Lu Fan appeared outside a mountain range after a long while. He could clearly feel that the voice was emanating from within the mountain range, seemingly continuous and beckoning everyone to enter.
Lu Fan stopped and observed carefully. Outside this mountain range, there were several carved characters: "Ancient Forbidden Land!"
These characters were extremely conspicuous, even in a vivid red color, stirring something within people.
Just then, a woman appeared behind Lu Fan, looking at him with surprise. "You have quite the courage to sneak out of the city in the dead of night. Aren't you afraid of being dragged away by something unclean?"
"What's there to be afraid of? I am also a cultivator!"
Lu Fan shrugged. "But why would Miss Chu be here?"
"How do you know my surname is Chu?" Chu Ting frowned slightly.
"We met by chance at the tavern today,"
Lu Fan chuckled. "Everyone was talking about you. How could I not know?"
"Indeed, being too famous isn't good!"
Chu Ting smiled faintly. "But you are indeed brave. Most people wouldn't dare to come here."
"Do you know what this place is?" Lu Fan asked.
"Ancient Forbidden Land. No Trespassing by the Living!"
Chu Ting stated directly, "The Ancient Forbidden Land is ahead. No one who has entered has ever come out alive. Fortunately, you stopped just now, otherwise, you would have lost your life!"
"Is there such a thing!"
Lu Fan smiled faintly. "I find that hard to believe."
"If you don't believe me, we can both go in and find out!"
Chu Ting said directly, "But to be clear, if you go in, it has nothing to do with me!"
Lu Fan rolled his eyes. He wasn't afraid, but he wasn't foolish either. Why would he charge in directly? If there was something inside, wouldn't he be suffering a great loss?
"What, you're scared now!"
Chu Ting said arrogantly. "I thought you were more capable than that."
Lu Fan ignored her and turned to head back towards Beihai City. He wasn't an idiot. The sign clearly stated it was a forbidden land. Rushing in would be seeking his own death.
Seeing Lu Fan ignore her, Chu Ting immediately became annoyed. "What kind of person are you? So impolite!"
"You want me to go to my death, and you expect me to be polite?"
Lu Fan rolled his eyes, his dissatisfaction evident.
At these words, Chu Ting instantly felt in the wrong, but no matter what, she was the eldest daughter of the Chu family, and no one had ever dared to disregard her like this. Just as she was about to speak again, Lu Fan had already stepped towards the city.
"You stop right there!"
Chu Ting cursed and chased after him, her displeasure evident.
"What is it now?"
Lu Fan frowned. He was planning to go back to sleep and didn't have time to waste here.
"I am the eldest daughter of the Chu family. Since you know this, why do you treat me like this?" Chu Ting said coldly.
"All beings are equal. Even if you are the eldest daughter of the Chu family, you only rely on the family's power to make people submit to you!"
Lu Fan said coldly. "Without the Chu family, you might be nothing!"
Chu Ting stood there stunned, completely at a loss for words. She actually found Lu Fan's words to be very reasonable, even leaving her unable to refute them.
Lu Fan didn't say any more and turned to leave directly. He didn't wish to interact further with such a young lady.
Chu Ting stood there, looking rather helpless. As the proud eldest daughter of the Chu family, being so disregarded was something she couldn't accept.
After returning to the tavern, Lu Fan was about to go into seclusion to cultivate. However, the moment he circulated his spiritual energy, he felt the spiritual energy around him surge, eventually rushing directly to his forehead. In an instant, he broke through to the realm of Great Spiritual Master.
Sensing the speed of this breakthrough, Lu Fan was utterly shocked. He never expected to break through just by going out, and so inexplicably.
"Could it be that the Ancient Forbidden Land has some special effect!" Lin Ke exclaimed. "It seems that it was only after going there that you were able to break through in time!"
"The Ancient Forbidden Land was a forbidden land in ancient times, so it is naturally not an ordinary place!"
Lu Fan said solemnly. "However, I must truly thank the Ancient Forbidden Land. If not for this, I would not have been able to break through to Great Spiritual Master."
For the next few days, Lu Fan remained in the tavern, cultivating in seclusion to stabilize his realm. Although he had broken through to Great Spiritual Master, it would take time to consolidate his cultivation, otherwise, his realm would be unstable.
Meanwhile, in a private seating area of the tavern, Chu Ting was drinking morosely, a look of extreme displeasure on her face. Ever since Lu Fan had spoken to her that night, she had been quite displeased with him. She had dispatched numerous experts from the Chu family to find Lu Fan, but they had still received no news.
In her frustration, she had ordered a public notice to be posted. If Lu Fan wasn't found, she feared she would die of depression. As the eldest daughter of the Chu family, to be lectured by an ordinary person like that was something she could not tolerate.
Lin Qingbei and a few guards were wandering the streets when they saw the notice posted on the city wall, and they immediately became interested. "Isn't that the kid? He actually managed to offend the Chu family's young lady!"
"It really is him!"
Lin Qingbei narrowed his eyes. "Isn't he at the Kelai Tavern?"
"That's right. That kid has been in that tavern all along and hasn't come out. He's probably in seclusion cultivating!"
A guard spoke. "If I can inform Miss Chu of this news, that kid will likely face severe consequences!"
Lin Qingbei nodded, directly tore down the notice, and shortly thereafter arrived at the tavern.
Chu Ting was sitting by the side, eating pastries, when Lin Qingbei walked over. "Miss Chu, I know where this person is!"
"Do you really know?" Chu Ting asked with a bit of interest. Ever since Lu Fan had spoken to her, she hadn't been able to sleep soundly. Now that she could see Lu Fan, she couldn't be more eager.
"This person is at the Kelai Tavern and has been there for the past few days without leaving. I suspect he's afraid of being discovered by Miss Chu!" Lin Qingbei said with a smile.
"Good, well done!"
Chu Ting nodded slightly. "Uncle Wu, reward him!"
"No need for a reward!" Lin Qingbei shook his head. "As long as that kid pays the price, I will be content."
"Do you have a grudge against him?" Chu Ting frowned slightly.
"It's a grudge of family extermination, irreconcilable!" Lin Qingbei stated directly. "If it weren't for my insufficient strength, I wouldn't have let it drag on until now."
Chu Ting nodded and didn't ask for more details. She merely wanted to teach Lu Fan a lesson, but she didn't intend to kill him. However, the person before her seemed to have such intentions.
"Chu Ting, I've searched all over Beihai City, and I still haven't found that kid!" Li Ziming walked over. "Hasn't he left Beihai City?"
"I think you weren't looking seriously!"
Chu Ting said coldly, then got up and walked outside.