The sounds of rustling were constant as more people gathered, each assuming a stance, ready for battle, their eyes fixed on Chu Fan.
One of them approached a middle-aged man, who appeared to be the leader, and whispered into his ear. As he listened, the middle-aged man’s gaze towards Chu Fan was so intense, it seemed he wished he could devour him whole.
Though the distance wasn’t close, Chu Fan still heard what was being said. The newcomers were informing the middle-aged man that he had killed over thirty of their brothers on his way here. As their elder brother, his anger was understandable.
Having dared to kill, Chu Fan naturally feared nothing.
Ignoring the furious glares from those around him, Chu Fan turned his toes, intending to head towards the deep ravine below Sky Sword Mountain, preparing to find where the Hidden Gate Formation was concealed.
"Hold on!"
A low shout cut through the air. The middle-aged man, leading three elders in long robes, walked forward.
"Young man, after killing so many of our people, you still act so arrogantly here. Do you not take us seriously at all?"
The middle-aged man’s voice was clearly suppressing his rage.
Chu Fan smiled indifferently and retorted, "Do you consider yourselves someone to be taken seriously?"
This response was like pouring gasoline onto the hearts of the crowd, instantly igniting their anger and making the atmosphere palpably volatile.
Everyone standing here possessed a strength no lower than that of a half-Grandmaster. Outside, they could move about with impunity. Yet, in the eyes of this young man, Chu Fan, they weren’t even worth taking seriously?
Those who had not witnessed Chu Fan’s actions couldn’t understand the source of this young man’s arrogant demeanor. The only ones whose expressions remained largely unchanged were the three elders, who likely hailed from ancient families. They sensed danger from Chu Fan and knew he possessed the strength to disregard everyone present. In the face of absolute power, the number of opponents was irrelevant to the outcome.
The middle-aged man clenched his fists, about to speak, when an elder from behind him stepped forward, facing Chu Fan with a smiling expression. "Little friend, I am Qi Shan. May I know what to call you?"
"Nameless!"
Chu Fan responded coldly. With his face concealed, he naturally had to change his name. Otherwise, knowing the methods of the War Emperor Hall, he was certain the five War Emperors would be hot on his heels again within a few hours. He did not like having people trailing him after every action he took.
Nameless?
Qi Shan’s slightly whitened eyebrows twitched. He couldn’t ascertain if this was Chu Fan’s real name or an alias. His original intention was to learn Chu Fan’s name, and through his surname, deduce which family or sect he belonged to. He worried about an incident where friends and foes might be mistaken, especially since the ancient families and hidden powers of today were, more or less, acquainted and connected. His experience told him that with Chu Fan’s young age and strength comparable to a half-step Grandmaster, he could not possibly be an outsider; he was, without a doubt, a genius from some family. To his surprise, Chu Fan had no intention of revealing his identity.
The already enraged middle-aged man walked over to Qi Shan, fuming, "Uncle Qi, why waste words with him?"
"Do you really think you’re invincible, daring to disrespect our brothers?"
"Let me..."
"Silence!"
Qi Shan turned and glared at the middle-aged man, reprimanding him, "You have no right to speak here!"
"Go somewhere cool and stay there!"
At this moment, if it weren't for the fact that the middle-aged man was distantly related to him, Qi Shan would have truly wanted to slap him to death. How old was he, to have no sense of judgment? If the opponent were so easy to deal with, why would they need to speak so much? Although they had three half-step Grandmasters, those with greater strength were reluctant to act unless absolutely necessary. This was why Qi Shan had stepped forward. He knew the character of the middle-aged man, Qi Junhao, and if he were to negotiate with Chu Fan, the two would likely come to blows within ten sentences. In that case, could their three elders stand by and watch them be killed?
Rebuked, Qi Junhao clearly felt wronged, but facing an elder, he dared not say more. His gaze towards Chu Fan became even more furious, clearly attributing all the blame to him.
Qi Shan looked at Chu Fan and said with a smile, "Young friend Nameless, you must have come here for the secret realm treasure beneath Sky Sword Mountain, correct?" Since they could find their way here, it was unlikely they were unaware of the situation. Qi Shan decided not to beat around the bush and waste time.
Chu Fan nodded and retorted, "What? Has this place now been declared a restricted zone by you? Are outsiders not allowed to enter?"
"Not at all, not at all!"
Qi Shan chuckled. "This place is inherently ownerless. How could we possibly have the right to declare it a restricted zone!" Rules were only for the weak. If one’s strength was insufficient to reach this place, it naturally became a forbidden zone.
"Since it’s not, then what is the meaning of all of you gathering here?"
"If you want to stop me, then make your move!"
As he spoke, Chu Fan swept his gaze across the surroundings and arrogantly declared, "These insignificant pests don’t need to come up and offer themselves for death."
"The three of you can come at me together!"
The heavy breathing in the vicinity noticeably increased. Everyone thought Chu Fan's previous actions were already incredibly arrogant, but they never expected him to be so audacious as to challenge three half-step Grandmasters simultaneously. So young, could he be a Grandmaster? If he wasn’t a Grandmaster, how could he utter such arrogant words?
Qi Shan’s smile gradually stiffened. As a half-step Grandmaster, being so disrespected by a young man, where was his dignity? Politeness was merely to avoid rash action; it did not mean he was afraid to act.
Before Qi Shan could speak, another elder from behind stepped forward, his expression one of growing anger as he stared at Chu Fan. "Young man, is there any need to be so arrogant?"
"We are being polite to you, but that doesn’t mean we are easy to bully!"
"Oh?"
Chu Fan feigned surprise, smiling and asking, "Are you saying I should be grateful for your mercy in not killing me?"
The speaking elder’s aura suddenly erupted, as he wished to personally test Chu Fan’s capabilities. He did not believe someone so young could be a Grandmaster. This was the era of Dharma decline, and if any family or sect had produced such a genius, it would have spread far and wide. However, in his memory, there was no one named Chu Fan among the geniuses. Therefore, the elder felt that the dangerous aura emanating from Chu Fan was not due to his strength, but perhaps something he was carrying.
Qi Shan and the other elder who had remained silent showed no reaction. As esteemed half-step Grandmasters, they were deeply angered by Chu Fan’s dismissive attitude. They also knew that they could not afford to be overly cautious just because Chu Fan exuded a dangerous aura. To bow down before even testing his strength would only make future interactions more difficult. Thus, someone needed to step forward to ascertain Chu Fan’s true abilities.
Chu Fan understood their calculations perfectly. He raised his hand, beckoning with a finger, and provocatively said, "If you want to die, then come!" The three old fellows wanted to use this opportunity to gauge his strength, but they didn’t realize Chu Fan also wanted to use it to break their spirit and make them stand aside, preventing them from obstructing his exploration of the secret realm.