A Ninth-Tier Great Emperor fancied Yin-Yang and wished to strike a deal with Chen Fan.
"Please, speak, Senior," Chen Fan said.
Chen Fan didn't know what the other party wanted, but he had to listen. Even though the other party wasn't present. Furthermore, he was curious about what kind of deal the other party wanted to make.
"When we meet again, help my brother reverse Yin-Yang before he goes mad," the voice came.
It wasn't difficult, but it revealed the other party's state of mind. If they could return to that battle, Fire Dragon would be restored.
"Alright," Chen Fan agreed without hesitation. Striking a deal with a Ninth-Tier Great Emperor was always a profitable venture.
"Good," the voice replied again. "As a return, I will leave a trace of a Ninth-Tier Great Emperor's full-power strike here."
Chen Fan was overjoyed. "How can I obtain it?"
Yin-Yang was profoundly mysterious. This memory might appear in a segment of the other party's recollection before they departed. If he had this memory, he could leave the item behind.
"Within the volcano, there is a rusty sword. Take it when you need it. When the time comes, simply infuse it with the Great Dao of Yin-Yang, and it will be activated..." the voice responded.
The other party hadn't left behind overly complicated procedures. All that was needed was the Dao of Yin-Yang to utilize it.
"Thank you, Senior."
The full-power strike of a Ninth-Tier Great Emperor, how powerful would it be? Could it instantly kill an Eighth-Tier? Perhaps. Chen Fan recalled the battle between the Dragon King and Emperor Shenxiao. It was too high-level. But still, it might be possible.
The scene abruptly cut off.
...
Chen Fan opened his eyes and could no longer sense the Dao rhymes of this place. However, a memory from a very long time ago now resided in his mind. It was a dream-like recollection, a conversation across time with a Ninth-Tier Great Emperor. The memory felt incredibly real, as if it had truly happened. And the Fire Dao present here was deliberately left by the other party.
"Hoo."
Taking a deep breath of stale air, Chen Fan plunged into the magma. Soon, in an inconspicuous corner, he found the broken sword. The rusty, broken sword had lain in the magma for an immeasurable time, yet it showed no signs of decay. Holding it, Chen Fan could sense the world-shattering power contained within.
"So strong." Chen Fan was shocked and quickly put away the broken sword. This item would be his greatest trump card in the future, his greatest safeguard for survival.
"That's enough." Chen Fan smiled. Time must have passed significantly. With a look of satisfaction, he walked out of the spatial world of the Gravity Treasure Orb.
Outside!
Within the Realm of Life and Death.
"Hmm?" As soon as Chen Fan appeared, he detected a familiar aura. "Lightning tribulation?" How could there be a lightning tribulation?
...
In the chaos.
*Bang.*
The Immortal Emperor collapsed onto the canopy of the Realm of Life and Death as if exhausted. A colossal face peered through the world's barrier, visible to the entire world. A feat only gods could accomplish.
"It's never-ending," the Immortal Emperor panted. He was truly out of strength. The Emperor weapon in his hand felt like he was carrying a world. He had already endured nineteen lightning tribulations. Above him, the twentieth was brewing. He had surpassed the dual nines, yet the lightning tribulation seemed relentless and refused to recede.
*Boom.*
Finally, the twentieth lightning tribulation arrived.
"Sigh." The Immortal Emperor sighed. There was truly nothing he could do. He couldn't withstand it anymore. "Even the Path of Fleshly Body can attract lightning tribulations. It's worth dying for," the Immortal Emperor chuckled wryly.
From afar...
*Boom.*
The power of life and death pierced through heaven and earth. Old Demon Chu returned, colliding head-on with the lightning tribulation. His body was instantly sent flying, and his Dao of Life and Death was nearly shattered.
"Ouch." Old Demon Chu writhed in pain, yet cursed, "Old fellow, what did you do to attract so many lightning tribulations?" He had heard everything. Within the range of the Realm of Life and Death's grand Dao radiation, communication was easy. He had run for nearly a day before finally returning.
The Immortal Emperor gave a wry smile. "I don't know..." He truly wasn't lying. "Could it be the cellular space?" the Immortal Emperor speculated. But that didn't seem right. This hadn't happened before; why was it suddenly occurring today? There was no explanation.
*Boom.*
At this moment, the twenty-first lightning tribulation also arrived. From afar, in the midst of the primordial chaos... the Heavenly Emperor of the Realm of Life and Death was desperately rushing back. But it was too late. The lightning tribulation had already descended...
Just as everyone glared with rage, and the lightning tribulation was about to strike the Immortal Emperor's physical body, the Immortal Emperor suddenly rolled over and ran...
"What's the point of running..." Old Demon Chu cursed. If lightning tribulations could be evaded by running, they wouldn't be called lightning tribulations. But before he could finish speaking, he froze. The lightning tribulation didn't pursue the Immortal Emperor.
From afar...
"Damn it, I knew it." The Immortal Emperor went mad. "This lightning tribulation isn't aimed at me at all. How could I, a cultivator of the Fleshly Body Path, attract lightning tribulations?" His words were filled with grievance. Recalling carefully, he had been blocking the sky above the Realm of Life and Death, making him a target.
"Then who is this lightning tribulation looking for?" Old Demon Chu blinked.
"Do I even need to say?" The Immortal Emperor didn't want to speak anymore. He was exhausted. All his efforts were spent deflecting disaster for someone else.
...
"I say, everyone..." The familiar voice made the Immortal Emperor even more aggrieved. "Where has my Sword City gone? Who took it?"
*Bang.*
The lightning was directly shattered. A figure emerged from the world. His calm gaze fell upon the Immortal Emperor and Old Demon Chu. He asked again, "Where is Sword City? I was clearly in seclusion in Sword City. Why is it gone when I came out?" He was still asking when the lightning clouds overhead began to dissipate.
"Why the hurry to leave?" Chen Fan smiled. "Seeing old friends, don't you want to chat for a while?"
*Chz.*
The lightning clouds instantly dispersed.
Chat, my ass.
"So unsociable," Chen Fan pouted and withdrew his gaze. Following his senses, he looked at the staff in the Immortal Emperor's hand. "Huh, an Emperor weapon?"
"Here, your Sword City..." The Immortal Emperor directly tossed the staff to Chen Fan. Chen Fan caught it. He hefted it and threw it back to the Immortal Emperor. "Since you found it, it means it's fated to be yours. A Seventh-Tier Emperor weapon, tsk tsk, it will significantly boost your combat power."
The Immortal Emperor took it without offering any thanks. He had already anticipated this outcome. Throwing it was merely a formality.
"A Seventh-Tier Emperor weapon?" Old Demon Chu's eyes lit up when he heard that. "Let me have a go at it..."
"Scram."
"Hey, hey, hey." Old Demon Chu was displeased. "I ran all the way back to save you, and you're this heartless." Damn it, this kind of person has no friends. Old Demon Chu grumbled and sidled up to Chen Fan. "City Lord, do you have any other treasures? Give me something, I'm so miserable..."
"You." Chen Fan shook his head with a wry smile. Old Demon Chu was much older than him, yet his pretense of misery was quite convincing.
"Alright." Waving his hand, he said, "Now that everyone else is back, let's have a meeting."
"What meeting?" Old Demon Chu instinctively asked.
"To discuss how to battle Great Emperors..."