The sky above, a battle against the heavens.
With the high-end combatants entering the fray, the final stage of the conflict had arrived.
The battle erupted with such speed.
"Die."
Tinuk's eyes were red.
Soul power slammed against the Sacred Emperor's spiritual defenses, finally creating a crack.
This gave him a glimmer of hope.
Like a great river, if a breach appeared, an endless stream of water would widen it, making it larger and larger until it finally broke its banks.
Having created the opening, Tinuk would not let it go.
Buzz!
The world seemed to turn scarlet.
He unleashed his full power, holding nothing back.
On the other side, Chen Fan also saw an opportunity.
"Kill."
The Ame no Murakumo-no-Tsurugi tore through the heavens and earth.
Miles away, skyscrapers crumbled.
The sword's might was terrifying.
"Fall."
The Sacred Emperor's face was grim.
His scepter glowed, and the gravity domain erupted once more.
With a boom, it was as if a heavy hammer struck Chen Fan, causing his sword light to falter.
"Ching!"
The sword light was deflected by the gravity domain.
In the distance, a great mountain within the Sacred Mountain's territory was cleaved in two by a single sword strike.
Tinuk was also crushed by the gravity domain. His soul was momentarily sluggish, and he spat blood from his mouth.
His physical body was struggling to endure.
Being strong in soul did not mean being strong in body.
"Die."
The gravity domain began to shrink.
The smaller the area, the stronger the gravity.
Tinuk's physical body began to show cracks.
He was nearing his limit.
"Open."
The Ame no Murakumo-no-Tsurugi struck again.
The gravity domain was torn open once more, giving Chen Fan and Tinuk a moment to breathe.
The Sacred Emperor was too powerful.
Chen Fan's expression was grave; this opponent was stronger than anticipated.
"It's time to use my trump cards."
If the battle continued like this, it would be disadvantageous.
The Dark Church could only hold Qin Wang Shi for an hour.
They could not afford to delay.
"Buzz."
The Golden Silk Cicada Robe expanded, pushing back against the gravity domain.
Unlike the Ame no Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, the Golden Silk Cicada Robe was a complete divine artifact.
Concealment, disappearance...
Chen Fan's figure vanished abruptly within the gravity domain.
"Huh?"
The Sacred Emperor's expression suddenly changed.
He had truly disappeared, his aura completely gone.
Chen Fan had vanished from his sight.
"What's happening?"
The Sacred Emperor was bewildered, but then a sense of intense crisis washed over him.
Simultaneously, the Gravity Scepter seemed to sense something.
"Ching."
Sword light, a sudden appearance behind the Sacred Emperor's head.
Boom!
Powerful energy surged from the Sacred Emperor's body.
The energy of a Great Perfection realm, as abundant as crashing ocean waves.
A sword appeared.
This time, it was not sword light, but the sword itself.
The surging energy was torn apart and slashed towards the Pope's head.
Crisis...
At the critical moment, the gravity domain instantly materialized around the Pope's body.
The Sacred Emperor's mastery of the Gravity Scepter had reached a point of effortless control.
Unfortunately, this time, the effect of the gravity domain vanished on Chen Fan.
"A divine artifact?"
The Sacred Emperor, with his heaven-blessed talent, instantly understood.
Only a divine artifact could counter a divine artifact.
"Clang."
The sword light descended.
At the critical moment, the Sacred Emperor raised the Gravity Scepter.
Clang!
The sound of metal striking metal spread outwards in clear ripples.
The Gravity Scepter suddenly snapped.
The Ame no Murakumo-no-Tsurugi was too sharp; it severed the Gravity Scepter and took one of the Sacred Emperor's arms.
"Ah..."
The Sacred Emperor screamed.
He had never suffered such a severe blow.
Tinuk seized the opportunity, his soul power attacking ferociously.
The gap widened, threatening to break its banks.
With just a little more effort...
"Whoosh."
The Sacred Emperor ignored Tinuk, retreating with the remaining half of the Gravity Scepter.
Flesh and blood writhed at the wound, and in an instant, a complete arm reappeared.
The new arm was as tender as an infant's skin. This arm was still weak, but it was better than being armless.
"So the other divine artifact is also in your possession," the Sacred Emperor's eyes were red.
He seemed oblivious to the soul attack, his gaze fixed on Chen Fan.
"Heh."
Chen Fan smiled faintly, his body glowing.
He confessed, yes.
The other divine artifact is also with me.
"So..."
The Sacred Emperor recalled another matter: "That wisp of aura that leaked from the Gate of Space, you took that as well."
So that portal was called the Gate of Space.
And, from the Sacred Emperor's words, he knew of the Gate of Space's existence.
Not just the Sacred Emperor, but others might know as well.
"That's right."
Chen Fan nodded.
"Hoo."
Seeing Chen Fan nod, the Sacred Emperor relaxed instead: "This means there isn't another strong individual wielding a divine artifact hidden in the shadows. That puts my mind at ease."
Chen Fan: "???"
The Sacred Emperor smiled, and the half-broken scepter in his hand slowly melted, eventually turning into a bead: "I was originally guarding against a hidden presence, but since there is no such person, I can go all out."
"..."
Chen Fan frowned.
At this moment, the Sacred Emperor grasped the bead left from the melted scepter.
The Gravity Orb, the true divine artifact, appeared.
No longer in the form of a scepter, it was time to reveal its true power.
Rumble!
At this moment, the sky seemed to thunder.
The Sacred Emperor's aura continued to climb.
Concurrently, the Gravity Orb began to glow, ripples spreading outwards, forming a gravity domain.
Looking up again, a trace of excitement appeared in the Sacred Emperor's eyes: "Two divine artifacts, I must thank you for delivering them..."
"Boom."
Gravity reappeared.
This time, Tinuk's body instantly plummeted from the sky.
His physical body could no longer endure.
At the same time, Chen Fan felt an irresistible gravity descending.
The Golden Silk Cicada Robe could not even withstand the gravity domain.
Different effects, different capabilities.
The Gravity Orb was more suited for combat.
"Kill."
The Sacred Emperor struck again.
This time, he hurled the Gravity Orb.
Rumble!
The world seemed to be shattering.
Chen Fan's expression was grave as he met the attack with his sword.
"Kill."
Clang!
The heavens and earth shook as the two engaged in battle.
Chen Fan coughed up blood from the first strike.
The Sacred Emperor's realm had advanced further than before.
Rumble!
The two immediately fought fiercely, exchanging blows more than a hundred times in the blink of an eye.
It was too fast for the naked eye to follow.
Bang.
The Gravity Orb struck Chen Fan's chest.
The Golden Silk Cicada Robe blocked the Gravity Orb, but the gravity permeated his body.
His internal organs shifted, nearly bursting.
"Whoa!"
Chen Fan spat blood and retreated, his Ame no Murakumo-no-Tsurugi slashing forward.
Clang!
The sword light was blocked by the Gravity Orb.
"You... are not enough..."
At this moment, the Sacred Emperor, like a deity, looked down upon Chen Fan from above.
"Is that so?"
Chen Fan remained composed, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
His internal organs had shifted.
But so what?
"Come..."
Chen Fan's fighting spirit began to surge.
He hadn't had such a thrilling fight in a long time; he was already eager.
Whoosh.
A sword pagoda shot up into the sky.
"Kill."
A roar erupted, shaking the heavens and earth.