As they were talking, a figure clad in black appeared not far away, stepping on a lotus flower, which looked quite bizarre.
The aura emanating from the lotus also instilled fear, causing people to retreat and feel a sense of unease.
"Black Lotus Emissary!"
Lu Fan gazed at the woman before him, his brow furrowed. He had long heard from the Heavenly Emperor that this Black Lotus Emissary was immensely powerful, a formidable expert at the Immortal Emperor realm. He hadn't expected her to appear here.
"Hand over Bei Xi, and you shall all live!" the Black Lotus Emissary stated with indifference, her words carrying a chilling coldness.
"Never! As the King of the Northwest, I will never easily compromise!" Lu Fan retorted coldly, "This is the territory of the Heavenly Dynasty. Isn't your presence here highly inappropriate?"
"What a joke! A mere Martial Emperor dares to be so audacious in front of me?" the Black Lotus Emissary sneered, a surge of power erupting around her, appearing exceptionally turbulent.
Witnessing this, Lu Fan's gaze turned sharp. He simultaneously stepped into the air, exuding an unparalleled aura, and lunged towards the Black Lotus Emissary.
But in that instant, Lu Fan was violently repelled, a trickle of blood oozing from his lips. He hadn't expected the Black Lotus Emissary's strength to be so immense; even a single move was enough to inflict pain.
"I truly didn't expect a mere Martial Emperor to withstand my attack!"
The Black Lotus Emissary looked at Lu Fan, her words becoming more incisive, tinged with confusion.
"I also hadn't expected the Hell Dynasty to be so arrogant, moving so freely within my Heavenly Dynasty. This truly surprises me!" Lu Fan chuckled coldly, an icy edge to his tone.
"Within the Heavenly Dynasty, selfishness is prevalent. Ultimately, it cannot achieve greatness!" the Black Lotus Emissary shook her head. "Why do you insist on serving the Heavenly Dynasty? If you were to join the Hell Dynasty, with your talent and strength, you would undoubtedly receive better treatment. Furthermore, in the near future, the Hell Dynasty will be within reach of the Heavenly Dynasty, at which point your influence will undoubtedly soar!"
"Utterly ridiculous!"
Lu Fan abruptly summoned the Haotian Pagoda, his eyes turning sharp as he channeled its divine might. This Haotian Pagoda was no ordinary item; it was an ancient divine artifact. With the protection of the Haotian Pagoda, Lu Fan naturally felt secure.
"The Haotian Pagoda!"
Seeing this, the Black Lotus Emissary was shocked. She clearly hadn't expected Lu Fan to possess a divine artifact. This was no common item, and even as an Immortal Emperor realm expert, she wouldn't dare to obstruct it carelessly, lest she perish instantly.
"You do have some insight!" Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "This is indeed the Haotian Pagoda. Today, I shall see how you intend to take Prince Bei Xi from me!"
"You overestimate yourself!" the Black Lotus Emissary burst into laughter. "Even the Haotian Pagoda cannot stop me!"
In the blink of an eye, the Black Lotus Emissary attacked again, reaching for Lu Fan. Although the Haotian Pagoda's power was immense, she could clearly sense that Lu Fan's current strength was not yet capable of truly activating the pagoda, presenting her with the best opportunity.
Boom...
A massive impact resounded. Lu Fan's figure was violently pushed back, blood seeping from his lips. He hadn't anticipated things unfolding this way, leaving him somewhat caught off guard.
The Black Lotus Emissary instantly laughed heartily, "Even with an ancient divine artifact, what good is it to you!"
Lu Fan frowned. An expert at the Immortal Emperor realm was, after all, beyond his current ability to contend with. In mere moments, he had been defeated, a clear indication of his powerlessness against the Black Lotus Emissary.
"Don't get entangled with him, quickly take me away!" Prince Bei Xi urged. "Otherwise, when other Heavenly Dynasty experts arrive, it will be troublesome for you to leave!"
"He possesses an ancient divine artifact, which is no ordinary item!"
A smile touched the Black Lotus Emissary's lips as she moved towards Lu Fan again, showing no intention of leaving, seemingly determined to obtain the ancient divine artifact.
Bei Xi frowned. He hadn't expected the Black Lotus Emissary to be so direct, even disregarding his command, and a surge of anger welled up within him.
Simultaneously, facing the Black Lotus Emissary's fierce assault, Lu Fan struggled to cope, his figure retreating continuously. Against an expert at the Immortal Emperor realm, he was ultimately unable to resist.
"If you die today, this ancient divine artifact will be mine!" the Black Lotus Emissary laughed, a black aura enveloping her as she lunged directly for Lu Fan's vital points.
But in that very moment, the Haotian Pagoda seemed to sense something, emitting an unparalleled radiance that surged towards the Black Lotus Emissary. Wherever it passed, even space seemed to tremble.
Boom...
With a resounding crash, the Black Lotus Emissary was violently thrown back, blood spilling from her lips. She had never imagined that this ancient divine artifact would protect its master, meaning it had acknowledged Lu Fan, otherwise it wouldn't have acted like this.
"An ancient divine artifact is no trivial matter. You cannot gain any advantage by fighting him now!"
Bei Xi spoke, "Quickly take me away from this place, and we can discuss countermeasures later!"
The Black Lotus Emissary was somewhat unwilling, but it seemed she had no choice. She then took Prince Bei Xi and departed without any hesitation; the power of the ancient divine artifact was not something she could control.
At the same time, Lu Fan wished to pursue, but he found himself severely wounded. Even if he caught up, he might not be able to retrieve Prince Bei Xi.
Helpless, Lu Fan could only find a secluded spot to recover his injuries before making further plans.
After traveling tens of millions of kilometers, the Black Lotus Emissary finally brought Bei Xi to a forest. "Has the spiritual energy within you been crippled?"
"That's right!" Bei Xi nodded. "It was all the Heavenly Emperor's doing. One day, I will make him pay the price!"
"You are truly pathetic! To be the crown prince of the grand Heavenly Dynasty, yet reduced to this state!" the Black Lotus Emissary shook her head, a smile playing on her lips.
"Are you mocking me?" Bei Xi's gaze fixed on the Black Lotus Emissary, his eyes filled with anger. "How dare you utter such mockery!"
"Do you truly believe you are still a prince of the Heavenly Dynasty?" the Black Lotus Emissary sneered. "Only in my hands can you merely cling to life. Otherwise, you are utterly useless!"
"Black Lotus, don't forget, I have an agreement with the Hell Dynasty. You are to help me seize the position of Heavenly Emperor!" Bei Xi stated.
"Agreement?" the Black Lotus Emissary said coldly. "Haven't you realized? You are of no further use to our Hell Dynasty!"
"So you intend to go back on your word?" Bei Xi asked coldly.
"You are mistaken. We never took it seriously. You were merely a pawn in my game!"
A faint, cold smile touched her lips as the Black Lotus Emissary spoke without a care.