In less than two minutes, all the members of the Tiger Roar Hall and Hundred Flowers Sect lay on the ground.
Tuoba Lie and Sun Wuji watched this unfold, their legs already trembling uncontrollably.
A single question echoed in both their minds: "Does he look poisoned?"
Each punch he threw was filled with immense power, showing no sign of being affected by any toxins.
They had anticipated that by forcing his subordinates, the poison would spread throughout Chu Fan's body.
Now, it seemed they had underestimated the situation.
Had everything prior been a deliberate act?
If so, just how powerful was he?
Regret began to surface in their hearts.
For they knew all too well that if the poison had no effect on Chu Fan, they would be next.
Liu Yunqing was equally shocked by the scene.
He had expected Chu Fan's combat effectiveness to be greatly diminished, perhaps to mere tenths of its usual strength, after being poisoned.
To his surprise, even poisoned, Chu Fan was still this formidable.
He, too, wondered if Chu Fan was actually unaffected by the poison.
Or perhaps, he had seen through Qi Junhao's malicious intent from the start and had prepared himself when the poisoned wine entered his system?
Was the bleeding from his mouth earlier merely a facade, intended to make Tuoba Lie and Qi Junhao celebrate prematurely?
The thought sent a chill down Liu Yunqing's spine, realizing he had narrowly escaped death himself.
If Chu Fan had never been poisoned, it meant he had been testing Liu Yunqing's loyalty all along.
If Liu Yunqing had abandoned Chu Fan to save himself, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
He had been outmaneuvered without even realizing it.
Liu Yunqing once again felt the terror of Chu Fan.
His strength was immense, but his calculating mind was even more unfathomable.
Regaining his composure, Liu Yunqing inwardly thanked his stars for not abandoning Chu Fan, but choosing to stay.
A test could lead to one outcome if failed, and a completely different one if passed.
Joy began to blossom in Liu Yunqing's heart.
He knew his choice had earned Chu Fan's approval, and their relationship would undoubtedly reach new heights.
*Plop!*
*Plop!*
As Chu Fan approached Tuoba Lie and Sun Wuji, the two men, realizing Chu Fan was completely unharmed, immediately fell to their knees.
In that moment, kneeling and begging for mercy was the only course of action they could think of to salvage a sliver of hope.
Facing their pleas, Chu Fan, with his hands clasped behind his back, looked down at them condescendingly and asked, "Do you think this will help?"
"Please, I know I was wrong. If you spare my life, I and the entire Tiger Roar Hall will serve you day and night!"
"We will face any hardship for you!"
Tuoba Lie pleaded, his eyes fixed on Chu Fan.
He truly did not wish to die, having survived this long was a rare feat.
Sun Wuji echoed his sentiment, "I feel the same way!"
"Heh..."
Chu Fan let out a disdainful scoff. "If it were someone else, I might consider it. But you, with your rebellious hearts, I have no need for you!"
"I already gave you your chance. It's not that I didn't give you an opportunity to cherish, but you yourself failed to do so!"
If this had been their first encounter and they had admitted defeat and offered surrender to consolidate their power in the Dragon God Kingdom, Chu Fan might have considered it, especially since both were Grandmasters, a rare commodity.
However, after everything that had transpired, Chu Fan felt no mercy for them, even as Grandmasters.
Such individuals, lacking foresight, believing themselves mighty at the slightest hint of hope, would never be loyal if kept around.
Their kneeling and begging was merely a bid for survival.
Keeping them alive might mean a dagger in his back at any moment.
Chu Fan would never set himself up for such a predicament.
Seeing that kneeling and bowing were of no use, Tuoba Lie and Sun Wuji exchanged a glance, knowing their demise was likely imminent.
*Hoo...*
The two kneeling figures suddenly launched an attack towards Chu Fan.
Even a fish on a chopping board would thrash about, let alone two Grandmasters who would not passively await death.
Understanding Chu Fan's intention and knowing there was no room for negotiation, they exchanged a silent agreement for a final desperate gambit. They were not Chu Fan's match before, and certainly not now.
Before their arms could even touch Chu Fan, they were seized.
"This..."
Their hearts pounded as they realized Chu Fan's speed was far more terrifying than they had imagined.
*Bang...*
Before they could make another move, Chu Fan's foot kicked their abdomens.
Their stomachs exploded with muffled thuds, like firecrackers.
Their faces, moments before full of vigor and spirit, instantly turned ashen, and they collapsed onto the ground.
Decades of effort turned to nothing in an instant.
Even if Chu Fan didn't kill them directly, they were now crippled for life.
Tuoba Lie, lying powerless on the ground, managed to ask with difficulty, "Why?"
"Why are you like this, even after drinking the poisoned wine!"
On the brink of death, their hearts churned with immense resentment, desperate to know why Chu Fan remained unaffected.
They both believed that if Chu Fan had been affected by the poison, their current situation would be different.
"Your poison is too weak!"
"I haven't encountered a poison strong enough to kill me yet!"
Having been afflicted by a rare poison since childhood, what made it rare?
It was precisely because this poison was far beyond ordinary toxins. Otherwise, with the Eternal Hall's comprehensive talent and medical technology, it would not still be unresolved today, requiring the suppression of the five elemental powers.
Over the years, in his quest to cure this rare poison, Chu Fan had become a guinea pig for the ancient powerhouses of the Eternal Hall.
Every imaginable method had been tried – various miraculous medicines, using poison to counteract poison.
The poisons on the market had no more effect on Chu Fan than drinking water would on a normal person.
Furthermore, his formidable strength allowed him to expel toxins with ease.
Qi Junhao's unexpected cordiality and his nascent plan had been seen through by Chu Fan long ago.
Playing along with him was merely to lure out Tuoba Lie and Sun Wuji, and to eliminate these three bothersome flies.
Secondly, it was to ascertain whether Liu Yunqing was worthy of being supported and associated with.
The members of the Tiger Roar Hall and the Hundred Flowers Sect were completely annihilated.
When the Yunshan Sect members, incapacitated by the aphrodisiac, awoke, the members of the two factions were nowhere to be seen.
Liu Yunqing, to avoid repercussions from the backing powers of the two factions, had meticulously cleaned up the bodies, eliminating any possibility of information leaking out.
When questioned by his sect members, his response was simple: "After a brief confrontation, Tuoba Lie and Sun Wuji realized they couldn't win, and their injuries flared up, forcing them to retreat."
After a brief rest, the group returned to the Yunshan Sect.
Chu Fan did not immediately set off south but returned to the Yunshan Sect with Liu Yunqing.
Firstly, he had matters to discuss with Liu Yunqing.
Secondly, he wished to find a quiet place to study the wooden box that had remained stubbornly unopened.
Even a demon god possessed curiosity.
The more difficult the wooden box was to open, the more intrigued he became about the treasure it contained.