In another private room at Ink Fragrance Tower, Li Ruxuan, the young master of the Li family, sat opposite Wang Juetian.
"Young Master Li, what is your confidence level regarding this matter?" Wang Juetian asked directly, his expression somewhat somber.
"If I act alone, my confidence would not exceed fifty percent, but if Master Wang were to join me, I would have over ninety percent confidence!"
"That young man appears to be merely a cultivator at the Second Tribulation of Nascent Soul. Even with a great background, his strength is ultimately limited. With our combined effort, he won't be able to make any waves."
"Furthermore, the Second Young Master had his cultivation crippled by that young man. Doesn't Master Wang want revenge?" Li Ruxuan vigorously persuaded Wang Juetian.
Li Ruxuan was determined to obtain that segment of the Du'e Tree's withered wood. Even if the auction failed, he would resort to murder and theft to acquire it.
However, he lacked absolute confidence acting alone, so he needed an accomplice. Wang Juetian, who held a grudge against the young man, naturally became his first choice. Although Li Ruxuan was also a cultivator at the Third Tribulation of Nascent Soul, he was still inferior to a peak cultivator at the Third Tribulation like Wang Juetian.
"Your father's strength surpasses mine. Why would Young Master Li approach me?" Wang Juetian hesitated.
"My father has been in seclusion for several months, preparing to overcome the Fourth Tribulation of Nascent Soul. Such a minor matter is naturally not worth disturbing him for," Li Ruxuan said with a smile.
"The Fourth Tribulation of Nascent Soul..."
Wang Juetian's breathing faltered slightly. Although he had now cultivated to the peak of the Third Tribulation of Nascent Soul, he had no confidence whatsoever in facing the Fourth Tribulation of Nascent Soul. He could only suppress the impending tribulation by force. He knew that once the Fourth Tribulation of Nascent Soul was triggered, the terrifying Heavenly Immortal Fire would instantly incinerate his Nascent Soul. If that old fellow could truly pass the Fourth Tribulation of Nascent Soul, then the city of Wuning would likely be dominated by the Li family henceforth.
"Since that is the case, let's do it!"
After Wang Juetian agreed, the two discussed some details and waited for news.
Before long, a subordinate reported, "Young Master, that young man has left the city heading south with a little girl. It looks like they are preparing to leave the city."
Li Ruxuan and Wang Juetian exchanged glances, and with a flash, both disappeared from the room. They employed their movement techniques, arriving outside Wuning City ahead of Zhang Fan, where they lay in wait.
Zhang Fan seemed oblivious to all this, walking out of Wuning City with Luo Xiaoxiao.
"Master, where are we going next?" Luo Xiaoxiao looked up at her master and asked.
"To cultivate," Zhang Fan replied with a smile.
Luo Xiaoxiao looked bewildered, but she did whatever her master instructed, so she obediently followed Zhang Fan out of Wuning City. They walked the entire way, and to allow Luo Xiaoxiao to keep pace, Zhang Fan had to slow down. After nearly two hours, they had traveled only a little over ten kilometers. Luo Xiaoxiao's delicate face was already covered in sweat. The road was rough, and her feet were red and swollen, but she gritted her teeth and persevered.
"Rest for a while. I need to deal with the tail." Zhang Fan said to Luo Xiaoxiao.
Luo Xiaoxiao was once again confused. What tail did they have? Was her master not a human cultivator?
Zhang Fan turned around and said, "You've been following us. It's time to come out, isn't it?"
"Huh?"
Li Ruxuan and Wang Juetian, who were hidden in the dark, were slightly startled. They had used concealment techniques; how could a boy at the Second Tribulation of Nascent Soul detect them? As they were wondering, a short figure appeared. It was the short middle-aged man who had competed with Zhang Fan for the Du'e Tree's withered wood in the auction hall.
"There's actually someone else?"
Li Ruxuan and Wang Juetian exchanged glances, both slightly taken aback. They hadn't expected that they weren't the only ones harboring thoughts of murder and theft. Since someone else had made a move, they naturally weren't in a hurry. Just as the saying goes, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Today, they decided to be the oriole.
After the short middle-aged man revealed himself, he beckoned with one hand, and a gleaming long saber appeared in his grasp. Its sharp edge reflected cold light, chilling the heart.
Luo Xiaoxiao finally understood what her master meant by "tail." However, this short man looked quite formidable. She wondered if her master could defeat him.
"My target is only the Du'e Tree's withered wood. Hand it over, and you can live. Otherwise, you will both die!" the short middle-aged man said coldly. "You have three breaths of time. Hand over the Du'e Tree's withered wood."
"Fellow Daoist, murder and theft are not good habits," Zhang Fan said with a playful tone, but his hands didn't stop. He took out a pair of golden, resplendent gloves from his Star Realm and put them on unhurriedly.
"Three breaths of time have passed. Since you are unwilling to hand over the treasure, then die!"
Before the short middle-aged man could finish speaking, he slashed out with his saber. Nearly a thousand saber dao rules were infused into the saber's light, drawing upon the power of heaven and earth within dozens of kilometers. With an unstoppable might, it slashed directly at Zhang Fan.
"What's going on?"
Cultivators in Wuning City sensed the disturbance in the power of heaven and earth. Following the source, they saw a blinding saber light slash across the sky. Before it even landed, it had carved a gash several kilometers long into the ground.
Clang!
With a clear sound, Zhang Fan met the saber light with a raised fist. A single punch shattered it. In the short middle-aged man's horrified gaze, Zhang Fan transformed into a lightning bolt, instantly appearing before him.
"Die!"
Zhang Fan unleashed a punch with lightning speed, striking directly at the man's chest, piercing through him instantly.
Boom!
At the same time, Zhang Fan activated the Golden Radiance Origin Fire within his gloves. A surge of golden flames erupted, bursting forth from the short middle-aged man's body. Within a few breaths, a powerful cultivator at the Third Tribulation of Nascent Soul was reduced to ashes by the Golden Radiance Origin Fire, with only his Nascent Soul intentionally preserved by Zhang Fan.
At this moment, the Nascent Soul's small face was filled with terror. It never imagined that this young man, who appeared to be only at the Second Tribulation of Nascent Soul, possessed such terrifying strength. He was annihilated in a single move, without even the chance to self-destruct his Nascent Soul.
Zhang Fan's spiritual power surged, and after sealing the Nascent Soul, he collected it into his Star Realm. After all, a Nascent Soul at the Third Tribulation was still of great use to him at the moment.
On the majestic city walls of Wuning, many powerful cultivators cast their gazes in this direction. They had expected a spectacular duel, but instead, a powerful cultivator at the Third Tribulation of Nascent Soul could not withstand even a single move, being instantly obliterated by the young man without a trace. Such a scene was truly shocking. What kind of strength did this young man possess to achieve this? Was he at the peak of the Fourth Tribulation of Nascent Soul? Or a cultivator at the Fifth Tribulation of Nascent Soul?
"He is truly as monstrous as the rumors say. With a cultivation level of only the Second Tribulation of Nascent Soul, the power he unleashes has likely reached the level of the peak Fourth Tribulation of Nascent Soul." Shangguan Jing was also watching this scene from the city walls of Wuning. For cultivators of the Nascent Soul stage, a distance of over ten kilometers could be covered in a single flash.
Luo Xiaoxiao stared at the scene with her mouth agape. In her eyes, her master was like a god at this moment.
...