Everyone cried out in surprise.
"No need," Yan Xi's faint refusal came from her private box.
Ling Fan said, "Why is the Heavenly Maiden being so polite with me? Perhaps the Heavenly Maiden does not know my identity. I am from the Gao family of the Qing Xuan Sect. Consider this treasure a congratulatory gift from me, a member of the Gao family, to the Heavenly Maiden and Deputy Sect Master Gao Gan."
With that.
Ling Fan, without further ado, waved his hand, and a vast river of Heavenly Spirit Pills flowed into Xu Yu's hand.
Seventy million Heavenly Spirit Pills!
Xu Yu's hands trembled as he grasped them.
Even he had never witnessed such a grand gesture.
The auction ended just like that.
Many people were still chattering about what had just happened.
Heavenly Maiden Yan Xi was about to leave.
Suddenly, Xu Yu scurried over and respectfully said, "Heavenly Maiden, please wait. A distinguished guest wishes to meet you. I hope you will grant him an audience."
"Who?"
"It's the Gao family's Half-step Heavenly Emperor who just paid seventy million Heavenly Spirit Pills for you," Xu Yu replied, not daring to hide anything.
"Let him come."
Yan Xi sat down again, her posture as dignified as an inviolable goddess from the Nine Heavens.
"Greetings, Heavenly Maiden."
Ling Fan cupped his hands slightly towards Yan Xi.
"What do you want to see me for? Gao Gan and I are only engaged, not yet formally married. Is your Gao family too eager?" Yan Xi said indifferently.
"Heh, Heavenly Maiden misunderstands. This matter has nothing to do with the Gao family; it is merely my personal action."
"I have a presumptuous request."
Ling Fan said.
"Speak."
Ling Fan said, "I have long admired this Qiankun Ring. Although the treasure has now fallen into the Heavenly Maiden's hands, and I dare not harbor any further improper thoughts, may I be allowed to view it? It would fulfill this wish of mine."
"Take it."
Heavenly Maiden Yan Xi waved her hand.
Ling Fan feigned great excitement, wiped his hands twice, and then solemnly took the Qiankun Ring.
"What a magnificent Half-Absolute Emperor Weapon! What a pity, what a pity, I am not destined for this treasure."
After examining it carefully several times.
Ling Fan reluctantly returned the Cloud-Patterned Qiankun Ring.
"Alas, I have seen the treasure and admired the Heavenly Maiden's peerless beauty. I shall take my leave."
Saying that, Ling Fan was about to leave.
Yan Xi summoned the Qiankun Ring into her hand. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed, and she called out to Ling Fan.
"Stop."
"Who exactly are you, daring to play tricks on me?"
Ling Fan turned around, looking somewhat bewildered, and spread his hands innocently. "What is the Heavenly Maiden talking about? I don't understand. I'm not playing any tricks. How could I dare to be presumptuous in front of you!"
"Hmph!"
Heavenly Maiden Yan Xi snorted coldly. She clenched her palm, and with a series of cracking sounds, the Qiankun Ring was distorted and crushed into countless fragments with a snap.
"Oh dear, Heavenly Maiden, what are you doing? Such a precious treasure destroyed just like that, what a pity! If you didn't want it, you could have given it to me!"
Ling Fan appeared heartbroken.
"Stop acting. A true Half-Absolute Emperor Weapon would not be crushed by a mere seventh-tier Heavenly Emperor like me. This is not the real Qiankun Ring at all; you must have swapped it out."
"Heavenly Maiden, I understand even less. What virtue or ability do I possess to swap out a Half-Absolute Emperor Weapon right under your discerning eyes?"
Ling Fan stubbornly refused to admit it.
"Heh, you don't need to admit it now. When I catch you, everything will be revealed."
Yan Xi reached out and grabbed towards Ling Fan.
Instantly, a terrifying force, like the collapse of heaven and earth, descended upon him, overwhelming him.
Ling Fan's heart was filled with a great sense of danger.
Such formidable strength!
It was not inferior to Gao Gan, that peerless Heavenly Emperor.
Although Ling Fan's strength had greatly increased, making him almost invincible at the Half-step Heavenly Emperor level, he was still far from a true seventh-tier Heavenly Emperor.
However, Ling Fan was not the type to surrender without a fight.
Boom!
Ling Fan gathered all his strength, leaped forward, and struck out with a fierce punch.
Bang!
The two collided violently.
Ling Fan's body was sent flying back miserably.
He could not even budge Yan Xi's palm.
"Damn, I didn't expect this Yan Xi's eyes to be so sharp. My trick of replacing the cat with a prince didn't fool her. This is troublesome."
Countless thoughts and methods flashed through Ling Fan's mind.
But there was no method that would allow him, a sixth-tier Profound Emperor, to contend against a true seventh-tier Heavenly Emperor, and one of the stronger ones at that!
Just as Ling Fan was about to be crushed into dust by this palm.
Ling Fan had no choice but to reveal some of his secrets. A blurry great cauldron materialized and enveloped him.
Clang!
Yan Xi's large hand struck the great cauldron, emitting a long, resonant hum. The cauldron body vibrated violently, and Ling Fan, trapped within, was almost torn apart by the shock.
Puff!
Although Ling Fan managed to block Yan Xi's attack with the Samsara Divine Cauldron, he was still in terrible shape, his body on the verge of cracking, and he was severely injured by the impact.
"There is no turning back now. The only way is to refine the inner world within this Qiankun Ring, integrate it into my own world, and break through to the Half-step Heavenly Emperor or even Heavenly Emperor realm in one go!"
Ling Fan hardened his heart.
He acted immediately.
With a flip of his hand, the Cloud-Patterned Qiankun Ring appeared in his grasp.
"Devour!"
Ling Fan suddenly activated the Myriad Artifact Transformation Art. It was as if a furnace had appeared within his body, intending to assimilate the Cloud-Patterned Qiankun Ring into his own being. Simultaneously, his own world manifested, encroaching upon the inner world contained within the Qiankun Ring.
"Fortunately, the spirit of the Qiankun Ring is dormant. Otherwise, at my current cultivation level, I wouldn't even be able to withstand the backlash from the spirit of a Half-Absolute Emperor Weapon."
As Ling Fan was frantically refining the Qiankun Ring.
Outside, Yan Xi continued to strike the Samsara Divine Cauldron with her palm.
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!
The sounds of impact echoed.
Ling Fan's body suffered repeated blows.
His body cracked further.
Considering that Ling Fan had merged with that Supreme Ancestral Dragon Seal, one could imagine how powerful Yan Xi was.
"Hmph! If you want to shake me to death, I'll use your power to refine this Qiankun Ring!"
Ling Fan also became ruthless.
While enduring Yan Xi's attacks, he channeled the shockwave into the Qiankun Ring.
Whoosh!
A figure flashed outside.
A graceful silhouette appeared beside Yan Xi.
It was the楼主 of the mysterious Qi Hong Tower.
Perhaps no one had expected that the楼主 of the Qi Hong Tower was actually a woman, and a peerless beauty at that.
"Haven't you captured this person yet?"
The楼主 of the Qi Hong Tower frowned slightly.
"This brat possesses a powerful artifact that even a Heavenly Emperor cannot break in a short time. Help me and shatter him within it, and we can obtain this treasure."
"Alright!"
The楼主 of the Qi Hong Tower nodded.
She raised her delicate hand, and a terrifying force, like the collapse of heaven and earth, struck the phantom image of the Samsara Divine Cauldron.
Clang!
With their combined efforts.
The pressure Ling Fan endured doubled.