The Realm of Life and Death.
The world had been sealed for three hundred years.
On this day, within the Realm of Life and Death, powerful beings converged.
All of them gathered within Sword City.
Elder Demon Chu emerged from his residence, gazing at the assembled powerhouses, and calmly asked, "You are all gathered here, for what purpose?"
From the front, Mad Emperor stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Old demon, the Realm of Life and Death has been sealed for three hundred years, and three years have passed in the Chaos. Now, the energy in the Realm of Life and Death is depleted and cannot sustain the cultivation of everyone. I believe it is time to open the world gate."
When a world is closed, the flow of time becomes intertwined.
Three hundred years had passed within the world, while only three years had elapsed in the Chaos.
Elder Demon Chu shook his head. "We cannot open it."
"Hmph."
Mad Emperor snorted coldly and took a step forward. "Elder Demon Chu, what exactly are you trying to do?"
"Waiting..."
"Waiting for what? Waiting for you to break through to the fifth tier?" Mad Emperor's gaze turned significantly colder.
During this period, everyone had been cultivating.
This was how such a vast amount of heaven and earth energy had been consumed.
However, as it was solely for self-cultivation, it was much slower compared to plunder.
Everyone's progress had been slow, except for one person: Elder Demon Chu.
Over these three hundred years, Elder Demon Chu's cultivation had already neared the fifth tier.
Most importantly, a trace of the Dao of Life and Death had appeared within him.
"What do you want to say?" Elder Demon Chu's tone remained calm.
Yet, his heart felt a pang of bitterness.
Indeed, within the entire world, only his progress had been the greatest.
A trace of the Dao of Life and Death had even sprouted within him.
He, who walked the demonic path, had the Dao of Life and Death appear within him. Was this normal?
It was not normal at all.
But he had no explanation. Could he say he was nurturing the last trace of the life-and-death origin, and by chance, received the boon of the City Lord's lingering aura, thus making such rapid progress?
This was something Elder Demon Chu himself had not anticipated.
He knew what Mad Emperor and the others were thinking, but he could not provide an explanation.
*Dong.*
Overlord strode forward, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes. "Old demon, where is the City Lord?"
Those with straightforward personalities spoke like this, without any detours.
He directly asked, "Did you harm the City Lord?"
Yes.
This was the speculation of everyone.
The City Lord had disappeared for three hundred years, yet Elder Demon Chu's cultivation had continuously grown, and the Dao of Life and Death had even appeared within him.
Anyone with a modicum of intelligence would make such a connection.
Even Zhao Kai, the Lord of Death, who had previously supported Elder Demon Chu, now stood on the opposing side.
"Senior, where exactly is the City Lord?" Zhao Kai questioned.
His heart felt cold.
Because he felt that he might have been entangled in a conspiracy to harm the City Lord.
He dared not imagine the consequences of such a matter. If it were true, then...
He dared not think further.
Therefore, he desperately needed an answer.
"I apologize."
Elder Demon Chu remained calm. "I know what you are thinking, but please believe me. The City Lord will return soon."
Within Sword City, a surge of power began to rise, pressing down on Elder Demon Chu.
"Everyone."
From amidst the crowd, a weak voice rang out.
Everyone turned their heads, looking at a first-tier Emperor Sovereign who emerged.
Heavenly Calamity, the body of the Burrowing Sky Rat.
Although his cultivation was weak, no one dared to ignore him.
There was no choice. He had followed the City Lord from the lower realm all the way. While he could be ignored, if he spoke, he had to be taken seriously.
Heavenly Calamity stepped out, drawing everyone's attention, and said, "Actually, you don't need to doubt Senior Chu. All of us here might harm the City Lord, but he wouldn't. And...
The City Lord is so powerful, and he controls the Dao of Life and Death. Do you think anyone could harm the City Lord without a sound?"
His words were reasoned and well-founded.
However, the crowd did not accept them.
Overlord said, "Stop with the nonsense. I want to see the City Lord..."
