Chapter 31: The Standoff at Yuan Estate

At the sound of Gu Ningxiang’s call of "Sister," Lin Fan instinctively turned his head. He saw a girl in white approaching gracefully, holding a shimmering blade, followed by a dozen handsome men and beautiful women.

Every one of these followers was a martial artist at the peak of the Spirit Pellet Realm, while the girl in white was a powerhouse who had already stepped into the Yuan Mansion Realm.

"I sensed your location and brought people to find you immediately. Thankfully, you weren't too foolish to know how to come looking for me."

The girl stroked the hair of the young girl who had thrown herself into her arms with affection. She then turned her beautiful eyes toward Lin Fan, nodded slightly, and said, "I, Gu Ningyun, will remember your kindness in protecting my sister for the rest of my life."

Gu Ningyun.

The name did not stir much emotion in Lin Fan, but the gloomy-faced young man, whose neck was still being held by the Fire Qilin Sword, felt his pupils constrict. He looked at the girl in white in horror and stammered, "The proud daughter of the Gu family of the Tiandu Dynasty, Gu Ningyun. And this little girl... could she be the 'little monster' of the Gu family, Gu Ningxiang?"

The young man swallowed hard, casting a fearful glance at Gu Ningyun and then at Gu Ningxiang. The Gu family of the Tiandu Dynasty was one of the most formidable powers in the entire dynasty. He had never imagined that he would run into such a titan just by going out for a casual hunt and taking a fancy to a little girl. He had truly kicked a steel plate this time.

"I wonder if you could hand this person over to me? I have never been fond of those who covet my sister remaining alive."

Hearing Gu Ningyun speak in such a manner, Lin Fan studied the girl deeply. He was quite surprised; for a girl with such a gentle temperament to be so ruthless in her speech—truly, one should not judge a book by its cover.

Without hesitation, Lin Fan retracted his sword, nodded, and said, "Please."

He held no affection for the young man, and he had never intended to spare this group anyway. If Gu Ningyun was willing to do the dirty work, he was happy to be at leisure.

"Wait, wait just a moment!"

The gloomy young man seemed to have heard rumors about Gu Ningyun; his eyes narrowed, and a look of terror appeared on his face. "My... my older brother is Huo Shan. Miss Gu, please, I beg you to show my brother some respect and spare me."

Huo Shan?

The young man’s words caused the dozen people following Gu Ningyun to pause, their expressions turning grave. Clearly, this Huo Shan was someone of significant standing.

As for Gu Ningyun, she knit her delicate brows in thought for a moment before a flicker of ruthlessness flashed through her beautiful eyes. "Anyone who dares to harbor designs on my sister, no matter who you are, must die!"

As she spoke, she extended a slender finger and pointed it into the air.

This gesture seemed to condense a thousand years of glacial frost, instantly freezing the surrounding air. Where she pointed, the space appeared to tear, and a beam of cold, piercing light shot forth from her fingertip, slicing through the void. This beam was saturated with boundless killing intent; wherever it passed, the air froze, forming shards of ice. These shards shimmered in the air, as brilliant as stars but chilling to the bone.

Under the impact of this light, the four men—including the gloomy youth—who had dared to scheme against her sister were frozen in place, unable to move. Their eyes were filled with dread, as if they were staring into the face of death.

"Miss Gu, why such immense hostility? If my incompetent brother has offended you, a lesson would have sufficed. Why resort to such a heavy hand?"

Suddenly, just as the four were about to perish under that finger, a muffled voice rolled in from the side. In the blink of an eye, the icy beam shattered, turning into a shower of ice dust that rained upon the ground.

With her attack neutralized, Gu Ningyun frowned again and looked at the man in red robes who now stood before the gloomy youth. "Huo Shan, do you wish to stand in my way?"

The appearance of the man in red caused a stir among the onlookers, many of whom looked at him with undisguised wariness. Another Yuan Mansion Realm master!

Lin Fan’s gaze also locked onto the man in red. He was roughly the same age as Gu Ningyun, and his cultivation level appeared to be on par with hers. Clearly, he was another favored child of heaven.

"The Tiandu Dynasty and my Tianshuang Dynasty have always kept to our own affairs. If my brother has offended you, I, Huo Shan, offer my apologies here. But if you insist on killing him, then I shall have to see for myself if the 'Phoenix Girl' of the Tiandu Dynasty’s Gu family is truly as formidable as the rumors suggest."

