The six Heavenly Emperors spoke calmly, their auras clashing.
"Realm Lord."
One of the two who arrived together spoke, "We are here to jointly defend against the enemy with the Realm Lord."
"Indeed."
Emperor Cang nodded, "Emperor Mie speaks the truth."
The four, Emperor Cang, Emperor Mie, Ni Chang, and Hun... stood together, intending to support Emperor Stone.
Emperor Stone and the Tiger Soul beside him, however, felt a strong sense of hostility.
The six sixth-order Heavenly Emperors of the Stone Realm had always been on opposing sides.
"Hmph."
Emperor Stone's expression was grave, "You four, are you so impatient?"
He no longer wished to speak in such an ambiguous manner.
Ni Chang smiled, "What does the Realm Lord mean by that?"
"Hmph."
Tiger Soul was Emperor Stone's most loyal follower.
He snorted coldly, "Do you truly think the Realm Lord doesn't know what you four are thinking? As outsiders, the Realm Lord took you in that day, and yet you plot to seize the Stone Realm, traitors..."
Ni Chang, the four of them, were all native Heavenly Emperors of the Stone Realm.
They had joined the Stone Realm later.
Hun sneered, "Tiger Soul, what do you mean by that?"
"You know what I mean."
"Tiger Soul."
Hun's expression turned grim, "You keep provoking me, do you truly think I dare not kill you?"
"You can try..."
"Tiger Soul, be quiet."
Emperor Stone rebuked, "We are all Heavenly Emperors of the Stone Realm, do not engage in infighting."
Tiger Soul immediately fell silent.
He was a demonic beast who had become an Emperor, cultivating all the way to the Heavenly Emperor realm, and was the Realm Lord's most loyal follower.
It was normal for him to have a temper.
"Everyone..."
Just as Emperor Stone was about to speak.
"Tiger Soul, come and fight."
Emperor Mie's voice boomed, and he attacked instantly, "Today, you will pay the price for repeatedly provoking me."
Boom.
Hun's attack was too sudden.
So sudden that the Stone Realm Lord hadn't even reacted.
Even Tiger Soul hadn't reacted before Hun whisked him away.
Emperor Stone's expression changed, "Stop..."
He said, preparing to attack.
"Realm Lord."
Emperor Mie and Emperor Cang appeared before Emperor Stone, blocking his attempt to rescue Tiger Soul.
He said solemnly, "Tiger Soul has repeatedly provoked fellow Daoist Hun, let them have a fight. As long as it's not a fight to the death, a bout will dissipate the anger."
Emperor Mie's tone was light and airy.
But Emperor Stone's face was terrifyingly grim.
However, he was also a man of deep calculation.
After a brief pause, he nodded, "There's no other way, it has to be this way."
Ni Chang spoke again, "To ensure neither of them kills the other, the Realm Lord and we can observe here. If either side resorts to killing, we can intervene in time."
Subtly, the three blocked Emperor Stone's path back to his realm.
"You three stay here."
Emperor Stone added, "I trust your impartiality. I have matters to attend to and must return immediately."
"That won't do."
The three were unyielding, refusing to let the Realm Lord leave.
Blocking his path, they said solemnly, "Without the Realm Lord here, neither of us has the confidence to separate these two who have truly entered a fierce battle. We can only rely on the Realm Lord."
Emperor Stone: "..."
He realized then that these three would absolutely not allow him to leave.
Sigh.
Now, he could only sigh inwardly.
He said no more, only hoping that Hun and Tiger Soul could finish their fight quickly.
However, Emperor Stone still said, "One of you three, go kill that brat and bring him back."
The Stone Realm Lord pointed at Chen Fan.
The three looked at each other, and none moved.
Ni Chang smiled, "He's just a fourth-order Heavenly Emperor, easily killed. He won't dare to run while we're here. Let's wait until the battle above is over."
Ni Chang's voice was not quiet, and it reached Chen Fan's ears, seemingly intended for him.
Chen Fan understood instantly, stood at a distance, cupped his fists, and said, "Junior Chen Fan has offended the Stone Realm Lord, I am truly sorry. When the two seniors have decided the victor, this junior will surrender himself and accept whatever punishment the Realm Lord deems fit."
"You..."
"Good."
Just as Emperor Stone was about to speak.
Emperor Cang's voice overrode his, "Then stay right there and don't move, otherwise, I'll kill you first."
"I definitely won't move," Chen Fan said earnestly.
At this moment, no matter what, he would not move.
He saw clearly that Emperor Mie, Emperor Cang, and Ni Chang were all on guard against Emperor Stone.
Emperor Stone was powerful, and without knowing how badly he was injured, the three dared not split up.
Only by joining forces could they restrain Emperor Stone.
And the fight between Hun and Tiger Soul was meant to keep Emperor Stone here.
Before they arrived, they had sensed the turmoil in the Stone Realm's Great Dao universe, but they didn't know how much strength the Realm Lord still possessed, so they hadn't acted rashly.
Both sides were probing each other.
Emperor Stone's injuries could only be healed quickly by returning to his realm.
Currently, Emperor Stone was using the power of his world to conceal his injuries, and constantly pulling on the world's power also came at a price.
Therefore, as long as Emperor Stone was kept here, the longer it took, the more serious his injuries would become.
Under such circumstances, how could Chen Fan possibly leave?
...
"City Lord."
Emperor Mad returned, approaching the City Lord, a trace of lingering fear on his face, "Your subordinate almost didn't make it back."
"It's fine if you don't make it back."
Chen Fan, in an extremely good mood at the moment, smiled, "Even if you die, I can revive you, as long as the time of death does not exceed one day."
"Heh."
Hearing the City Lord say this, Emperor Mad smiled.
Yes, this was very good.
No need to fear death, as the City Lord could revive people.
