Ye Fan was beyond caring now.
He had accumulated so much Evil Flame within him, enough to overload the system multiple times over.
At this point, he didn't care about Lingxiao Hall's dwindling power supply.
If the system was indeed down and unable to absorb energy, all the better!
If it weren't for the need of Long Tao Yi to guide them, Ye Fan would have already dissected him for experiments.
Of course, these were secondary matters!
Ye Fan had an even more crucial objective!
With the little witch constantly by his side, he hadn't had a chance to even attempt suicide!
Now that the system was down, this was a rare opportunity!
There would surely be a fight upon arriving at Lingxiao Hall, right?
When they started fighting, wouldn't his chance finally arrive?
Even if no opportunity presented itself, he would have to create one!
Thus, it was happily decided!
"Great! Let's go fight!" Shan Ji was clearly excited. "Brother, you have no idea how bored I've been lately, it's driving me mad!"
Not long after they left, they stumbled upon a shocking scene.
A man in black robes, carrying a half-dead person, walked past Ye Fan and his companions.
The man's face was hidden within his black hood, his features indistinguishable.
A faint, chilling aura emanated from him.
On the chest and back of his black robe were two different, embroidered symbols.
The surrounding people seemed to fear the man greatly, retreating far to the sides.
They even…
dared not look him directly in the eye!
"It's them?!" Shan Ji exclaimed immediately.
Realizing his lapse, Shan Ji quickly covered his mouth.
"What's going on?" Ye Fan asked calmly.
"Brother, judging by his clothes, this man should be from the Ge City Enforcement Team," Shan Ji explained in a low voice. "The one he's carrying is likely someone who tried to escape and was caught. It's highly probable he's about to be displayed."
As expected.
The man in black robes continued walking with his captive for a while longer, then flew directly towards a building in the distance.
The building had a peculiar design, with a tall metal pole erected in front of it.
Reaching the top of the pole, the man seized the half-dead person and thrust him downwards!
"Pfft—!"
The sharp metal pole pierced the man's body instantly, and blood began to flow!
The man in black robes, clearly prepared, used his true energy to suppress the gushing blood.
The moment the pole pierced him, the man's body twitched.
It seemed he was not yet dead…
Furthermore, the man in black robes had struck with precision, deliberately avoiding all vital points!
This meant the man would endure continuous agony until his final breath!
The cruelty of the method was evident.
After completing his task, the man in black robes flew away.
He hadn't uttered a single word throughout the entire process.
Truly, a ruthless person who let his actions speak.
Witnessing this, Ye Fan suddenly remembered something.
When they first entered, similar warnings were carved on the stone tablet at the mountain gate.
Ge City: No entry, no exit!
The owner of that restaurant they visited earlier had also said something similar.
Ge City offered sanctuary, but in return, one completely lost their freedom.
Once a resident of Ge Mountain, always a resident of Ge Mountain!
To attempt to leave was to walk towards death!
Ye Fan glanced at the building again.
No wonder it looked uninhabited when they passed by earlier.
So this was its purpose…
Even though the man in black robes was gone, the atmosphere remained somewhat oppressive.
It took a long while for the cultivators to dare lift their heads.
Their first glance was towards the direction the man in black robes had flown, as if to confirm he was truly gone.
"It's been many years since we've seen such a scene…"
"The last time was probably about three hundred years ago…"
"To think of leaving, truly courting death…"
…
Even in their hushed discussions, their voices were kept low.
As if they feared the man in black robes might overhear them…
At this moment, a male cultivator emerged from the crowd.
"Da Jun…" the man looked up at the pole, murmuring sadly, "Yesterday you said you wanted to escape, I thought you were just saying… Why were you so foolish…"
Tears streamed down his face.
The man clenched his fists tightly as he spoke, only to release them in resignation.
Resistance.
For him now, it was a word too luxurious to even contemplate…
No one could contend against the power behind Ge City!
No one…
There was no choice but to accept their fate…
The surrounding people said nothing, nor did they show any sympathy.
Ge City had provided them with refuge, so abiding by its rules was only natural.
This man died for trying to escape; he brought it upon himself!
This incident stirred a ripple in their otherwise numb hearts.
Ge City was small, and the price for survival was much higher than in the outside world.
The Monster Beast Forest was usually an area no one ventured into, but the beasts within were beyond the capabilities of ordinary cultivators like them.
The cultivation world was vast, and everyone longed to see more of it…
No one could guarantee that the rules would continue to restrain the impulses and desires in their hearts in the future.
And at that time, would they become the next one to be displayed?
Looking at the scene, Ye Fan nodded inwardly.
Perhaps only at this moment did the cultivators of Ge City seem somewhat normal.
No longer the hot-tempered individuals who fought at the slightest provocation, they were no different from ordinary cultivators in the outside world.
The "no exit" rule was like a sharp blade hanging over each of their hearts.
And that blade was held in their own hands.
People, eventually, get tired.
They didn't know when that day would come, when they would tire and loosen their grip on the hilt of the sword…
The consequences would then be self-evident…
Perhaps…
This was the reason behind Ge City's simple and honest folk customs…
The prolonged suppression had left these cultivators suffocated.
They needed an outlet.
They needed release!
…
Mark this down.
If Lingxiao Hall falters later, we can consider implementing something similar.
Since Lingxiao Hall's lair was in another region, Ye Fan rented a flying beast.
Upon ascending, Ye Fan carefully examined the flying monster beneath him.
Its breed was similar to the Dragon Eagles he had seen, but it wasn't called that on this continent.
The monster's broad back was flat, and its large feathers felt comfortable to the touch.
These flying beasts were domesticated and had gentle temperaments.
As long as you didn't harm it, you could even dance on its back without issue.
It was hard not to like such a gentle and lovely monster.
This reminded him of his last experience riding a flying beast.
The previous time, something had gone wrong, and the flying beast had crashed.
It was a sad memory.
Especially thinking about that flying monster from that time, Ye Fan's sadness intensified.
Tears almost flowed from the corners of his eyes…
As he pondered, Ye Fan placed his hand on the monster's back.
His fingers parted the thick feathers and reached its skin.
Ye Fan nodded inwardly.
The flesh felt firm and tightly packed; the taste would surely be good.
For some reason.
The normally steady flying monster trembled inexplicably…
Fortunately, nothing else unusual happened along the way.
Which left Ye Fan filled with regret… no, relief.
In front of the Lingxiao Hall's mountain gate.
"Brother, how do we start later?" Shan Ji asked, his fists clenched.
Ye Fan's answer was direct.
"As arrogant as possible!"
Shan Ji immediately became energized!
I like it!
"Elder Long?" The gatekeeping disciples recognized the trembling Long Tao Yi. "What's wrong with you?"
"Do I even need to ask?!" Shan Ji was the first to retort. "It's obvious we're here to cause trouble!"
"Oh, you're here to cause trouble?" One of the gatekeeping disciples lazily pointed to a table nearby. "Go over there and fill out a form first."
Ye Fan and the others: ???
What?
We're here to cause trouble.
And you want us to fill out a form???
Is there something wrong with your Lingxiao Hall?