In the Realm of Life and Death, two individuals remained apart from the fabric of heaven and earth. One was the Immortal Emperor, and the other was the old demon Chu.
At this moment, the old demon Chu was truly radiating demonic energy, his colossal form soaring a hundred zhang, within which countless phantom figures of demons were gestured.
"City Lord."
The old demon Chu dispelled his demonic aura. "It is done."
"Congratulations."
One of their own had achieved the Heavenly Emperor fruit status. The power of the Realm of Life and Death had once again grown immensely. The benefits a single Heavenly Emperor could bring to a world were comparable to those of ten Emperor Venerables. This was a difference in tier.
"Heh."
The old demon Chu looked at the Mad Emperor. Their relationship was decent, yet they had always been secretly competing. Now, with the old demon Chu having stepped into the Heavenly Emperor realm first, the gaze he directed at the Mad Emperor changed: "Old fellow, you're still not there."
"..." The Mad Emperor.
Facing the old demon Chu's taunts, the Mad Emperor's expression turned frighteningly grim. *Damn it...*
"Hmph, don't get too smug. Within three days, this Emperor will also achieve the Heavenly Emperor fruit status," the Mad Emperor retorted, unwilling to concede. As one of the City Lord's two top enforcers, he could never admit defeat.
"Tsk tsk."
The old demon Chu's gaze was full of smugness. The Mad Emperor seethed with rage but was helpless. In the end, he could only turn his head away, refusing to engage with this fellow. He was, after all, not yet a Heavenly Emperor, still a sliver short.
"Alright, alright."
Their animosity wasn't a recent development. Chen Fan stepped forward to mediate. "Let's go. Before the Destroyed Great World is discovered, we'll attack other fifth-tier great worlds. Let's try to destroy a few more."
"Good."
No one objected. Even the Immortal Emperor emerged once more from Sword City. Plundering fifth-tier great worlds yielded immense rewards. Both the power of the Great Dao and the power of the world were of tremendous benefit to everyone. Plunder became addictive.
"Let's go."
The group set out again. This time, Zhao Kai was left behind. Chen Fan instructed, "Conceal the world. If anything unexpected happens, immediately drive the world to escape."
Their first foray had been reckless, deploying all top-tier combatants. In such a situation, if someone were to raid the Realm of Life and Death, it would be an unbearable blow. To prevent their home from being stolen, one person had to remain. Zhao Kai was the perfect candidate. Though not a Heavenly Emperor, but a top-tier third-tier Emperor Venerable, he could mobilize half the world's power, while the power of life itself remained uncontrolled for now.
Within the mist, the group entered once more.
"Look there..."
Upon entering, everyone immediately looked towards the Destroyed Great World. The aura of destruction still lingered around it, faint but not yet dissipated. It should not be discovered for a while.
"Which one next?" everyone asked eagerly.
Chen Fan remained silent, his gaze sweeping continuously. Finally, he settled on an incredibly eerie fifth-tier world.
"Let's go check that one." Chen Fan directly broke through the air. The group quickly followed.
Power of Yin and Death. This world was enveloped by a large amount of Yin and Death energy. A brief perception of it evoked a feeling of being in hell.
"I'll take this one." Yin and Death, while not originating from the same source as Death, could be indistinguishable. Chen Fan naturally stepped forward. The power of life receded, and the power of death permeated his body.
*Hummm.*
The world's barrier rippled like water as Chen Fan's figure merged into it.
...
An hour later.
*Dong.*
The Realm of Yin and Death trembled violently. In the Divine Firmament Domain, each world was separated by immense distances. After all, they needed to absorb chaotic energy, and if worlds were too close, they might suffer energy deficiencies.
Within the Realm of Yin and Death, the battle had already begun. Unlike the Destroyed Great World, the Realm of Yin and Death was guarded by two fifth-tier Heavenly Emperors.
