano.
The volcano erupted, and boundless lava rained down, engulfing Ni.
Yet, the burly man himself was reduced to dust and smoke by this punch.
Heng Jiutian, for the last time, displayed his splendor upon this land.
This powerhouse, who had died countless years ago, finally returned to the heavens and earth, entered the cycle of reincarnation, and the last trace of him in this world completely dissipated.
"Heavenly Green Mountain Saintess, Mo Ling'er."
With a light cry, Kong Ling transformed into boundless flames.
A phoenix, burning with crimson flames, swooped from the heavens and plunged into the lava.
There, Ni, having just torn through the lava, met the descending phoenix.
Li.
A phoenix cry echoed, becoming the final resounding note.
"Kunwu."
"Thousand-Hand Desirous Maiden."
"Jade Palace, Qiao'er..."
"..."
These were individuals, some famous, some unknown, all unleashing their attacks.
After a single strike, all of them returned to the heavens and earth, their final traces vanishing.
"Ah..."
Ni was no longer the handsome and confident figure he once was.
Under the relentless onslaught, he was in a sorry state.
His handsome face was shattered again and again, and his treasured attire was also torn to pieces.
Even the heavenly blade that could clash with the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi shattered.
The continuous barrage of attacks was enough to break anyone's psychological defense.
"You actually wield such a Great Dao."
Ni counterattacked with all his might.
But the more he fought back, the more powerless he felt.
His strength had already been depleted by half, while the heroic spirits opposite him remained as numerous as ever, stretching as far as the eye could see.
And Chen Fan stood among the endless heroic spirits.
"Heh heh."
Chen Fan's cold laughter was the only response to Ni.
"Good, good, good."
Ni laughed in rage, "Today, your luck holds. Wait and see, my Twelve Palaces will hunt you to the ends of the earth. Chen Fan, you will understand the magnitude of the upheaval your actions today will cause. Haha... Wait and see, it won't just be the Twelve Palaces; those who hunt you next will be so numerous they'll drive you to despair."
"When you are in despair, this Palace Lord will personally come to claim your life."
"Everyone, retreat..."
Ni gave the order to retreat.
Despite his unwillingness, there was nothing he could do.
There were too many heroic spirits. If this continued, he would be worn down and killed here.
He had to leave while he still had some strength.
"Open."
The power of the rules tore open space, and he, along with the remaining subordinates of the Twelve Palaces, plunged in.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Han Ye, driven to madness by the battle, lunged to pursue them.
"Du."
Chen Fan let out a loud shout, shaking Han Ye's mind.
Han Ye, who had been in a frenzied state, instantly regained clarity.
The moment he regained consciousness, his face turned ashen, and he swayed, falling from the sky.
"Pang Tong."
Chen Fan only had time to call out Pang Tong's name before his physical body, with a series of 'kaka' sounds, fractured.
He... had also reached his limit.
If Ni had lasted a moment longer, he would have witnessed this.
Fortunately, the other party had left first.
"Gather."
His remaining strength forced his physical body back together.
Then, Chen Fan looked at the countless heroic spirits and said, "Thank you, seniors, for your assistance. I will now fulfill the promise I made to you..."
Hoo.
He exhaled a deep breath.
The Great Dao reappeared, starkly divided into black and white, like two worlds of yin and yang: "Seniors, please proceed."
Ka.
Chen Fan's physical body could no longer bear it and completely collapsed.
This time, even his soul bore cracks.
The Wheel of Life and Death.
The dense heroic spirits looked at Chen Fan and clasped their fists, "Thank you."
As their voices fell, their figures surged towards the Wheel of Life and Death.
"Kaka kaka."
Beneath the Wheel of Life and Death, the heroic spirits were crushed, their souls returning to the heavens and earth.
Chen Fan endured immense pain.
Yet, he still upheld his promise.
"Weng."
A trace of mysterious power seeped from the Wheel of Life and Death.
The power landed on Chen Fan, and his fractured soul seemed to be infused with new life.
The trend of his soul cracking was alleviated.
As more mysterious power flowed in, his soul began to repair.
"Are you helping me?"
The Wheel of Life and Death continued to spin, crushing the last vestiges of the heroic spirits in this world.
Does this world have reincarnation?
No one could say for sure.
In the eyes of cultivators, returning to the heavens and earth was the best outcome.
Therefore, they entered the Wheel of Life and Death without hesitation.
Without pain, they silently vanished from the world.
The last bit of power was left for Chen Fan.
This man who had awakened them from their stupor, granted them one final rebirth, and then sent them on their way to the heavens and earth.
He was already utterly exhausted, yet he had not forgotten his promise.
Even with his soul fractured and on the brink of death, he had still honored his word.
"Thank you."
Numerous souls clasped their fists, or bowed.
There were many powerful individuals, and many ordinary ones too. Their expressions of gratitude might have differed, but their sincerity was the same.
"Ka."
The Wheel of Life and Death finally collapsed.
All the heroic spirits had returned to the heavens and earth.
At this moment, Chen Fan's soul and body finally found respite.
"Thanks."
The heroic spirits thanked him, and he thanked the heroic spirits.
In the distance, Pang Tong, holding an infant, walked over in shock, "Brother, you can awaken the dead?"
It was too astonishing.
Let alone him, even Han Ye, despite being in the process of recovery, his divine sense swept over Chen Fan intermittently.
As if waiting for his answer.
"What is it?"
With his body fully recovered, Chen Fan felt inclined to chat for a bit.
The area within a ten-mile radius was cleared.
Besides, Han Ye was still recovering, still expelling the power of the Seven Emotions from his body.
"Gulp."
Pang Tong swallowed, speaking with a touch of caution, "Legend has it, in the Immortal Realm, there was once a person who could summon deceased heroic spirits to fight..."
"En?"
Chen Fan was perplexed. Why was he telling him this?
"Don't rush."
Pang Tong's expression was complex, but he urged Chen Fan to wait, "Did you know, that legendary person cultivated the Great Dao of the Undead, and then... then he alarmed the Five Heavenly Emperors."
"Alarmed the Five Heavenly Emperors?" Chen Fan was surprised.
The Five Heavenly Emperors were the true rulers of the Immortal Realm.
To alarm them, and why?
Beside them, Han Ye suddenly opened his eyes, "Before the Western Heavenly Emperor ascended the throne, he had an opponent. They battled for a hundred years, and in the end, the current Western Heavenly Emperor won by half a move, slaying his opponent. And that person who cultivated the Great Dao of the Undead, summoned the one who had vied for the throne with the Western Heavenly Emperor."