Under the intense gaze of countless eyes, Ling Fan stood with his hands behind his back, calmly looking at Xiong Kuang.
"Xiong Kuang, you broke your promise, injured Ji Hong, took his spot, and dared to attack me. I had Liang Hutou kill your two Xuan Gang realm experts. Do you submit?"
Xiong Kuang trembled all over, his face extremely unsightly. His skin could be seen to be quivering, and he swallowed his words several times after trying to speak.
It was as if uttering the word "submit" would require all his strength.
Finally, after a long while, he spoke with great difficulty, "I... I submit!"
Ling Fan nodded calmly and said, "I previously said I was dissatisfied with the allocation of spots. I want to reallocate them now. Do you have any objections?"
Xiong Kuang forced a bitter smile and said, "Now that Young Master Ling's influence is the strongest, naturally, you have the final say. You can distribute these spots however you wish, and the City Lord's Mansion dares not have any objections."
"Good."
"The four spots belonging to the City Lord's Mansion, I'll take them."
Ling Fan said lightly.
"F-four, all of them!"
Xiong Kuang raised his head in shock, his eyes revealing a look of heartache.
"What, you're unwilling?"
Ling Fan's tone turned cold.
Xiong Kuang felt his heart bleeding. He thought that he used to take advantage of other families and forces. Who would have thought that after hunting geese all day, he would eventually be pecked by them?
Now it was his turn to be like fish meat, waiting to be slaughtered.
"W-willing!"
Xiong Kuang lowered his head, feeling that he had never been so humiliated in his life.
A flash of venomous resentment crossed his eyes.
To be cornered step by step by a teenage boy who didn't understand martial arts, yet he could only swallow his pride.
He was filled with anger.
However, it was fortunate that he had preserved a way out for the City Lord's Mansion, which could be considered a blessing in disguise.
As for this debt, there was no hope of settling it with Ling Fan for the time being.
However, nothing was absolute.
Liang Hutou was indeed very strong, but being at the peak of the Xuan Gang realm did not mean he was invincible.
While the Five Cities region might not have anyone stronger than Liang Hutou, it did not mean that other places did not.
The experts of the City Lord's Mansion also breathed a sigh of relief, their legs feeling weak. They felt a lingering fear as if they had walked back from the gates of hell.
This was especially true for Xiong Fei, the dissolute and wicked young master.
His hands and feet were still numb with fear.
He had originally thought he could get revenge today, but who would have thought that even his father would fall.
Not only did he fail to get revenge, but he fell even harder. Ling Fan had trampled the dignity of the City Lord's Mansion under his feet, leaving it unrecognizable.
Ling Fan looked at Ji Hong and said, "The City Lord's Mansion took one spot from you. I'm returning one to you now."
Ji Hong's eyes showed disbelief. After a long while, he solemnly knelt on the ground and kowtowed heavily to Ling Fan.
Ling Fan then turned towards the Liu family.
All the members of the Liu family were startled, thinking that Ling Fan would seek retribution from the Liu family.
Fortunately, to their relief, Ling Fan merely beckoned Liu Xiran over.
Ling Fan ruffled Liu Xiran's soft, dark hair and said, "I told you before that I would take you into Star Sand Lake. Do you remember?"
Liu Xiran's large eyes, like black gemstones, suddenly sparkled with unprecedented brilliance. She jumped up, both surprised and delighted.
"I remember! Of course, I remember! Brother Ling Fan, are you really going to take me in?"
Ling Fan smiled faintly and nodded.
"That's great! Thank you, Brother Ling Fan!"
Liu Xiran couldn't help but jump up, wrap her arms around Ling Fan's neck, and plant a kiss on his cheek.
Ling Fan was somewhat helpless.
He had to wipe away the saliva left by the little girl.
With two spots given away, he was left with only two spots in his hand.
These two spots were naturally for himself and Liang Hutou.
"When will the Star Sand Lake ruins open?"
Ling Fan asked.
Xiong Kuang dared not conceal anything and replied, "It will open in one day. At that time, the power of Star Sand Lake will weaken to its limit, allowing some people to enter. However, there is a limit to the number of people, and the strength of those who enter is also limited. Only martial artists below the Heavenly Origin Realm Master can enter. Based on the experience of many years, the maximum number is thirty-six people."
Ling Fan nodded lightly, then turned and walked out of the martial arts arena.
Liu Xiran chased after him, calling out, "Brother Ling Fan, aren't you returning to our Liu family?"
Ling Fan shook his head and said, "From now on, I have no relationship with the Liu family. I only acknowledge you from the Liu family."
"Are the people from Tianxin Tower here?"
Ling Fan scanned the surroundings and asked.
Immediately, a middle-aged man who looked like a wealthy merchant stood up and said, "That's me! Does Young Master Ling have any instructions?"
"I will stay at your Tianxin Tower."
"Oh my, that's truly wonderful. It is a great honor for Young Master Ling to grace our Tianxin Tower. I will prepare for you right away. Please come this way."
The owner of Tianxin Tower was overjoyed. He had come to watch a martial arts competition, and a great pie had fallen from the sky.
Although Ling Fan himself had no strength, it didn't matter. He had a servant at the peak of the Xuan Gang realm!
That was enough!
Did they not see that even the City Lord's Mansion had bowed its head and submitted to Ling Fan's servant?
If they could establish a connection with Ling Fan, their business at Tianxin Tower would be even more secure from now on.
Even the City Lord's Mansion would not dare to easily move against them.
Thinking of this, the oily and fat face of the owner of Tianxin Tower was beaming with joy.
After Ling Fan and Liang Hutou left the martial arts arena, the entire arena erupted in a frenzy.
Everyone was talking animatedly about what had just happened.
There was shock, envy, disdain, jealousy, resentment, and emotion...
All sorts of complex emotions intertwined, and the entire martial arts arena seemed to be lifted by the boiling discussions.
"Damn, when did the Lan family of Jiangnan City become so awesome that they provided a Xuan Gang realm peak servant for their useless son-in-law!"
"Holy crap, that's the peak of the Xuan Gang realm! A figure of the City Lord level... no, several times stronger than a City Lord level big shot! And he's serving a teenager with no martial power. This world is too crazy!"
"It's truly enviable and hateful. This Ling Fan doesn't seem to have anything outstanding. He's only moderately handsome, not drop-dead gorgeous. Why is the Lan family treating him so well! Not only did they marry Lan Xueyi, the most beautiful woman in Jiangnan City, to him, but they also provided him with a Xuan Gang realm peak expert! Damn, comparing oneself to others is enough to drive oneself mad. Why doesn't such good fortune fall upon me."
Many people sighed with emotion.
"Heh, the Liu family suffered a great loss. If they had seized this opportunity and gotten along with this Ling Fan, who in Star Sand City would dare to touch them in the future!"
"What a pity, what a pity. They pushed away such a good opportunity with their own hands."
Many people also sneered and gloated over the Liu family's missed opportunity.