Ling Fan also felt a trace of pressure. Without using the Nirvana Tribulation Body and the Samsara Divine Cauldron, he was almost forced to reveal his hidden Heavenly Earthly power.
Ling Fan decided not to hold back any longer.
Integrating the Heavenly Earthly power into his body, he unleashed a simple punch. Instantly, a dull and muffled battle drum seemed to resound through heaven and earth. The influence of Li Songjiang's [Era of Emperor's Fall] secret technique was easily dispelled. The terrifying scene of the twilight of the gods shattered like a mirror. Luo Bing's spear light was smashed to pieces by Ling Fan's punch, and the fearsome vision of the sun and moon coexisting, unleashed by Wang Zheng, was also dispersed by Ling Fan's punch, restoring the clear sky.
Bang!
The three half-step Profound Emperors, the esteemed genius inspectors of the Heavenly Court, were sent flying by Ling Fan's punch, spitting blood incessantly.
Ling Fan's smile grew more rampant. He pointed at the noses of Wang Zheng, Luo Bing, and Li Songjiang, laughing heartily, "Hahaha, you three useless pieces of trash, are you finally experiencing the taste of failure firsthand? Doesn't feel good, does it? The three of you couldn't even defeat one person, and you were utterly defeated. I gave you a chance, but you're useless, trash! It's better to stop embarrassing yourselves and scram back to cultivate for a thousand years before talking to me again."
Wang Zheng, Luo Bing, and Li Songjiang's faces turned red.
It was unclear whether it was due to their injuries or Ling Fan's words that angered them.
They were on the verge of spitting blood.
Yet, they were powerless to refute him.
"You! Tian Heng! You, you, you, you just wait for me!"
Wang Zheng, enraged, tried to utter a harsh threat, but found his confidence lacking, his words appearing pale and weak. With a sudden leap, he transformed into a stream of light and shamefully fled.
Luo Bing and Li Songjiang also lost face and couldn't remain any longer. Forcing themselves to endure their injuries, they followed Wang Zheng and left.
In the solitary courtyard.
Only Ling Fan and Liu Yan remained.
Liu Yan was completely stunned.
Her lips trembled slightly.
It seemed she had never expected such an outcome!
And further away.
An unknown number of powerful figures from the City Lord's Mansion were secretly observing this battle.
Upon witnessing the result, all the strong individuals in Liu Wang City Lord's Mansion were shocked.
Those were three Heavenly Court inspectors, all half-step Profound Emperors.
Within the entire Liu Wang City, they were second only to the City Lord of Liu Wang City, Liu Zhong.
The combined might of the three was almost invincible below the Profound Emperor realm.
Yet, they were beaten black and blue by Ling Fan, having run into a formidable opponent!
In a grand hall.
Liu Zhong withdrew his gaze. Although his expression remained outwardly calm, he was inwardly astonished.
He realized he had still underestimated this person.
"It seems that for this trip to the Sealed Demon Forbidden Domain, this person is worth cultivating good relations with! Although he is not yet a Profound Emperor, he already possesses the qualification to threaten a Profound Emperor. Moreover, he has defeated the three inspectors in one fell swoop. I fear his future in the Heavenly Court is limitless, which is another reason to foster relations. Perhaps... I should consider the development between him and Liu Yan. If I can arrange a match, with such a son-in-law, I might be able to hitch a ride on the Heavenly Court's influence!"
Seeing Ling Fan's hidden strength, Liu Zhong's thoughts expanded.
...
"They've all fled, and you're still not leaving? Why are you lingering here?"
In the solitary courtyard.
Ling Fan, disguised as Tian Heng, gazed up at the sky.
His demeanor was truly arrogant and disdainful of all.
Liu Yan's chest heaved with anger.
She stomped her foot fiercely.
She had come with high spirits but left dejected.
Extremely frustrated.
As she stomped her foot, her chest bounced, which was quite a spectacle.
However, Ling Fan had already returned to his cultivation chamber.
He had no time to appreciate it.
...
East of Liu Wang City.
Wang Zheng, Luo Bing, and Li Songjiang gathered in Wang Zheng's inspector's mansion.
All three had extremely grim expressions.
This was a stark contrast to their spirited demeanor when they had visited the City Lord's Mansion earlier.
