Seven days later, Han Fei looked up at Luoan City before him.
It was ordinary, nothing eye-catching. In Han Fei's eyes, the ancient city was even somewhat rundown.
Of course, Luoan City was not Han Fei's destination. He had merely come here first to settle down.
Inside a room at an inn in the city, Han Fei carefully studied the map on the scroll.
Elsewhere, the Black Veil Woman also received word from Pang Shuai that neither Qi Xuanxuan nor Han Fei had returned to Tianyuan Divine Sect.
The Black Veil Woman crushed the voice transmission talisman in her fair hand into powder. Narrowing her eyes, she said, "It seems the thing He Xiong wanted to offer in surrender really is in the hands of Han Fei and Qi Xuanxuan."
At that moment, Fu Jiahao led a group of black-clad men to the door.
With a wave of his hand, two men carrying a sack entered the Black Veil Woman's room.
"Reporting to Young Miss, we captured some survivors from Hidden Dragon Abyss. They were once He Xiong's subordinates. After investigating, we found that this man was the last one to leave Hidden Dragon Abyss alive."
As he spoke, he waved his hand, and the two subordinates opened the sack. Inside was the burly man over two meters tall who wielded twin axes.
The burly man had been beaten badly. Clearly, Fu Jiahao had already interrogated him.
The burly man said in a low voice, "Senior Brother He Xiong had been studying a place called Luoan City these past few days. But he never told us why, and we did not dare ask. He said that after joining Asura Hall, he would go to Luoan City."
The Black Veil Woman asked doubtfully, "Luoan City?"
Fu Jiahao hurriedly spread out the map in his hand and pointed out Luoan City's location.
"I investigated it. The villages and towns along the route to Luoan City did indeed see Han Fei, but he was alone. He bought a Swift Beast in the small city closest to Hidden Dragon Abyss."
A faint smile appeared on the Black Veil Woman's face. "Then what are we waiting for? Inform all the experts. Have them head to Luoan City in batches and await my orders."
Fu Jiahao bowed in acknowledgment.
Meanwhile, Han Fei had settled down in Luoan City. Over the past few days, he had explored all the deep mountains nearby.
Because it was close to the sea and located at the edge of the Tianyuan region, there were few high-level demon beasts. This spared Han Fei quite a bit of trouble.
In his room, Han Fei was still studying the scroll and map in his hands. Yet the location marked on the scroll was an open area situated between three mountain peaks. He had already searched the entire region, and had even blasted a huge pit into the marked spot with spiritual energy, but he still found nothing.
Let alone treasure, there was not even a visible trace of anything. Clearly, no one had set foot here for many years.
Han Fei believed the secret had to be within this scroll. Yet it was just an ordinary scroll, with nothing unusual about it when unfolded.
"Ugh, it's been over ten days. What exactly does the place marked on this scroll mean? Could it be a meeting point for a transaction?"
Han Fei shook his head as he spoke. "That seems unlikely. There isn't the slightest trace of anyone having been there, and the scroll itself looks ancient. It clearly has some age to it. It is more likely the marked location of some treasure."
After pondering for a long time without figuring it out, Han Fei left the inn and prepared to stroll through Luoan City. He also planned to buy materials for Spirit Gathering Pills so he could refine some for his father and second uncle.
Although Luoan City lay near the border, its route was fairly remote, so it was not chaotic, and the cultivators here were generally not very strong.
After Han Fei's exploration over the past few days, he learned that anyone at the Spirit Gathering Realm could dominate Luoan City. Across the entire city, there were no more than five Spirit Gathering Realm experts.
As he walked, he suddenly saw a large crowd gathered outside a residence ahead.
Driven by curiosity, Han Fei slowly approached, only to discover an infuriating farce unfolding at the entrance.
More than a dozen Innate Realm experts were forcibly dragging a woman in her early twenties into the residence.
The woman clung desperately to a pillar beside the gate, refusing to let go no matter what.
The dozen or so guards seemed afraid of hurting her and did not dare use too much force.
At that moment, a young man dressed in luxurious robes emerged from the courtyard, followed by a large group of experts.
The young man was somewhat displeased. After coming out and glancing at the situation, he immediately frowned. "What, would following me be such a hardship for you? You keep crying like this. Do you believe I can make your Dong Family disappear from Luoan City?"
Han Fei frowned. This woman's surname was Dong as well?
Han Fei patted the middle-aged man beside him and humbly asked what had happened.
