The atmosphere was somewhat desolate.
Huang Tian spoke again, "If you kill Huang Qi, Father won't care, but I will kill you."
This was a threat from a top-tier Emperor.
"What is your cultivation level?" Chen Fan asked back.
"Half Emperor."
"Hmm?"
Chen Fan was confused, "What is a Half Emperor?"
Having traveled alone, Chen Fan had many questions about the cultivation system of the Immortal Realm.
Huang Tian: "..."
He didn't even know this?
Huang Tian was speechless for a moment.
However, there was no need to hide the cultivation system. He spoke, "Above the Imperial Dao is the Half Emperor. Yifu City Lord was once the foremost person beneath the Heavenly Emperor, only one step away from entering the Heavenly Emperor realm. I am also a Half Emperor, but I do not possess the power of Yifu City Lord."
Yifu's status as the sixth strongest person in the world was not for show.
Chen Fan nodded.
Above the Imperial Dao was the Half Emperor, and after the Half Emperor came the Heavenly Emperor.
"Thank you for the clarification."
Chen Fan cupped his fists, "To thank you for the clarification, I will leave Huang Qi's complete corpse for you to collect. Come kill me if you wish. I will wait for you in Freedom City."
"...No room for negotiation?"
"None."
Chen Fan's expression was stern, "He ordered the massacre of my Sword City citizens. Life for a life."
"Sigh."
Huang Tian sighed, "Must it be so?"
Chen Fan remained silent.
"Alright."
If it could not be changed, then it had to be accepted.
Huang Tian said, "No matter how disappointing Huang Qi is, he is still my brother, Huang Tian. If you must kill him, you might have to get past me first."
Huang Tian had no intention of dispersing this wisp of power.
The power of a Half Emperor.
"Let's test your strength," Huang Tian said.
With that said, there was no need for further words.
"Boom."
The river of rules opened.
Boundless power surged, sweeping through the galaxy.
The descending power seemed to purify heaven and earth, as if to re-create this world.
Huang Tian's figure looked up, "Not bad."
It was not easy to earn a word of praise from him.
"Boom."
The Milky Way descended, washing over Huang Tian's physical body.
Huang Tian's body was crystalline. Although it was merely a spectral projection, it possessed a solid form.
He seemed to be emerging from the illusory, transforming into a tangible entity.
In his hand, an iron staff appeared.
Huang Tian said, "My father's staff shook the world, and we, his descendants, must follow in his footsteps, tread this path, and battle all heavens."
"Bang."
The staff was raised.
With a single strike, thousands upon thousands of staff shadows appeared.
Each one carried a power that induced despair.
Rumble.
The water of the long river was directly shattered by a single staff strike.
Huang Tian's strength was evident.
"Impressive."
Huang Tian withdrew his staff, suddenly exclaiming.
His figure remained motionless.
"Brother."
Huang Qi, standing behind, was somewhat indignant, "Your 'Heaven Shattering Rod' couldn't even block his move, how is he impressive?"
"Sigh."
Huang Tian sighed, "Ignorant and incompetent. Today's death is the consequence of karma."
Huang Qi: "???"
Where did I go wrong?
As the question arose in his mind, Huang Qi's pupils rapidly constricted.
His brother's figure was collapsing.
Huang Tian looked at Chen Fan and said, "The path of myriad Daos, what great ambition. Are you trying to create heaven?"
With just one touch, Huang Tian had discerned many crucial details.
He continued, "I too have tried, but ultimately failed. Twelve Daos with one sword, very good. Leave Huang Qi's corpse, and I will come for you."
"I'll be waiting."
Bang.
Huang Tian's spectral form exploded.
Even at the very end, his eyes were fixed on Chen Fan.
It was unclear what he was looking at.
This scene horrified Huang Qi, "Impossible, you could shatter Huang Tian's physical body? Absolutely impossible."
Huang Qi was going mad.
In his understanding, Huang Tian was an invincible existence, second only to the Heavenly Emperor.
Even a clone, a spectral projection, would not be shattered by a single blow.
It was too terrifying.
Someone had shattered Huang Tian's spectral form with a single strike.
This was utterly impossible.
"Heh heh."
The response was still Chen Fan's cold laugh.
You talk too much, shut up.
"Boom."
The long sword slanted.
Infinite sword light poured down.
Each beam of sword light carried the power to cleave heaven.
"Get lost."
Huang Qi was on the verge of madness.
A jade pendant with the aura of a Heavenly Emperor on his waist began to glow.
With a 'boom', it shattered the ten thousand swords.
"Is this the power of a Heavenly Emperor?"
Chen Fan was shocked in his heart, but his face remained impassive.
Again.
"Chii."
One sword transformed into ten thousand swords.
It was as if a river of sword Daos poured down, engulfing Huang Qi.
The jade pendant, imbued with the power of a Heavenly Emperor, glowed, transforming into a shield of light that protected Huang Qi.
"Whoosh whoosh."
Despite the torrent of sword Daos washing over it, the light barrier remained unmoved.
Tenacious.
Huang Qi's heart settled, and he began to mock, "Chen Fan, you're too young to kill me.
You'll never know the foundation of the Imperial Palace. Just wait, someone will come to save this young master soon... and then, this young master will definitely flatten your Sword City."
"Noisy."
Chen Fan frowned, killing intent swirling in his eyes.
The river of sword Daos poured down incessantly from the heavens, washing over the Heavenly Emperor's jade pendant.
Time slowly passed...
Five minutes.
"Crack."
A crisp cracking sound caused the smile on Huang Qi's face to stiffen.
He looked down in horror at the jade pendant at his waist.
A crack had appeared on the Huang Long Jade Pendant.
"This... how is this possible?"
This was a treasure left by his father, and it was... about to break?
Impossible.
This was impossible.
...
"Trash."
Suddenly, Yan Wushuang's voice rang in Huang Qi's ears.
"What did you say?"
At this moment, Huang Qi was enveloped by the aura of death.
Under pressure, he seemed to have become a mad dog.
Yan Wushuang's words were extremely grating, "Yan Wushuang, you are further provoking the majesty of the Imperial Palace."
"Heh heh."
Yan Wushuang sneered, "I respect the Heavenly Emperor, but only the Heavenly Emperor. For a piece of trash like you, if not for relying on the foundation of the Imperial Palace, could you have achieved this?
For trash like you, without the Imperial Palace as your background, you wouldn't even have the right to converse with me, an ant... you are just one of them."
Yan Wushuang was exceptionally domineering.
What if he was the son of a Heavenly Emperor?
He only respected the strong, even if they were unknown.
Foundations and backgrounds were not choices.
He, Huang Qi, despite having the resources that others envied, had only reached this stage, truly a piece of trash.
"Yan Wushuang..."
Huang Qi's eyes turned red.
He was looked down upon again.
"Wait for death," Yan Wushuang said, and then ignored him.
Beside him, Qing Yu's eyes darted around, as if she had an idea.
"Don't move."
The Ninth Sword Cultivator suddenly spoke, "If you dare to move, you won't need Chen Cheng to act. I will personally strike you down."
This was a threat from the Ninth Sword Cultivator.
Qing Yu's expression stiffened.
Swordsmen were all stubborn fellows.
Life and death were not their concern, but they cared about agreements, contracts, and promises.
He would honor what he had promised earlier.
Qing Yu was somewhat unwilling and looked at Yan Wushuang, hoping to reach a consensus with him.
Unfortunately, Yan Wushuang's gaze was not on her at all; he was focused on the battle in the arena.