*Rumble.*
The great battle commenced, and the entire world was on the verge of shattering. The combat was fierce. Overlord and the old demon Chu teamed up to entangle one fifth-tier Heavenly Emperor. Chen Fan and the Immortal Emperor fought in tandem. Others, hiding behind the battlefield, waited for the fight to end.
*Clang.*
The Heavenly Cloud Sword cleaved through heaven and earth. One strike, ending a life. The cycle of life and death flowed, severing one of the fifth-tier Heavenly Emperor's arms.
"Descend." The man suddenly let out a great shout. At the zenith of the sky, with a 'boom', the Great Dao Universe appeared, and the man began to draw upon its power. Torrential Yin and Death energy surged through heaven and earth, entering the man's body.
"My Lord is the Dao Master." The man's aura began to surge. The rolling Yin and Death energy transformed ten thousand li around him into a domain of death.
Just as the man was drawing the power of the Great Dao into his body...
In another battlefield, the man entangled by the combined efforts of Overlord and the old demon Chu simultaneously roared, "World Power, come..."
*Dong.*
The world vibrated. Threads of energy permeated the entire Realm of Yin and Death, extending towards him and being absorbed into his body.
"This is..."
Everyone was dumbfounded. A world had only one World Master. The World Master wielded the power of the Great Dao and the world, as a matter of course. But the scene before them stunned everyone. In the Realm of Yin and Death, the Great Dao and the world's power had separated, controlled by two individuals.
"What's going on?" Chen Fan was bewildered and looked to the Immortal Emperor opposite him. The Immortal Emperor shook his head. "I don't know either..." Such a situation had never appeared in his fleshly body's memories.
"Hmph." Their opponent snorted. "It's not that strange. I am the Dao Master, controlling the power of the Great Dao of the Yin and Death Realm. My brother is the World Master, controlling the power of the world of the Yin and Death Realm."
They were brothers. Chen Fan suddenly understood and said, "This world, you inherited it?" The other party remained silent, but Chen Fan felt his guess was correct. This world did not originally belong to the two of them. The previous World Master had either perished or departed, leaving behind an ownerless world. Later, the two brothers rose, each absorbing the world's and the Great Dao's power, becoming the Dao Master and World Master.
"Understood." Chen Fan nodded and added, "So, it seems... easier to kill."
The Immortal Emperor replied, "Indeed."
"Then... let's kill."
"Kill."
At this moment, the two no longer held back. They unleashed their full power.
*Rumble.*
The combined might of the two, at full power, suppressed the Dao Master of the Yin and Death Realm. As for the old demon Chu and Overlord, their situation was dire, bleeding profusely under the World Master's onslaught.
"Damn it, I can't hold on anymore." From within the surging demonic flames, the old demon Chu's curses could be heard. "City Lord, if you don't help soon, I'm going to be beaten to death."
"Fight." Overlord's battle intent surged. Even while suppressed, he refused to yield.
...
The battle in the Realm of Yin and Death was brutal. Meanwhile... in the Divine Firmament Domain.
*Hummm.*
Above the Divine Firmament Domain, a figure appeared. His gaze was brilliant, and his Emperor's aura permeated the entire Divine Firmament Domain. His gaze pierced through the mist of the Divine Firmament Domain, seeing into the distant depths of the chaos. The next moment, his voice resonated, spreading throughout the Divine Firmament Domain, "The Celestial Pillar has changed. Decree: Each seventh-tier world shall dispatch one Great Emperor, sixth-tier worlds, one sixth-tier Heavenly Emperor, and fifth-tier worlds, one fifth-tier Heavenly Emperor."
"Gather the strength of my Divine Firmament to repel the enemy beyond the Celestial Pillar. This Emperor... shall be the commander."
*Rumble.*
The voice echoed through heaven and earth. The long-peaceful Divine Firmament Domain suddenly erupted into chaos. In each great world, powerful beings opened their eyes. One after another, experts emerged from their worlds, heeding the Divine Firmament's decree to join the battle.