In this era, no one understands Chen Fan's importance better than Huangdie.
The Dao Opener.
Through countless ages, prodigious talents and monstrous geniuses have emerged.
The Three Thousand Great Daos have long since been opened by others.
Those beings are invariably darlings of heaven and earth.
Every Dao Opener is a naturally gifted existence.
Even heavenly will favors them, for they have contributed to and perfected this world, thus receiving its preferential treatment.
Huangdie's greatest current hope is to recover her physical body.
The bodies of Supremes are different; for them to recover, they must first obtain the permission of heaven and earth, a feat more difficult than ascending to the heavens.
Huangdie had already abandoned the idea of recovering her physical body.
To live on as a soul, waiting for the day when heaven and earth tired of her, marking her eventual demise.
But now, Chen Fan had appeared.
The emergence of a Dao Opener had rekindled the long-dormant heart of Huangdie.
A Dao Opener held great hope of intercepting the Heavenly Dao and restoring her physical body.
Thus, she acted.
Tian Zai's expression was solemn: "Can you tell me the reason?"
Huangdie shook her head.
She knew Tian Zai's temperament; if he knew Chen Fan was a Dao Opener, he would likely attack Chen Fan without hesitation, claim him, or even… seize his physical body.
The foremost among the Eight Generals of the Ancient Fiends was never a placid individual.
Years of dormancy might have made him seem devoid of worldly cares, but upon seeing a powerful opportunity, he would strike without remorse.
Tian Zai was a madman.
A madman who would do anything for power.
Huangdie offered no reason, but her resolute obstruction of Tian Zai was clear.
Regardless of the cataclysmic battles raging behind her, she remained unfazed.
"You are no match for me."
The peace in Tian Zai's eyes gradually receded, replaced by a burgeoning brutality. "Having finally survived to this day, obstructing me will lead to your utter destruction."
"I know I am no match for you."
Huangdie was acutely aware of this. "But you are no longer the Tian Zai of the past. How much have you eroded of Wuji Supreme's three Supreme Daos over the years? Half, perhaps?"
"…"
Tian Zai remained silent.
Huangdie continued, "As long as Wuji Supreme is not dead, you can never erase his imprint."
"Boom."
Above Tian Zai's head, a black hole materialized.
That was his Dao.
It had not appeared for a long time, but today, after Huangdie's words, the black hole reappeared. "You are courting death."
Huangdie's words had touched his most sensitive nerve.
"Haha."
Huangdie burst into laughter and retreated instantly.
The further she retreated, the clearer Tian Zai appeared in her pupils.
"Are you truly going through with this?"
Huangdie understood Tian Zai, and Tian Zai understood Huangdie.
Huangdie's attacks grew more powerful with distance.
For their kind, there was a saying that perfectly described them: a single flap of a Huangdie's wings in the primordial forest could conjure a world-shattering storm at the ends of the earth.
As long as the enemy remained within the Huangdie's sight, the further they were, the stronger the wing-flaps' power became.
"If our words do not align, further talk is futile."
Huangdie's voice reached Tian Zai's ears. "From the day you devoured the Black Fire Lotus Platform, this day was inevitable."
"Jie jie."
Hearing this, the brutality in Tian Zai's eyes reached its zenith. "So you knew all along. You kept it so secret back then. Indeed, I suspected someone had discovered it then. I never imagined you would endure for so many years without revealing it."
"Hmph, if I had revealed it then, would I still be alive today?"
"Boom."
Far away, ice clouds shattered: "Stop."
White Bone Forest called for a halt.
Chen Fan sheathed his sword and looked at White Bone Forest. "Are you ready to speak?"
At this moment, White Bone Forest was covered in countless wounds, as was Chen Fan.
"Wait a moment."
White Bone Forest said, "Let me clarify some things."
"...Alright." Chen Fan agreed.
White Bone Forest boomed, "Huangdie, is what you just said true?"
"Ask him yourself."
"Boss…"
White Bone Forest looked at Tian Zai, whose aura grew increasingly violent. "Is what Huangdie said true? Did you kill Black Fire Lotus Platform?"
Years ago, the eight fiends had fled the Eastern Region to Damelia, their bond stronger than that of blood brothers.
Wuji Supreme had pursued them and wounded them all.
Black Fire Lotus Platform had died in that great battle, critically injured.
Everyone assumed that it was all due to Wuji Supreme, that his attack was too heavy, leading to Black Fire Lotus Platform's demise.
Now, it seemed there was more to the story.
"Jie jie."
At this point, Tian Zai no longer concealed it, chuckling sinisterly. "That's right, I devoured Black Fire Lotus Platform."
White Bone Forest's eyes widened with fury: "Why?"
"Why?"
Tian Zai smiled cruelly. "It's his fault for not giving me the lotus heart. Since he wouldn't, I took it myself. What's wrong with that?"
Was it overbearing? Perhaps…
The world of cultivators was such; if you had something good, and I needed it, I would take it. No problem.
However, such actions were unacceptable among brothers.
The Eight Generals of the Ancient Fiends all knew that Black Fire Lotus Platform's true form was a black lotus, capable of producing only one lotus seed in its lifetime, possessing the effect of reviving the dead and healing bones. But that was also the lifeblood of Black Fire Lotus Platform; without it, he would die.
Tian Zai wanting the lotus seed was akin to wanting Black Fire Lotus Platform's life.
"Bastard."
White Bone Forest was on the verge of madness. "Tian Zai, you damn bastard, you even kill your brothers. I respected you for so many years, you bastard, you lied to me…"
"Hmph."
His roar was met with Tian Zai's disdain.
If you're foolish, who's to blame?
What was wrong with the strong exploiting the weak?
"I will kill you."
White Bone Forest went mad, forgetting Chen Fan for the moment. He roared, "City Lord Chen, help me kill Tian Zai, and I will tell you the whereabouts of Wuji Supreme. Otherwise, even if you beat me to death, I won't tell you."
"...Alright."
Chen Fan agreed after less than a second of thought.
So what if it was Tian Zai?
Anyone who stood between me and the information about Wuji Supreme was a stumbling block.
"Huangdie, let's join forces."
White Bone Forest had never been this enraged, not even when he submitted to Wuji Supreme.
A brother could be killed by others, but not by one of their own.
That would be too heartbreaking.
"Chii."
Huangdie offered no verbal response, merely flicking her wings.
With a slight flutter of her wings, a massive spatial rift appeared behind Tian Zai.
Void winds surged from the rift, buffeting Tian Zai.
Tian Zai stood like a mountain, unfazed by the gales.
"Is that all you've got?"
Tian Zai sneered. "If this is all, even the three of you combined stand no chance."
"Oh?"
Huangdie's retort made Tian Zai pause.
Immediately, another rift appeared within the spatial rift.
"Chii."
A thin stream of air, as fine as a hair, blew out and lightly brushed past Tian Zai.
Puff.
As blood bloomed, an arm was severed by the hair-like stream.