After leaving the City Lord's mansion, Ye Fan remained deeply troubled. He had underestimated City Lord Li.
Originally, Ye Fan thought that if he could cure City Lord Li's daughter, City Lord Li would view him with newfound respect, making an alliance effortless.
However, it seemed City Lord Li was a man of considerable depth and ulterior motives regarding him.
Yet, after a moment of thought, a smile curved Ye Fan's lips.
"Although this is Jiangnan City, it won't be so easy for them to use me."
Having lived two lives, Ye Fan had never feared anything.
Just as he exited the City Lord's mansion, a car sped towards him and stopped by his side.
"Mr. Ye, our master requests your presence."
The car doors opened, and two men stepped out, addressing Ye Fan with cold expressions.
Ye Fan paused, a frown creasing his brow.
"Your master? Who is it?"
From their demeanor, Ye Fan could tell they were no ordinary individuals and likely represented a prominent family.
He just wasn't sure which one.
Seeing Ye Fan show no fear, only vigilance, the two men offered faint smiles.
"Mr. Ye, we are acting on the orders of the Great Elder. He is waiting for you at the family estate."
Their attitude shifted instantly to one of politeness.
The Great Elder had specifically instructed them to treat Ye Fan as he would himself, forbidding any defiance.
Thus, their demeanor towards Ye Fan changed in an instant.
A subtle smile played on Ye Fan's lips. So it was the Great Elder.
It seemed he already knew Ye Fan was safe.
"Let's go."
Ye Fan smiled and entered the car.
The car sped along, quickly arriving at the Wang family's villa.
The Great Elder, along with core members of the family, personally came out to greet him.
Upon seeing Ye Fan alight from the car, the Great Elder's face lit up with joy.
"Brother Ye, we've finally managed to welcome you. Your presence at our Wang family is truly a momentous occasion!"
The Great Elder exclaimed with a hearty laugh, joined by the other members of the Wang family.
Many of them had met Ye Fan before and were aware of his capabilities.
Especially the Great Elder's confidantes, who had heard much about Ye Fan.
Seeing the Great Elder's genuine smile, Ye Fan quickly responded, "Great Elder, you are too kind. I've wanted to visit for a long time, but I never had the opportunity."
He then nodded to the other members of the Wang family, offering a polite smile.
In the Wang family's living room, the Great Elder occupied the main seat, with Ye Fan seated to his side. The other Wang family members were present, accompanying them.
"Brother Ye, I heard you had gone missing, and I dispatched our family members to search the entire Jiangnan City, but we couldn't find you. I was even contemplating sending people to inquire at the City Lord's mansion. I never expected you to emerge on your own. Truly, heaven blesses the benevolent."
The Great Elder was not lying. Upon hearing of Ye Fan's disappearance, the Great Elder had been extremely anxious and had sent people to search for a considerable time.
However, Ye Fan had been taken to a factory, and no matter how hard they searched, they would never have found him.
Hearing the Great Elder's words, Ye Fan chuckled.
"Thank you, Great Elder. It was merely a minor incident."
Ye Fan did not elaborate, as there were many ears around, and he could not say too much.
The Great Elder instantly understood Ye Fan's intention and nodded before waving his hand at the other Wang family members.
"Alright, you all should return to your tasks. Your presence is not needed here. This evening, we will all dine together to welcome Brother Ye."
The Wang family members nodded in unison and respectfully withdrew.
Only the Great Elder and Ye Fan remained in the hall. The Great Elder then asked in a low voice.
"Brother Ye, what exactly happened?"
It was unlikely Ye Fan would encounter trouble after leaving Jiangnan.
The only person he knew of who might have a grudge was Feng Xiao of the Feng family, but the Great Elder had had people watching Feng Xiao daily, and they hadn't observed anything unusual.
Therefore, he was perplexed as to what trouble Ye Fan might have encountered.
Observing the Great Elder's concerned gaze, Ye Fan let out a wry smile.
"Great Elder, do you know Mr. Bai Sha, Mr. Bai?"
Upon hearing Ye Fan's question, the Great Elder blinked in surprise and frowned. "You encountered him?"
The Great Elder was greatly astonished. Mr. Bai was a master from the Heavenly King's Mansion, someone he himself could barely meet easily. How could Ye Fan know him?
However, this was immediately followed by further shock. Mr. Bai's actions never left survivors. If Ye Fan had encountered him, how could he still be alive? This seemed impossible.
Watching the Great Elder's expression shift from one shade of shock to another, Ye Fan chuckled.
"I infiltrated the Tianbao Pavilion at night and ran into this Mr. Bai. I nearly died at his hands, but fortunately, I managed to escape. However, I was then captured by the Feng family's counterfeit factory, from which I barely managed to escape."
Ye Fan shook his head helplessly, sighing.
If not for his great fortune, he would likely have met a tragic end twice over.
The Great Elder was filled with shock, his gaze on Ye Fan radiating disbelief.
After a long moment, he sighed, "To survive a great calamity is to find future fortune. Brother Ye, your good days are about to begin."
"I know of this Mr. Bai. He is one of the Heavenly King's Mansion's Black and White Fiends, possessing formidable strength. None who he attacks ever survive. For you, Brother Ye, to have escaped him, this old man is truly impressed."
These words were spoken from the heart. Others might not understand Mr. Bai, but he understood him very well.
"Since Brother Ye has escaped, I assume there will be further actions soon? I heard you've dismantled that counterfeit factory, and this morning, Feng Xiao went to the Enforcement Team and has not yet emerged. I presume..."
The Great Elder was not foolish and naturally understood Ye Fan's intentions.
Ye Fan smiled, "The Great Elder is a wise man. With Feng Xiao currently detained by the Enforcement Team, this presents our opportunity. We should immediately move to suppress the Feng family's businesses. How much we can seize will depend on the Great Elder's methods."
Since the Great Elder's intentions were aligned with his, Ye Fan no longer had any worries.
Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, a sharp glint appeared in the Great Elder's eyes. "Excellent, I will dispatch people immediately. This is also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the Feng family."
The Great Elder's heart pounded with excitement.
For years, the Wang family and the Feng family, as the two largest families in Jiangnan City, had been engaged in covert rivalry, but neither had gained a decisive advantage.
Moreover, due to the constraints of the Heavenly King's Mansion, they dared not overstep.
After all, any damage to either of these families would represent a significant loss to the Heavenly King's Mansion.
Therefore, the Heavenly King's Mansion had always sent people to supervise them.
Now, with Ye Fan taking the lead and capitalizing on the Feng family's turmoil, he naturally intended to press his advantage.
Watching the Great Elder's excited expression, Ye Fan offered another wry smile. This old man was too competitive.
However, this was a good thing, as only such a person could uphold a great family.
But then, the smile on Ye Fan's face gradually faded, replaced by a solemnity, and even the aura emanating from him turned cold.