Ling Fan finally raised his gaze slightly, his indifferent eyes falling upon Chu Tiange. He spoke a single sentence, "What are you?"
Boom!
The words struck everyone like a bolt from the heavens, leaving them stunned into silence.
The assembled powerhouses and geniuses of Xing Sha City stared as if they had seen a ghost, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.
This was the young master of the Governor's Mansion of Tian Chu Province!
A noble guest to whom even the city lords of the various martial cities paid respectful greetings!
Yet, Ling Fan had directly and contemptuously retorted, "What are you?"
Unbelievable!
Didn't this brat have any discernment?
Anyone with a modicum of sense could tell that Chu Tiange's identity was extraordinary.
How could he dare?
For a moment, Ling Fan seemed to have stirred up a hornet's nest.
Liu Xiwei looked at Ling Fan in astonishment, unable to help but shake her head.
Too arrogant.
He was irredeemably arrogant!
No matter how capable Ling Fan was, could he afford to offend the colossal power of the Governor's Mansion? This was a true force, guarded by a martial grandmaster of the Heavenly Origin Realm.
It seemed that their Liu family's decision to distance themselves from Ling Fan was an incredibly wise one!
Not only the people of Xing Sha City were shocked, but even those from the Nong, Ding, and Jiang martial families, as well as people from Seven Star Cave and Mi Yun Mountain, were taken aback.
Chu Tiange was so enraged he was about to explode!
"Elder Han, I want this brat to kneel before me immediately and atone!"
Chu Tiange roared, his face contorted with anger.
"Yes, Seventh Young Master."
The old man named Elder Han bowed slightly, then turned to face Ling Fan.
With a single step, his figure vanished from his original position. Even the late-stage Profound Gang Realm powerhouses like Xiong Kuang and Yun Wanshan couldn't track his movement!
So fast!
The assembled powerhouses were inwardly startled.
At that moment, Liang Hutu's expression turned grave. His figure flashed, appearing in front of Ling Fan.
He suddenly unleashed his incredibly powerful martial gang qi, his palms surging with energy as he struck at the air before him.
Rumble!
Two terrifying forces collided head-on.
Liang Hutu's body trembled violently, and he was forced back several steps.
An ancient figure reappeared in everyone's sight.
It was Elder Han.
Liang Hutu, at the peak of the Profound Gang Realm, was repelled by a single strike and seemed to have suffered a disadvantage, while Elder Han himself remained unmoved, appearing to be at ease.
The elder from Mi Yun Mountain and the elder from Seven Star Cave exchanged glances, seeing the solemnity in each other's eyes.
This old fellow is incredibly strong!
Elder Han placed his hands behind his back, his gaze falling upon Liang Hutu with a hint of surprise.
"Your strength is rather peculiar. It seems there's a power within you that hasn't been fully refined."
Liang Hutu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and chuckled, "Old man, you have sharp eyes! If you want to make a move on my master, you're not qualified. You have to get past this master... this me, first!"
Though he spoke with ease, Liang Hutu was secretly vigilant.
In that brief collision, he felt as if his bones were about to shatter.
A portion of the power that Ling Fan had extracted from the Lan family's formation and infused into him was still within his body. He secretly mobilized it now, preparing to contend with this formidable old man.
A hint of hesitation appeared on Elder Han's aged face.
After a moment of thought, he gracefully retreated back to Chu Tiange's side.
This scene stunned everyone!
Everyone had witnessed how strong Elder Han was.
Whether it was his explosive speed or the formidable power with which he repelled Liang Hutu, he was considered top-tier even among those at the peak of the Profound Gang Realm.
Yet, after weighing his options, Elder Han chose to withdraw.
The implications of this were enough to make one ponder.
Could it be that even a powerhouse like Elder Han felt a sense of apprehension towards them?
The powerhouses of Xing Sha City exchanged glances.
Xiong Kuang and Xiong Daying, in particular, were extremely disappointed.
On the other side, Chu Tiange was stunned when he saw Elder Han return!
"Elder Han, you...!"
Elder Han shook his head slightly and said, "I can defeat him, but it would come at a certain cost. With the Star Sand Lake ruins about to open, now is not the time for extraneous complications. Once this matter is resolved, I will help Seventh Young Master deal with them."
Chu Tiange's expression was somewhat grim, but since Elder Han had spoken, he had no choice but to agree.
He glared fiercely at Ling Fan and said, "Brat, you just wait! You dare to be arrogant in front of this young master, and you won't get away with it!"
Ling Fan smiled indifferently, completely unconcerned by Chu Tiange's threat.
"Let's go, we'll head over."
Ling Fan held Liu Xiran's hand and walked over unhurriedly.
Liang Hutu and Ji Hong followed behind.
"Ranran, come here quickly!"
Liu Xiwei suddenly called out to Liu Xiran with a stern expression.
Ling Fan had already offended too many people. Besides the Xing Sha City Lord's Mansion, there was now the Governor's Mansion, a colossal entity. Who knew who else Ling Fan would offend next.
If her sister continued to follow Ling Fan, it would be troublesome if she were implicated.
No matter how strong Liang Hutu was, he was still just one person!
And now, five peak Profound Gang Realm experts were gathered here.
There were no less than ten individuals in the late and middle stages of the Profound Gang Realm.
Given Ling Fan's arrogant demeanor, it would be disastrous if he provoked the wrath of the crowd.
Liu Yubei also realized this and said with a stern face, "Ranran, listen to your sister. It's too dangerous for you to follow him. Come over here quickly."
Liu Xiran looked very conflicted, glancing at her father and sister, then at Ling Fan.
Finally, she seemed to have made up her mind, holding Ling Fan's hand tightly and saying, "I want to follow Brother Ling Fan! He gave me a spot and is taking me to find my elder brother. If I leave him now, wouldn't that be ungrateful? Moreover, I believe Brother Ling Fan will protect me well."
Although Liu Xiran's voice was young, it was firm and resonant.
Liu Yubei and Liu Xiwei were immediately choked, unable to speak.
They were unwilling to give up, but Liang Hutu's fierce, one-eyed gaze glared at them, and he impatiently said, "Stop blabbering. Young Miss Liu the Second is safest with my master. What do you know? If you keep babbling, I'll throw you out!"
Although Liu Yubei and Liu Xiwei were filled with anger, they dared not speak further. They knew that Liang Hutu was someone who killed without batting an eye!
The two Profound Gang Realm commanders from the City Lord's Mansion were a testament to that.
Liu Xiwei put on a pitiable expression and said to Chu Tiange, "Seventh Young Master, my sister is too young and doesn't understand things. She's been deceived by this Ling Fan. When we enter the ruins later, please take care of my sister."
Liu Xiwei's delicate appearance was truly heart-stirring. Chu Tiange couldn't help but feel his heart flutter as he said, "Don't worry! This matter is on me. I will keep an eye on your sister."
After a while.
The yellow wind within the Star Sand Lake ruins finally calmed down.
Everyone's spirits immediately lifted.
The Star Sand Lake ruins were finally about to open.