"Simply a joke!" the strange old man sneered. "I've lived freely my whole life and won't pledge allegiance to anyone. Moreover, your Dragon Group isn't qualified enough!"
"Such arrogance!" Han Bing said coldly. "The dignified Dragon Group of Dragon Country isn't worthy of you?"
"There's always someone better, and someone beyond the beyond. Within Dragon Country, the Dragon Group is indeed mysterious, but in my eyes, it's nothing special," the strange old man stated frankly. "Furthermore, with just the two of you, how can you possibly keep me here today!"
"Truly boastful!"
With a swift step, Jian Ying's sword transformed into ten illusory blades, weaving a powerful formation to trap the strange old man by the Chu Zhou lake.
"What kind of divine ability is this!" Gu Wen exclaimed in shock. "Why have I never seen it before?"
"The methods of the powerful are not for you to witness," Han Yunhai said directly. "These individuals are not weak; they likely have significant backgrounds."
As sword energy soared, the strange old man merely let out a cold laugh. A formidable aura surged around him, and with a single palm strike, he sent the two flying. His figure then vanished instantly, not daring to delay for even a moment.
He knew very well that he was injured and his strength was compromised. If he were to contend with these two, he would likely meet his end today.
The two intended to pursue, but the old man's steps were swift. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared without a trace, causing them to frown.
"That old rascal escaped again!" Jian Ying said helplessly.
"It's all your fault!" Han Bing said sternly. "Since you unleashed the intent of your sword, you should have pressed the attack with every step. How could you have given him an opening!"
"I don't think this old man is a bad person. All the way here, he had countless opportunities to kill us," Jian Ying said with a wry smile. "But he always showed mercy, so I felt a pang of compassion!"
"As a member of the Dragon Group, shouldn't your priority be the Dragon Group's mission? Have you forgotten?" Han Bing stated directly. "If there's a next time, I will definitely report this!"
"Don't do that!" Jian Ying said awkwardly. "We're partners, after all. If you report me, you won't see me next time. Do you want a new partner?"
Han Bing remained silent, his expression as cold as ever. He didn't even spare a glance at the many martial artists observing. He only looked at Lu Fan once, but did not linger.
"Master, that woman looked at you just now," Gu Wen said quickly. "Among everyone, she only looked at you!"
"You're so nosy!" Lu Fan shot him a look. "Don't say anything foolish when we get back, or if Xiao Ke finds out, I won't let you off lightly."
"I know, I know!" Gu Wen nodded repeatedly. "I won't say anything when we get back."
When everyone returned to the courtyard and were about to enter their rooms, Lu Fan stopped abruptly and glanced towards a certain house in the courtyard.
"Sir, what's wrong?" Han Yunhai asked.
Lu Fan didn't answer. He walked towards a room in the courtyard. Inside, an old man was lying on the bed, looking quite content. This person was none other than the strange old man.
"Senior! How did you get here?" Lu Fan asked awkwardly.
Han Yunhai and Gu Wen were also stunned. They had just witnessed a fierce battle by the Chu Zhou lake, and now the old man was in a room at Jiangjing Bieyuan, lying on a bed, which was quite astonishing.
"Just looking for a place to rest. You're quite clever, kid," the strange old man said. "With so many rooms in the courtyard, this one is mine now!"
"The room is not a problem!" Lu Fan said awkwardly. "But those two are not to be trifled with. If they find their way here, how will I handle it!"
"My aura is concealed. Beyond ten meters, they won't be able to find me," the strange old man stated. "Rest assured!"
Lu Fan frowned. He wasn't sure if this strange old man was good or bad. Now that he was injured, Lu Fan wouldn't fear expelling him by force. However, if the old man sought revenge after recovering, it would be a troublesome matter.
"Since you're staying as a guest, I won't disturb you!"
Lu Fan gave a wry smile and closed the door, then walked out.
"Sir, what should we do?" Han Yunhai frowned. "This old man is powerful and likely has ill intentions."
"He has internal injuries, so he won't harm us," Lu Fan said. "You all should go to sleep!"
"But..." Gu Wen worried. "If he has ulterior motives, it will be troublesome."
"I will go and test him!" Lu Fan waved his hand. "You don't need to worry too much. If this old man harbors any malice, I will kill him!"
Han Yunhai and Gu Wen nodded slightly. Although they were quite worried, they dared not disobey Lu Fan's instructions.
After they left, Lu Fan returned to the old man's room. "I'm very curious, what kind of information did you steal? Why are you being chased?"
"It's better for you not to know these things," the strange old man chuckled. "It's only beneficial for you. However, I must thank you. I am severely injured now, and with your strength, you don't need to fear me!"
"I can help you heal your injuries," Lu Fan stated directly. "But you must agree to one condition!"
"What condition?" the strange old man asked in surprise. "You know medicine?"
"Of course, I know medicine!" Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "If I heal your injuries, you will agree to three requests, provided you do not harm anyone in the courtyard!"
"What if you can't heal me?" the strange old man narrowed his eyes. "Can I be your appetizer?"
"You have old scars, and your vital energy has been damaged. You might have even been a peerless master before, suffering severe trauma that led to your current weakened state, otherwise you wouldn't have ended up like this," Lu Fan stated directly. "If you don't believe me, then forget I said anything!"
Lu Fan made a move to leave. The old man was gravely injured. If he were to argue further, Lu Fan would not hold back.
"Wait!" the strange old man glanced at him. "Old man, I'll trust you this once. As long as you can heal my internal injuries, I'll agree to three conditions. Not just three, even thirty wouldn't be a problem!"
"You said it!"
Lu Fan nodded with satisfaction and then took out silver needles to acupuncture the strange old man. He also produced a pill. "Take this pill, it will suppress your internal injuries. Your internal injuries have likely been present for thirty years. To fully heal, it will probably take several years!"
After taking the pill, the strange old man felt a surge of energy within him and was astonished. He could clearly sense that his internal injuries were gradually healing.
Although it wasn't optimal, the fact that his internal injuries were gradually recovering demonstrated the potency of the pill.
"You really didn't lie to me!" the strange old man nodded with satisfaction. "I never expected someone so young to possess such skills!"
"This is a pill refined from a thousand-year-old spiritual herb. There are only ten in total, and one is with you," Lu Fan said helplessly. "If it weren't for your three promises, I wouldn't have gone to such lengths!"
The strange old man understood. He knew what Lu Fan was thinking.