"How is this possible! How is this possible! How could this trash Tian Heng suddenly become so powerful! He was just a defeated opponent of mine, a piece of dog excrement I once trampled underfoot. How dare he ride over my head and flaunt his power! Did you see his expression just now? It infuriates me, it kills me with anger!"
The more Wang Zheng thought about it, the angrier he became. He was utterly beside himself with rage, grabbing and smashing nearby objects with a clatter.
However, they were his own possessions.
Luo Bing and Li Songjiang felt no pity and did not try to stop him, allowing him to vent his emotions.
After Wang Zheng had finished his outburst.
Luo Bing said, "This matter is indeed strange, but dwelling on it now is useless. The urgent priority is to improve our strength as quickly as possible. Otherwise, with Tian Heng as an obstacle, will we even get any benefits from the Sealed Demon Forbidden Domain?"
"Right! We must find a way to eliminate him."
Li Songjiang nodded in agreement.
"But now, even the three of us combined are no match for him. How can we deal with him in such a short time!"
Wang Zheng said.
Luo Bing pondered for a long time, and then suddenly said, "I have an idea!"
...
"My current strength has almost reached the extreme below the fourth-tier Profound Emperor. I can be considered invincible below the fourth-tier Profound Emperor. However, there is still a considerable distance to the true fourth-tier Profound Emperor. Once the Sealed Demon Forbidden Domain opens, it will attract quite a number of fourth-tier Profound Emperors. I still need to improve my strength further to possess the means for self-preservation and counterattack."
Ling Fan had a clear assessment of his current strength after defeating the three half-step Profound Emperors.
He continued to cultivate using the Heavenly Earthly Qi from the first-tier Profound Vein.
In the City Lord's Grand Hall.
Liu Zhong's mouth twitched incessantly.
The speed at which Ling Fan absorbed the Heavenly Earthly Qi made him feel a pang of pain.
This fellow was simply too absorbent!
If one didn't know better, they would think a fourth-tier or even fifth-tier Profound Emperor was cultivating there.
"City Lord, should we cut off the supply of Heavenly Earthly Qi to that Tian Heng's courtyard?" a strong individual from the City Lord's Mansion asked, observing his expression.
"Let him absorb it! Our Liu Wang City is vast and prosperous. Are we going to be drained by a young man who isn't even a fourth-tier Profound Emperor?"
Liu Zhong waved his hand abruptly.
He said with great magnanimity.
The strong individual from the City Lord's Mansion curled his lips.
Their City Lord was clearly putting on a brave face and suffering, feeling heartbroken, wasn't he?
Liu Zhong looked at their expressions: "..."
"Go, go, go, don't bother me here!"
In the end, unable to bear their gazes, he drove these subordinates out.
Two days later.
Liu Zhong was greatly relieved!
How agonizing this time had been.
At least one-tenth of the first-tier Profound Vein belonging to their Liu family had visibly diminished!!!
That was one-tenth of a first-tier Profound Vein, the value of which could at least be exchanged for over fifty second-tier Origin Veins.
What kind of monster was that kid, to be able to absorb so much?
Fortunately, the torment was finally over.
He commanded, "Quick, quick, quick, tell Tian Heng to stop cultivating! We are about to depart for the Sealed Demon Forbidden Domain!"
"Yes! Your subordinate will go immediately."
...
"Ah? We're going to the Sealed Demon Forbidden Domain so soon? I haven't finished cultivating yet!"
Ling Fan said with a hint of reluctance.
"Time is of the essence! We must depart, Envoy Tian!" The strong individual from the City Lord's Mansion was almost in tears, and he was on the verge of kneeling to beg Ling Fan, the great glutton, to leave their City Lord's Mansion quickly.
"Very well, let's go then."
Ling Fan said.
"Good, good, good!" The strong individual from the City Lord's Mansion was so grateful that he was about to kowtow to Ling Fan.
...
This time, Liu Wang City dispatched over twenty strong individuals.
Apart from Liu Zhong, a fourth-tier Profound Emperor.
The rest of them were almost all half-step Profound Emperors, or at the very least, peak third-tier Origin Emperors.
To Ling Fan's surprise.
Wang Zheng, Luo Bing, and Li Songjiang also appeared.