Old Demon Chu also approached from a distance. This fellow had been watching from the side, not joining the fight, nor returning to the Life and Death Realm.
The three of them now stared intently at the battle ahead.
For a time, the fight between Hun and Tiger Soul captured everyone's attention.
...
"Roar."
Tiger Soul roared, directly transforming into his true form.
Tiger Soul's true form was a magnificent tiger, with the 'King' character on its forehead branded onto heaven and earth, directly imprinted on Hun.
Bang.
Hun's body flew backward.
His aura was somewhat unstable.
This blow had wounded his Great Dao.
"You court death," Hun roared in anger.
Whoosh.
Instantly, his body dispersed, turning into soul smoke that entwined around Tiger Soul.
The battle rules of the two were grand, fighting back and forth in the chaos, seemingly entering a fight to the death.
Unfortunately, the two appeared to be evenly matched, fighting for a full half an hour without a victor.
And it looked like they could continue for another three days and three nights.
...
This scene was good news for others.
However, Emperor Stone's expression grew increasingly grim.
His eyes gradually filled with intense killing intent.
"Tiger Soul has betrayed me."
If he still couldn't understand this by now, he wouldn't deserve to be the Realm Lord.
Hun's strength was indeed superior to Tiger Soul's.
If Tiger Soul was losing, he could have simply admitted defeat.
But this was clearly a delay tactic.
Despite the fierce battle, even their Great Dao was injured.
However, such injuries were nothing to a sixth-order Heavenly Emperor.
And in this half-hour, Emperor Stone had been constantly drawing on the power of his world to conceal his Dao injuries.
As a result, his condition was worsening.
He glanced subtly at the three surrounding him.
Emperor Mie and the other two, while watching the battle ahead, had their consciousness focused on him.
"Damn it."
Emperor Stone was secretly anxious.
Tiger Soul's betrayal was something he hadn't anticipated.
If this continued, his injuries would worsen.
The five of them had clearly reached some kind of agreement, preparing to carve him up.
"I must save myself."
Emperor Stone remained outwardly calm, but his mind was racing.
He had to find a solution quickly, otherwise... it would be perilous.
Although Emperors Mie, Cang, and Ni Chang did not speak, they were transmitting messages under Emperor Stone's watchful eye.
"How is it, can you tell?" Ni Chang asked.
"No."
Emperor Mie replied, "The world's power conceals it, we can't detect anything."
Emperor Cang said, "Are we just going to delay like this?"
"It's the only way."
Ni Chang responded, "Emperor Stone is injured, and he never leaves his world. Today... is our only chance. If we fail this time, we will continue to be controlled by him, his slaves."
Emperor Shi, though he had taken them in years ago, had enslaved them for countless years.
At this moment, a fluctuation spread.
Hun's voice echoed in the minds of the three, "This time, we must kill him."
Tiger Soul's voice followed closely, "I've served him for over a hundred thousand years, and I'm sick of it. If I don't kill him today, I'll die."
The five of them reached a decision in an instant.
This time, they absolutely would not let the Realm Lord leave.
...
While the five were deliberating.
Chen Fan and his two companions were not idle either.
"Prepare yourselves."
Chen Fan's voice echoed in Emperor Mad and Old Demon Chu's ears.
"Prepare for what?"
Emperor Mad and Old Demon Chu didn't react immediately.
"Prepare to invade the Stone Realm."
"Huh?"
What did he mean?
The two were bewildered and also startled by the City Lord's words.
This... this was six Heavenly Emperors!
With six sixth-order Heavenly Emperors present, you wanted to invade their Stone Realm?
"Don't rush."
Chen Fan said, "Later, when they start fighting, remember, once they start fighting, I will directly take you into the Stone Realm. We will only have thirty seconds. Plunder frantically, then follow my orders to leave."
Thirty seconds was the time Chen Fan had calculated.
Ni Chang and the others would not allow him to plunder the Stone Realm wantonly.
Once too much was plundered, if even one of them returned, they would be dead, and their Life and Death Realm would be destroyed.
Plunder for thirty seconds, then leave.
This was just a small taste, and compared to the life of the Stone Realm Lord, it was not as important.
"Alright."
Emperor Mad and Old Demon Chu hadn't fully understood, but it didn't stop them from obeying.
After all, whatever the City Lord said, went.
"Emperor Mad."
Chen Fan continued, "Listen to my command later. Do exactly as I say, without the slightest deviation."
"Yes."
Emperor Mad fell silent.
Buzz.
As soon as the words fell, a surge of Life and Death power entered Emperor Mad's body.
This power belonged to Chen Fan, temporarily lent to Emperor Mad.
"Prepare."
Emperor Mad's expression was solemn.
"Now, immediately return to the Life and Death Realm, shrink the world, and drive it away..."
Whoosh.
Emperor Mad hesitated not at all.
He turned and instantly plunged into the vast Life and Death Realm.
And the moment Emperor Mad left, all eyes turned towards Chen Fan and his companions.
Buzz.
The Life and Death Realm began to shrink rapidly.
With Chen Fan's authorization, Emperor Mad could do this.
Boom.
Simultaneously, Emperor Mad's body erupted with Life and Death power.
The long river of time was in turmoil.
Emperor Stone's eyes lit up, "He's trying to escape, capture him quickly..."
"This..."
Emperor Cang and the other two were momentarily unable to react.
Should they go or not?
In the brief moment of hesitation, Emperor Stone made his move.
"Kill."
The power of his world transformed into a petrified divine mountain.
Boom.
The divine mountain descended abruptly, directly suppressing Emperor Mie.
Under the immense pressure of the world's power, Emperor Mie's body was shattered beneath the divine mountain.
"Ah..."
A piercing scream echoed through heaven and earth.
Emperor Mie was instantly killed.