The escaping army.
Bang.
The Sword Master fell into the Tenth Ground last.
"Many thanks to the City Lord."
The Sword Master looked up and met Chen Fan's gaze.
Chen Fan remained silent, his expression somber as he looked at the figure before him, so ancient it seemed ready to crumble into dust.
"Senior."
Chen Fan quickly stepped forward, his divine sense scanning the Sword Master's condition.
In a deep tone, he asked, "How could you be like this?"
The Sword Master's state was like a twilight elder, as if he could dissipate into the wind and perish at any moment.
This was the Sword Master's current condition.
Chen Fan's earlier intervention was precisely to save the Sword Master who was covering their retreat.
The Sword Master's expression was calm. He said softly, "A mortal's lifespan of a hundred years is enough. I have lived for a million years, and now I finally return to the ordinary. A few more years to live is sufficient."
The Sword Master had truly shed his brilliance, leaving only ordinariness.
At this moment, no aura emanated from the Sword Master; he was like any ordinary old man.
"Senior..."
Chen Fan wanted to say more, but the Sword Master shook his head and interrupted, "City Lord, there is no need to say more. This is the path I have chosen."
He was an elder who only wished for an ordinary life.
"Alright."
Seeing this, Chen Fan had nothing more to say.
The Sword Master had clearly stated his stance.
"Alas."
Yet, the Sword Master still sighed and said, "It is a pity about the Ninth Ground. All efforts have been in vain."
Chen Fan's expression grew solemn. "What happened to the Ninth Ground?"
"What else could have happened?"
The Sword Master gave a wry smile. "It's gone, all gone. Everything, including life, has become nourishment for others to grow stronger."
Chen Fan: "..."
The Tenth Ground was different from the Ninth Ground.
The Tenth Ground was very safe; almost everyone had survived.
The Sword Master sighed, "Fortunately, the City Lord protected the Tenth Ground. Otherwise... we wouldn't even have a place to escape to."
Upon hearing this, Chen Fan clearly detected a sense of unwillingness in the Sword Master's tone.
He had aspired to create a place where all races coexisted. When the million-year calamity descended, all his efforts were in vain.
His dream shattered in an instant.
In the end, he could only flee in a desperate manner.
Behind the Sword Master were the last embers of the Ninth Ground.
The Phantom Sect Master walked over and said in a deep voice, "The Ninth Ground is gone. It will only reappear after hundreds of thousands of years."
"Hmm?"
Chen Fan exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Phantom Sect Master, you say the Ninth Ground can reappear?"
"Of course."
The Phantom Sect Master nodded. "This is the order and rule of the Nine Heavens and Ten Grounds. Once any ground is completely refined, it will reappear after hundreds of thousands of years. New life will emerge in the Ninth Ground, multiplying and flourishing like nascent chaos."
Upon hearing this, Chen Fan's eyes flickered.
There was such a saying.
He turned to look at the Lord of Order in the distance, his expression solemn. "Senior, you are indeed formidable. The Nine Heavens and Ten Grounds you created possess such an ability."
The Lord of Order: "..."
He really wanted to say... this has nothing to do with me.
But the words he was about to say were swallowed back.
The Nine Heavens and Ten Grounds were indeed established by him, as was the order.
"But..."
Never mind, no one would know anyway.
Let it be.
Seeing that the Lord of Order remained silent, Chen Fan withdrew his gaze, a suspicion forming in his heart.
Perhaps... this was that ruined place.
Of course, he couldn't be entirely sure.
"Everyone, find a place to rest first," Chen Fan said.
Those who had escaped were all wounded.
How tragic.
"We should go help first."
The Phantom Sect Master shook his head. "We have lost. We can only come to the Tenth Ground to survive. Let's resolve the immediate trouble as quickly as possible."
The battle in the Tenth Ground was not yet over.
Indeed, the distant battle was still fierce.
The fighting continued and might not end anytime soon, even with four Rank Nine experts intervening.
"Alright."
Chen Fan agreed to the suggestion.
The Phantom Sect Master waved his hand, and the Great Emperors who had fled from the Ninth Ground immediately dragged their exhausted bodies to join the fray.
The Lord of Light also went, his injuries not severe.
"Senior."
Chen Fan looked at the Lord of Light. "Can you tell me about the situation in the Ninth Ground?"
"Certainly."
Although his heart was heavy, the Lord of Light still recounted the events in the Ninth Ground.
In the beginning, it was the same as the Tenth Ground: void channels opened, and light gates appeared.
A large number of powerful beings emerged from the void channels and began to slaughter the Ninth Ground.
"We could still hold them off at the start."
The Lord of Light's voice grew lower. "Until the Lord of Primal Fire appeared, the battlefield began to tilt decisively.
If not for the Sword Master breaking through at the last moment and intercepting the Primal Fire, we would all have perished in the Ninth Ground."
This was the truth, and the Lord of Light hid nothing.
"I never expected the Sword Master to be so powerful after breaking through to Rank Nine."
The Lord of Light's感慨 was not without reason.
The Sword Master had appeared, and although he was a newly promoted Rank Nine, his Dao Spirit was likely no more than a three-stage, yet he had managed to intercept the Primal Fire.
It was known that the Lords of the Upper Nine Heavens generally had condensed a seven-stage Dao Spirit.
This was the baseline.
Yet, such a peerless powerhouse was blocked by this new Rank Nine, the Sword Master.
That level of combat power almost made the Lord of Light envious to death.
Chen Fan, however, understood the source of the Sword Master's strength and shook his head. "Senior exchanged his lifespan for this combat power; it is not surprising."
This was the Sword Master's Dao, the Dao of mortality.
With a mortal body, he could rival gods.
"Alas."
The Lord of Light sighed.
He lacked the Sword Master's courage, and of course, even if he had it, he didn't have the Sword Master's Dao.
"What do we do next?" the Sword Master asked.
He still felt a sense of unwillingness.
"Let's leave it like this for now."
Chen Fan spoke. "We'll recover first, and then, we'll go check out the other realms."
There was nothing else they could do.
Most of those who had escaped were severely injured.
...
Watching everyone depart, only three people remained on the spot.
Chen Fan, the Lord of Order, and Zhan.
Chen Fan's gaze fell upon the Lord of Order. He clasped his fists and said, "Junior has some doubts in his heart. I wonder if Senior can enlighten me?"
"Certainly."
The Lord of Order nodded.
He had not left precisely because he wanted to win over allies.
Chen Fan was a potential ally he valued, and he was willing to answer his questions: "I will tell you anything I know."
"Then thank you, Senior."
Chen Fan was not polite and directly asked, "May I ask Senior, why did you help me?"
His gaze was fixed on the Lord of Order.
He was very curious.
After all, in the Lower Ten Grounds, there was another leader of the resistance.
The Thunder Lord.
That one was the true unparalleled prodigy.
Logically speaking, if the Lord of Order were to seek an ally, to launch a surprise attack, he would have sought out the Thunder Lord.
Why did he seek me out?
"I don't know."
The Lord of Order answered without thinking.
Before Chen Fan could ask, the Lord of Order continued, "I felt a faint whisper in you, I can't explain it clearly. I just feel that you can help me with my revenge."
His greatest wish was revenge.
Chen Fan looked at him and smiled. "And then Senior will continue to rule the Nine Heavens and Ten Grounds."
"Of course."
This was his ambition, and the Lord of Order disdained to lie. "We can cooperate for now. As for other matters, we'll discuss them after revenge is achieved."