Wan Hua is dead.
Struck down by the Lord of Light in a surprise attack, killed instantly.
"Hahaha."
Chen Fan let out a hearty laugh at the scene, "Interesting."
Extremely interesting.
Chen Fan was overjoyed.
He hadn't seen anything so entertaining in a long time.
"Light."
Emperor Qian Si stared coldly at the Lord of Light, who was busy absorbing Wan Hua's legacy.
His voice was chillingly icy, "What do you mean by this?"
The Lord of Light raised an eyebrow, "I mean nothing, Qian Si... You don't even show me respect, why should I give you face?"
Qian Si: "..."
He understood.
He had only asked Chen Fan to spare Wan Hua, but hadn't said anything to the Lord of Light.
"Hehe."
Having devoured Wan Hua's power, the Lord of Light smiled with satisfaction, "Qian Si, can't hold back anymore? Want to join in a fight?"
"..."
Emperor Qian Si did not reply.
Instead, he looked at Light with a contemplative gaze.
After a long while, he chuckled, "Very well, Light... I'll wait until you two are done fighting."
*Buzz.*
His figure slowly distorted.
Until it vanished.
"Pah."
The Lord of Light smirked, "What a piece of work?"
Qian Si was gone, whether he could hear the Lord of Light's curses or not was uncertain... In any case, he didn't return, leaving the battlefield once again to the two of them.
As for the now deceased Wan Hua, no one cared.
It had to be said, he had died quite miserably.
All his legacy was split between the two.
Chen Fan obtained the dissipating Dao Spirit power, while the Lord of Light obtained his physical body and Great Dao power.
Fair and square.
"Continue?"
Chen Fan's lips curled.
*Boom.*
The Fist of Light erupted.
No more nonsense, let's fight.
*Rumble.*
The battle between the two resumed, and with their first moves, the sky and earth were torn apart.
"Chen Fan."
The Fist of Light pierced through the heavens and earth, repelling the Yin-Yang Dao Sword.
Then, a sky full of fist shadows descended, causing Chen Fan's physical body to constantly shatter, "Do you know what your biggest failure is?"
*Clang.*
Sword shadows filled the air, slicing through all the fist shadows.
The Sword Pagoda rose.
A pagoda conjured from myriad swords materialized, engulfing the Lord of Light.
Sword intent exploded, cutting through the power of light, "A mistake? This City Lord never makes mistakes."
*Boom.*
The Sword Pagoda quickly shattered, and the World Treasure Seal smashed down, "Still quite confident."
The two attacked each other with fierce blows, yet they continued their verbal sparring, "Your mistake is that you trust others too much."
"Hmm?"
Chen Fan was confused, "What do you mean?"
"Heh heh, do you really think Qian Si and Wu Xing would just let you pass?" He had already guessed Chen Fan's purpose.
"So what?"
*Boom.*
A clash between sword and treasure seal, autumn colors painted the screen.
Both sides retreated, then collided again with even more ferocious intensity, fighting wildly.
"Heh heh."
The Lord of Light sneered, "This time you've come to the Ninth Land, don't even think about leaving. For me too, the hope of leaving is extremely slim. It's easy to enter, hard to exit."
"Is that so?"
Chen Fan frowned.
This point, he hadn't considered.
The Lord of Light continued, "The Ninth Land is different from the Tenth Land. Let me tell you, no one has ever been able to leave the Ninth Land. It only allows entry, not exit."
Their voices were not loud, but they did not hide their words.
The Lord of Light had lived for a long time and knew many things others didn't.
Including the Ninth Land.
He continued, "Do you know how I killed the Lord of Thunder back then?"
"Hmm?"
"I don't mind telling you, the Lord of Thunder was severely injured while trying to leave the Ninth Land back then, which gave me the opportunity to join forces with others and kill him."
"..."
The Lord of Light knew Chen Fan didn't understand.
But since he wanted to speak now, he continued, "Back then, when the Lord of Order established the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, and created the chaos order, he was eventually besieged and killed, ultimately perishing. Before the Lord of Order died, his most powerful Imperial Weapon, the Order Celestial Scroll, was lost in the chaos."
"No one knows where the Order Celestial Scroll went, but the last moment it disappeared, it flashed in the Ninth Land. Therefore... the Ninth Land is a prison."
"Qian Si and Wu Xing are the overlords within this prison. No one can leave the Ninth Land."
Chen Fan: "???"
What are you talking about?
Seeing that he still didn't understand, the Lord of Light had to explain again, "The Order Celestial Scroll is in the Ninth Land, the place coveted by all Ninth-rank powerhouses of the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands. Until the Order Celestial Scroll is found, no one is allowed to leave the Ninth Realm."
"Even you and I, once we enter... we can't get out."
"The various overlords do not allow even the slightest possibility of the Order Celestial Scroll leaving the Ninth Land."
The Lord of Light continued to narrate.
*Boom.*
With their final exchange, the two were evenly matched, and they separated.
"What exactly do you want to say?" Chen Fan frowned.
"I want to say... even if you slaughter the Ninth Land, kill Qian Si and Wu Xing, and kill everyone including myself, you will never be able to leave the Ninth Land in this lifetime." The Lord of Light's tone was solemn.
"Tch."
Chen Fan sneered, "You're just trying to fool me. If what you say is true, then you can't leave either?"
"That's right." The Lord of Light nodded.
"Hmm?"
Chen Fan was surprised, "Really?"
This time, the Lord of Light's expression was much more serious.
"Then why did you come in?"
Chen Fan frowned, then a sharp glint flashed in his eyes.
He seemed to have guessed something.
The Lord of Light nodded, "That's right, I entered intentionally. You and I can join forces to break the dead end of the Ninth Land."
Intentionally entered.
"..."
Chen Fan frowned and remained silent for a long time.
He and the Lord of Light were mortal enemies.
This had been decided since he emerged from the Thunder Domain.
Yet now, the Lord of Light wanted to cooperate with him.
The Lord of Light continued, "I have information about the Order Celestial Scroll. If you and I join forces to seize the Order Celestial Scroll, all rewards except the Order Celestial Scroll will be yours."
"Heh heh."
Chen Fan sneered, "Whether what you say is true or false, do you take me for a fool?"
What a joke.
You want me to expend effort for you based on a promise of something that doesn't exist?
Is that possible?
I don't care about your Order Celestial Scroll or Earth Scroll, a blank check with no benefit. Only a fool would agree.
*Rumble.*
Although the two were talking, their hands did not stop.
*Pfft.*
Chen Fan spat out blood and stumbled back.
His Great Dao was somewhat unstable.
It had to be said, the Lord of Light was incredibly powerful.
Ninth-rank was still Ninth-rank.
Although it was a Ninth-rank from the Tenth Land, it still possessed its might.
And the Lord of Light on the opposite side was not faring any better.
The Dao of Life and Death circulated around him, severing life forces, creating purgatory.
A considerable amount of his life force had been worn away.
"Chen Fan."
The Lord of Light's face was solemn, "If you and I do not join forces, no one will be able to leave the Ninth Land."
"Only by joining forces can we have a chance to break the blockade."
"Heh heh."
Chen Fan smiled, "Joining forces is not impossible, but I need to see tangible benefits. Without benefits, we'll fight to the death today."
He disliked empty promises.