Eighth-Order Late Stage

The heavy stone door slammed shut.

In the center of the secret chamber, the subterranean fire surged and erupted, its intense red light baking the stone walls until they glowed a deep red.

Chen Fan sat cross-legged on the Fire Eye, and with a wave of his sleeve, the hundreds of boxes of Earth Vein Spirit Marrow Fire Fiend Beast Cores that he had plundered from the Myriad Sword Pavilion and Wild Lion Valley exploded all at once. The dense, almost liquefied energy surged into a huge vortex, frantically pouring into the top of his head.

"Send it to me!"

Chen Fan let out a low shout, and the Qi and Blood in his body surged like a river, producing a muffled thunderous roar.

The Life-and-Death Millstone suddenly appeared behind it.

Between the originally distinct gray-black death aura and crimson Qi and Blood, a Mortal Dust Spiritual Light acted like an indestructible bridge, binding the two together.

Click!

It felt as if some invisible, hard barrier inside my body shattered in response.

Chen Fan's bones crackled and popped like popping beans, his pale golden bone marrow frantically produced blood, and violent energy surged through his meridians, causing every inch of his muscles to reorganize and transform.

The True Essence, which had originally been stuck in the Eighth-Level Mid Stage, surged forward with unstoppable momentum, heading straight for the peak of the Eighth-Order Late Stage!

That vast and ferocious aura caused the subterranean fire of the entire Black Wind Mountains to flow backward, and the magma churned and roared in the tunnel, but he firmly suppressed it within a small area, not letting a single drop leak out of the mountain.

Dawn breaks.

Chen Fan opened his eyes, his gaze bright and clear, which then turned into a calm and serene expression.

"Eighth-Order Late Stage... This physique can finally barely withstand some strain."

He brushed the pebbles off his robes, pushed open the heavy stone door, and stepped out of the Cave.

The morning dew outside the cave was still wet, and Wang Dafu was dozing against a rock, drool still hanging from the corner of his mouth. Hearing the noise, the fat man jumped up with a start, wiping the cold sweat from his face.

"Chief! You've emerged from seclusion? Our scouts in Red Rock City report that they're reportedly scouring the world for troops..."

Chen Fan casually took out a warm, smooth Body-Protection Jade Pendant from his Storage Ring and tossed it to him.

"Hang it around your neck, so you won't get hung up and whipped in the mine next time."

Wang Dafu held the jade pendant, his eyes wide with surprise. This was Top-Tier Seventh-Rank Defensive Treasure that Li Qianfeng the Myriad Sword Pavilion wore close to his body!

"Chief, this is far too precious; with all this fat on me..."

"Stop talking nonsense and wear it."

Chen Fan walked through the camp, he saw several teenage tribal children practicing their boxing early in the morning, shirtless and shouting strange noises.

He stepped forward, kicked one of the boys to straighten his stance, and casually stuffed two Body-Tempering Blood Pills into his hand.

"Make sure you're firmly planted before you start shouting. If your base is as loose as if you're stepping on cotton, it'll be a disgrace to the Fire Crow Tribe."

The children received the pills, their faces flushed with excitement, and they responded loudly.

Chen Fan stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing at the swirling, menacing sea of clouds to the north.

Is it just about living in a corner of the world?

He was never one to settle for a quiet life confined to his small plot of land. Moreover, the stronger the Fortune this clone gathered in the Great Wilderness, the more powerful the force it would feed back to his Divine Kingdom. If he was going to fight, then he would fight to the bitter end!

Call!

A gentle breeze swept by, and the figure of the boy in white had vanished from the cliff.

Profound Nether Main City, City Lord's Mansion.

Two rows of heavily Ironclad Guards stood on either side of the vermilion gate, exuding a stern aura.

However, when a figure in white strolled leisurely across the Main Street and up the steps, all the guards gasped, and cold sweat instantly seeped from their hands gripping their halberds.

No one dared to draw their sword, and no one dared to stop them.

Yesterday, the Demon God who splattered blood on the stone steps and instantly killed two sect leaders—who in the Great Wilderness doesn't know him?