Seeing Han Fei's clothing, the middle-aged man immediately said, "You're not from around here, are you? No wonder you don't recognize him. He is the City Lord's eldest son, She Liang. This man is lecherous by nature. He has nearly ruined every well-known young lady in the city."
"The reason Luoan City has failed to develop is because many wealthy families have quietly moved away. They cannot afford to provoke the City Lord's eldest son, so they can only hide. And now, She Liang has taken a liking to the Dong Family's eldest daughter. Sigh, what a pity."
Han Fei frowned. "Does being the City Lord's eldest son mean he can disregard the law? Is there no one who can keep them in check?"
The middle-aged man shook his head. "Luoan City is too remote, and the City Lord treats passing merchants very well. They never trouble travelers, only the people within the city. The City Lord also privately raises taxes, leaving the merchants and commoners here in misery. Any cultivators with slightly higher cultivation are recruited by the City Lord's residence, leaving this region with no power left to oppose them."
Han Fei took a deep breath. Clearly, he was furious.
At that moment, She Liang shouted angrily, "What are you all standing around for? Drag her inside! Do you think there aren't enough people watching?"
Then She Liang shouted at the crowd, "What are you looking at? Do you want to die?"
The onlookers immediately took a step back, afraid of being caught in the crossfire.
The surrounding guards immediately stepped forward, preparing to drag the woman into the courtyard. That was when Han Fei acted.
A section of bamboo beneath his feet flew into the air, and Han Fei struck out with his palm, shattering it.
It split into more than a dozen bamboo strips, which shot outward and pierced through the palms of the dozen Innate Realm experts closing in.
"Ah!" The guards who had rushed forward and those who had not were all injured by the bamboo strips. They clutched their hands and screamed in pain.
She Liang, who had been barking orders nearby, froze. Only then did he realize that his guards had been attacked.
"Who was it? Who did this? Don't you know who I am? How dare you cause trouble in Luoan City? I'll make you wish you were dead!"
As soon as She Liang finished speaking, Han Fei stepped out of the crowd and slowly walked toward him.
Han Fei's gaze frightened She Liang. "Y-you, who are you?"
Han Fei spread his hands. "Didn't you say you would make me wish I were dead? I'd really like to experience it. Come on."
She Liang frowned. He was at the Seventh Level of the Innate Realm, so there was no need for him to be afraid. But judging by Han Fei's earlier attack, even if it had been a sneak attack, it was enough to prove that Han Fei's strength definitely surpassed the Innate Realm.
Moreover, he could not see Han Fei's cultivation, further confirming it.
"M-my father is the City Lord of Luoan City, a Spirit Gathering Realm expert. If you dare lay a hand on me, you should be able to imagine the consequences."
Smack! Han Fei did not speak. He answered with action, delivering a resounding slap across She Liang's face and sending him staggering.
Pfft! She Liang spat out two teeth, and the entire left side of his face swelled up.
Han Fei said coldly, "I just laid a hand on you. What can you do about it?"
The guard captain beside him, who was at the Ninth Level of the Innate Realm, endured the pain in his left palm and raised his weapon in his right hand, immediately slashing at Han Fei.
The corner of Han Fei's lips curled slightly as he turned into an afterimage.
The guard captain only felt a chill in his left hand. Looking down, he saw that the bamboo strip embedded in the back of his left hand had vanished. At the same time, a cool breeze brushed against his right wrist.
When the guard captain looked up, a horrifying bloody wound had appeared on his wrist. It had been sliced open by the thin, flexible bamboo strip in Han Fei's hand.
Clang! His wrist was severed, and the weapon in his hand fell to the ground with a metallic ring.
By then, Han Fei did not even spare the guard captain another glance. The bamboo strip in his right hand was already resting against She Liang's neck.
Everything had happened in the blink of an eye. No one had even been able to follow Han Fei's movements.
With the bamboo strip touching the skin of his neck, She Liang was completely stunned. He understood that even this thin, flexible strip of bamboo could take his life in an instant.
But Han Fei was not finished. He extended his left hand and launched a spiritual energy attack at She Liang's legs.
Bang! Blood and vital energy burst apart. Agonizing pain shot through She Liang's legs, and he dropped straight to his knees.
But with his neck held at risk, She Liang did not dare make any unnecessary movements. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead as he forcibly endured the pain.
Han Fei's emotionless voice rang across the scene.
"Take out your voice transmission talisman. I'll give you time to call whoever can back you up. I'll give you only a quarter of an hour. If they have not arrived by then, I'll send you on your way."
Before you continue