Seeing two Yuan Mansion Realm experts on the verge of battle, Lin Fan’s eyes sparkled. For him, such scenes were rare. In the Tianfeng Empire, those in the Yuan Mansion Realm were heads of the four great families; such people rarely fought, let alone engaged in life-or-death battles. Witnessing this would be an invaluable lesson for when he eventually faced Yuan Mansion Realm opponents himself.

"Very well, I shall let you see!"

As the battle seemed imminent, a dozen more figures suddenly flickered into the clearing. These people were quite formidable, all at the peak of the Spirit Pellet Realm, with several having already reached the limit of the realm, showing signs of imminent breakthroughs. This group instantly surrounded Gu Ningyun and her party, turning the previously lopsided situation upside down.

If this battle were to break out, Gu Ningyun’s side would inevitably suffer heavy losses.

"Miss Gu, consider this pill compensation for my brother’s rashness. If you insist on fighting, I fear I will have to make you pay a price as well."

Watching the pill that Huo Shan flicked toward her, Gu Ningyun caught it between her fingers. She glanced at it, her eyes widening slightly, and she sneered, "As expected of the Young Master of the Tianshuang Dynasty’s Huo family; you are indeed generous."

From the side, Lin Fan clearly saw the markings on the pill. There were seven distinct lines. This meant the pill was of the seventh grade. Even for a Yuan Mansion Realm expert, such a pill possessed significant efficacy.

"If I ever hear you speaking nonsense about my sister again, even if Huo Shan protects you, I will surely kill you! Get out!"

As she spoke, Gu Ningyun flickered and kicked the gloomy youth, sending him flying several yards away. Huo Shan could have easily intercepted the blow, but he made no move to do so. He understood that Gu Ningyun had already made a concession; the kick, while appearing powerful, was only enough to leave the young man with superficial injuries.

"Many thanks. I look forward to sparring with you at the summit of the Divine Peak."

Huo Shan bowed slightly to Gu Ningyun, then flickered away, dragging the spitting-blood youth with him, followed by his dozen Spirit Pellet martial artists.

"Little one, my apologies. I couldn't finish that guy off for you this time. But I promise, next time, I will make sure he doesn't leave alive!"

Once the Huo group had departed, Gu Ningyun withdrew her Yuan Mansion aura, turned to stroke Gu Ningxiang’s head, and said dotingly.

"It’s alright, sister. I wasn't hurt, was I? By the way, it’s thanks to Brother Lin Fan that I was lucky enough to find you. Brother Lin Fan, am I right? My sister is very strong."

Hearing Gu Ningxiang’s introduction, Lin Fan nodded slightly to her sister and cupped his hands. "Lin Fan, greetings, Miss Gu."

"Young Master Lin Fan’s cultivation may not be high, but to suppress four peak Spirit Pellet experts shows your great strength. Had you not acted in time, my sister would have been in grave danger. This pill is something I happen to have no use for; why not take it, Young Master Lin Fan?"

Lin Fan was stunned as he watched the seventh-grade pill being offered to him. A seventh-grade pill, given away so casually?

"It is merely a seventh-grade pill. Compared to my sister’s life, it is worth nothing. I see your cultivation has not yet reached the peak of the Spirit Pellet Realm. If you refine this, you can reach that peak in a short time. You should know that in this trial ground, the Yuan Mansion Realm is where the true competition lies. The sooner you raise your cultivation, the better your chances of contending for those hundred sect spots."

Hearing this, Lin Fan hesitated for a moment, but urged on by Gu Ningxiang, he eventually accepted the pill. "In that case, I thank you."

Seeing Lin Fan accept the pill, Gu Ningyun smiled. "Young Master Lin Fan, are you interested in the 'Void Pellet Transformation Grass'?"

Naturally!

...

"Is your information reliable?" After leaving, Huo Shan stared sharply at the gloomy youth.

"Absolutely. And there should be more than one stalk of the Void Pellet Transformation Grass there. It’s just that the two Seventh-Rank Demonic Beasts guarding it are too powerful, so I didn't dare to act and called for you instead."

Upon hearing the youth, Huo Shan gave a cold, mocking smile. "That woman, Gu Ningyun, has several people at the limit of the Spirit Pellet Realm with her; she must also be determined to obtain the grass. Let them pave the way for us—it will save us a lot of trouble. A-Er, A-San, follow them closely and monitor their movements. I need to know their location at all times."

"Understood!"

Watching his two subordinates depart, Huo Shan’s expression turned chilling. "Gu Ningyun, things that belong to me, Huo Shan, are not so easily swallowed!"