Facing the endless mockery of the crowd, Lu Fan let out a light laugh, "Ghost Shadow, these people are yours to handle. Make it quick!"
Upon receiving the command, Ghost Shadow's eyes instantly turned cold. A blur of motion brought him before the middle-aged man. Before the man could react, he felt an icy chill and a surge of panic he had never experienced before.
"Weren't you quite talkative just now? Why are you speechless now?"
Ghost Shadow gripped the middle-aged man with one hand, a faint, meaningful glint in his eyes.
At these words, the man's face turned ashen. He had never expected Ghost Shadow to be so powerful, so much so that it left him breathless. Just moments ago, they had clearly felt Ghost Shadow teleport.
On a large tree not far away, Hu Yu was eating fruit and watching the battle unfolding below. He felt a stir in his heart, never imagining Ghost Shadow's strength. He had clearly misjudged.
He had initially thought Lu Fan and Ghost Shadow were ordinary people, but it seemed that was not the case. If his eyes didn't deceive him, Ghost Shadow was likely a Saint.
In the entire Eastern Domain, reaching the Saint realm at such a young age suggested an extraordinary background.
At this moment, the middle-aged man was also thoroughly frightened, his legs feeling weak. He had intended to teach Lu Fan a harsh lesson, but unexpectedly, they were no match for Lu Fan, and he was completely suppressed by Ghost Shadow.
"Don't try to resist, or you'll die a miserable death!"
With a faint smile, Ghost Shadow said directly, "The only reason I'm not killing you now is to see the panic in your eyes. You were so arrogant in the tavern, now you should know there's always someone better!"
"I know, I know!"
The middle-aged man cried out in panic, "It was all my ignorance and arrogance that offended you two lords. I beg you to show mercy and spare my life. I will never dare to do this again!"
"Spare your life?"
Ghost Shadow smiled faintly, "That might not be appropriate! After all, you were so arrogant just now. If I truly let you go, you might become even more arrogant than before!"
Feeling a killing intent, the middle-aged man's face turned ashen. "Don't you dare! If anything happens to me, my sect will not stand idly by. You will all face repercussions!"
"Are you threatening us?"
Ghost Shadow's expression turned cold. "You might not know this, but I despise threats the most. Therefore, you must die today!"
"Offending the Heavenly Wolf Sect will surely lead to endless pursuit!"
The middle-aged man pleaded, "As long as you spare my life, all these matters can be resolved!"
However, Ghost Shadow paid no heed to his words. With a flick of his wrist, the middle-aged man met his demise.
Seeing this, the other followers' eyes widened in panic. They had never imagined things would turn out this way, catching them completely off guard and filling them with shock.
At the same time, Lu Fan frowned and said to Ghost Shadow, "These people have nothing to do with this. Don't harm their lives!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Ghost Shadow quickly nodded, his gaze solemn. He knew very well that Lu Fan's orders could not be disobeyed.
"Thank you, sir, for sparing my life! Thank you, sir!"
Everyone knelt in succession, their eyes filled with panic. At this point, they dared not make any rash moves, given Lu Fan's evident strength. Any misstep could lead to endless trouble.
After they left, Ghost Shadow spoke, "Sir, why did you protect them? They deserved to die."
"There is no one in this world who deserves to die!"
Lu Fan shook his head. "Besides, they weren't necessarily meant to die. It's not impossible to spare their lives!"
"Since you've said so, sir, I naturally won't lay a hand on them anymore!" Ghost Shadow nodded slightly, a hint of helplessness in his heart.
However, at this moment, Lu Fan's gaze drifted into the distance, a faint cold light appearing in his eyes.
Hu Yu, sitting on a branch and leisurely eating fruit, felt a flicker of embarrassment as Lu Fan's gaze fell upon him. He hadn't expected Lu Fan to discover him.
"I've already left Boundary City. Isn't it time to return that thing to me?" Lu Fan narrowed his eyes, looking directly at Hu Yu with a serious expression.
At these words, Hu Yu smiled faintly and said nothing more. He walked directly towards Lu Fan. "Actually, I'm very curious. Which Holy Land do you people belong to?"
"How can you be so sure we are from a Holy Land?" Lu Fan asked meaningfully, looking at Hu Yu.
"If you weren't from a Holy Land, how could you possess such strength? Reaching the Saint realm at such a young age is not something ordinary people can achieve!" Hu Yu stated directly. "Therefore, entering the Central Continent would be as simple as waving your hand."
"That's well said, but as you say, entering the Central Continent is just a wave away. It seems to be the same for you!" Lu Fan smiled faintly.
"You're right, I can indeed go to the Central Continent. However, I'm waiting for someone, so you go ahead!" Hu Yu smiled faintly. "When we get to the Central Continent, I'll contact you!"
"Are you saying you don't intend to return the Divine Emperor Cauldron to me?"
Lu Fan smiled faintly, his gaze sharpening. If Hu Yu truly had such intentions, he wouldn't mind taking action. In such situations, action was preferable to words.
"What are you talking about? I'm not that kind of person!"
Hu Yu looked earnest. "However, when I first left Boundary City, the thing you gave me seemed to be lost. I've actually been looking for it too!"
"Lost?"
Lu Fan was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected Hu Yu to say something like this, leaving him unsure of how to respond.
"Are you kidding me? That's no ordinary item, how could it be lost!"
Ghost Shadow frowned, looking at Hu Yu with hostility. If the item was truly lost, it would be a significant blow to them.
"I can't help it! So I want to go back to Boundary City to look for it!" Hu Yu said earnestly, showing no hesitation.
However, Lu Fan didn't believe him at all. Instead, he smiled. "Since it's lost, why don't you follow me from now on? I'll take care of you, and that can compensate me for my item. What do you say?"
"Are you serious?" Hu Yu looked astonished, his gaze towards Lu Fan filled with wariness.