Good morning, brothers. Have you eaten yet?

Chen Fan waved with a smile at the stiff-faced gatekeeper, and without stopping, pushed open the door and walked straight into the main hall.

Deep within the hall, the Profound Nether City Lord sat upright on a heavy iron chair, holding a yellowed Battle Report in his hand, his brows furrowed.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up, a forced smile appearing on his dignified, aged face.

"Young friend Chen Fan? What brings you here today? Is there some trouble during the handover of the mine?"

"The mine is in excellent condition, and Dafu is keeping a close eye on it; there won't be any problems."

Chen Fan pulled out a large black wooden chair, sat down without any hesitation, picked up the freshly brewed hot tea on the table, took a sip, and got straight to the point.

"I've come to deliver a huge deal to the city lord."

A hint of wariness flashed in the eyes of the Profound Nether City Lord: "I would like to hear the details."

"Within three days, our two families will join forces, march north out of Black Wind Gorge, and sweep through Crimson Red Rock City." Chen Fan put down his teacup, his tone casual as if discussing hunting a wild rabbit in the back mountains. "The Three Ancestors of Red Rock City are dead, and they are leaderless. Let's take over their territory spanning tens of thousands of miles, including their mines, population, and spirit fields, and we'll split the spoils fifty-fifty."

Click!

The jade tea tray in the Profound Nether City Lord's hand was instantly crushed into powder.

The old man, who had dominated the region for hundreds of years, suddenly stood up, his face darkening.

"Absurd! Utter nonsense!"

He strode up to Chen Fan, lowered his voice, and spoke urgently and sternly.

"Chen Fan, do you think that after destroying the Three Ancestors, Red Rock City is just a piece of fat meat on the chopping block? The Great Wilderness has its Great Wilderness rules!"

"For tens of thousands of years, the major cities have watched over and helped each other, and have long since made a blood oath. If you rashly provoke a war to destroy the city, do you think the surrounding Giant Spirit Cities will sit idly by? They will all rise up and attack you, and the entire Profound Nether Main City will be buried with you!"

Chen Fan leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow as he looked at him.

"So what?"

"So know when to stop!" The Profound Nether City Lord flicked his sleeves, his tone carrying an unquestionable, didactic tone.

"The Black Wind Ore Vein is yours now, and both of your family's assets have fallen into the hands of the Fire Crow Tribe. You've already gained the upper hand! Focus on managing your stronghold honestly, and in a hundred years, the Fire Crow Tribe will naturally be able to establish itself firmly in the Great Wilderness! Young man, greed is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant; it will only bring about your own destruction!"

A hush fell over the hall.

Chen Fan looked down at the tea leaves floating in the teacup and suddenly laughed out loud.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it carried an undisguised hint of mockery.

"Why are you laughing?!"

The Profound Nether City Lord frowned deeply, the suppressed anger in his heart suddenly ignited by this laughter.

"I laugh at you for sitting on this iron chair for three hundred years, softening your Martial Dao bones and turning your former ambitions into lard on your back."

Chen Fan slowly stood up, his originally gentle gaze gradually turning cold.

"The Great Wilderness Pact? Where was your alliance when Red Rock City sent men to slaughter my Mine Slaves and seize my spiritual veins? Where were your rules when their three ancestors set up a fragmented scroll array in Copper Furnace Fortress to refine me to death?"

"You're not afraid of breaking the rules, you're afraid of dying, afraid of losing, afraid of losing all the wealth and glory you have in this city."

"Presumptuous!!"

The Profound Nether City Lord completely tore off his mask of hypocrisy, his face turning ashen. As a powerful figure at the Half-Step Ninth Tier, how could he have ever been so humiliated by a junior pointing his finger at him like this?!

"Chen Fan! I've tolerated you time and again because you're a talented person, do you really think I'm afraid of you?!"

A violent burst of True Essence erupted from the old man's body like a storm, causing the furnishings of the entire main hall to shake violently under the terrifying pressure, and the Defensive Runes on the walls to flash wildly.