"You cannot." Elder Demon Chu responded calmly.
"Boom."
There was no need for further words.
On this matter, there was nothing more to say.
One refused to allow a meeting, while the other insisted on it.
Overlord directly unleashed his aura, his blood qi like a torrent, pressing down on Elder Demon Chu.
On the opposite side, although Elder Demon Chu remained silent, ... *Boom*... demonic flames surged.
"Do you want to fight?" Elder Demon Chu's fighting spirit also ignited.
He was a demon, and demons were warlike.
Be it Overlord or Elder Demon Chu, both were battle-thirsty individuals.
And Elder Demon Chu, born a demon, had repeatedly been forced into a corner without the ability to retaliate.
Over these three hundred years, he had endured too much doubt.
This was not the first time...
"Then, fight..."
*Boom.*
The two directly ascended into the sky.
Demonic energy surged to the heavens, and blood qi flowed like dragons.
The two collided, their battle igniting in full force.
*Rumble rumble.*
The entire Upper Realm was affected, and the conflagration spread.
The moment they struck, they unleashed their full power, fighting as if the heavens and earth were collapsing.
"Roar."
"Roar."
The demonic dragon shattered the blood dragon and swept Overlord away with a flick of its tail.
His blood qi shattered, and Overlord spat out blood.
He... was no match for Elder Demon Chu.
"Come."
Yet, Overlord did not retreat a single step. He raised his hand and grabbed... a celestial body of flesh descended, power surging into his body.
This was the Realm of Life and Death. Elder Demon Chu was not from this realm and could not mobilize the power of the Great Dao.
"Kill."
The two collided again.
With the enhancement of the Great Dao's power, Overlord's combat strength surged. Most importantly, this was the Realm of Life and Death, his home ground.
The situation became a stalemate.
"Shatter the Heavens."
"Devour the Heavens."
The gluttonous beast's maw collided with the dragon of blood qi.
The roars reverberated throughout the entire Dao Universe.
The two fought as if the heavens and earth were collapsing.
The flames of battle spread, even threatening to burn through the Dao net and invade the lower realm.
*Hum.*
At the critical moment, the Immortal Emperor intervened.
With a single punch, he shattered heaven and earth.
"Stop."
The divine fist appeared between the two.
It blocked the attacks of both.
The two were forced apart, confronting each other from a distance...
"Do you wish to destroy the lower realm?" The Immortal Emperor emerged from Sword City, his gaze sweeping over the two.
A minor skirmish was acceptable, and venting their anger could be permitted.
However... the conflagration must not spread to the lower realm.
If the full power of two fourth-tier Heavenly Emperors clashed, and their battle ravaged the lower realm, it would be a disaster of apocalyptic proportions for the lower realm.
"I want to see the City Lord." Overlord did not retreat.
"You cannot."
"Elder Demon Chu also stood his ground.
"Yes, see the City Lord."
"If we do not see the City Lord today, we will not leave." Mad Emperor and Zhao Kai approached.
"If we do not see the City Lord today, then open the world gate..."
Everyone stood against Elder Demon Chu.
Only Heavenly Calamity and the White Bone Forest silently moved to Elder Demon Chu's side.
In the arena, there was also a Half-Emperor, Hong Si.
He also stood by Elder Demon Chu's side.
Compared to the opposing forces, their side was pitifully weak.
The Immortal Emperor frowned and looked at Elder Demon Chu. "What exactly is the City Lord doing? Why do you repeatedly obstruct him? What happened to the City Lord? If you know anything, speak up. Are you still going to keep it a secret after three hundred years of concealment?"
The Immortal Emperor vaguely sensed something.
"..."
Elder Demon Chu remained silent.
It was unspeakable. Even if this world were to shatter, he could not speak of it.
At this, even the Immortal Emperor could no longer stand there.
He shook his head and retreated.
The two sides began to gather their auras, and a powerful aura of confrontation was brewing.
"Hum."
Suddenly, a fragment of the life-and-death origin deep within Elder Demon Chu's mind trembled.