A short while later, three figures arrived within the city. After a brief sensing, they halted their steps.
"If I'm not mistaken, that brat is in this city!"
Shangqing Zhenren spoke directly, his expression growing colder. They had traveled a thousand miles to deal with Lu Fan, and finally, they had found him.
"Why are you so sure, Senior Brother?"
Xiaqing Zhenren asked with some curiosity, "Can you sense his aura?"
"Not exactly!"
Shangqing Zhenren shook his head. "I can't sense his aura, but I can detect the presence of a Venerable's aura within this city. How could a mere small city have a Venerable?"
Xiaqing Zhenren was startled. "Senior Brother's deduction is correct. I was too careless!"
Shangqing Zhenren felt a touch of pride. If they could resolve Lu Fan quickly, they could return sooner.
Not long after, Xiaqing Zhenren stepped into the city, while Yuanqing Zhenren remained to guard the city gate.
Among the three Zhenrens, Yuanqing Zhenren possessed the strongest cultivation. With him guarding the city entrance, no one would be able to escape.
Lu Fan, who was in seclusion, suddenly opened his eyes and looked outwards, a faint cold light flickering in his gaze. He had clearly sensed something.
"Hu Yu, stay here and don't go out!"
Lu Fan cautioned, "If I'm not mistaken, these are experts from the Dynasty. If they discover us, it could be troublesome!"
Hu Yu was jolted awake, his heart filled with fear. If Lu Fan was right, weren't they in extreme danger now?
Thinking of this, Hu Yu's nerves became even more taut.
"I'll go draw them away. You find an opportunity to escape!"
Lu Fan reminded, "If I don't return, you don't need to look for me!"
"No, I can't just watch you take risks alone!"
Hu Yu shook his head, his expression solemn.
"Don't worry, they might not be able to do anything to me!"
Lu Fan waved his hand, a confident look on his face. He was certain that the Dynasty would not send a Saint. As long as no Saint appeared, there was no one capable of keeping Lu Fan here.
In the blink of an eye, Lu Fan's figure left the tavern and stepped onto the street, his expression cold.
"Just as Senior Brother said, this brat is in the city!"
Xiaqing Zhenren rejoiced and looked at Lu Fan. He hadn't expected Lu Fan to walk right into their trap.
"Little fellow, you've offended the Princess, and you probably can't escape!"
Shangqing Zhenren sneered, "Why don't you surrender quickly? Perhaps you can at least keep your body intact!"
"Two Earth Venerable powerhouses?"
Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "The Princess of the Taiyan Dynasty really thinks highly of me!"
"Naturally. Our Princess hates you to the bone, otherwise, why would she send us to intercept you?" Shangqing Zhenren didn't hide anything. "You're at the end of your rope, kid. It's time to give up."
"Just you two?"
Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "If that's the case, then you underestimate me too much. While two Earth Venerable powerhouses are terrifying, they are still a bit short of capturing me."
"Simply arrogant!"
Xiaqing Zhenren's expression turned cold, and he lunged at Lu Fan. The path he took was accompanied by an endless gust of wind. In his eyes, Lu Fan was already a corpse, yet he dared to be so ostentatious.
"Hmph!"
Lu Fan let out a cold snort, his body surged upwards, his aura instantly expanding. He then shot towards the sky, intending to leave the city. Although these two Earth Venerable powerhouses posed no threat to him, he was acutely aware that there was another expert hidden in the shadows.
This was what Lu Fan feared the most. If this expert were to make a move, even Lu Fan wouldn't be confident. Therefore, he dared not act rashly now. Otherwise, it would not be so easy to escape today.
"Trying to leave? I don't think you have the fate for it!"
Xiaqing Zhenren leaped and instantly appeared in mid-air, attempting to intercept Lu Fan. But in that instant, sacred fire surged around Lu Fan. Before Xiaqing Zhenren could react, his arm was engulfed in raging flames. These flames were incredibly powerful. He tried to use his spiritual energy to extinguish them but found it impossible.
"Cannot use spiritual energy. This is supreme sacred fire."
Shangqing Zhenren warned and immediately swung his sword, severing Xiaqing Zhenren's arm. He knew very well that if this sacred fire was not dealt with, Xiaqing Zhenren's life would be in danger. The only way now was to sever the limb to save his life.
Ah...
A scream echoed within the city. Xiaqing Zhenren was filled with unwillingness. He never expected that dealing with Lu Fan would result in such a predicament, losing an arm. This was a huge blow to him.
After all, in his eyes, Lu Fan was insignificant, someone he could easily capture. But the reality was that he was in such a sorry state and had lost an arm.
Many people in the city came out to watch, their hearts filled with shock. They had never witnessed such a battle, nor such imposing auras that filled them with awe.
Under normal circumstances, they would never encounter such powerful experts in a small city. This battle now made them gasp.
Hu Yu, peering through the window, saw the scene and became even more worried. He knew that since the royal family had made a move, they would not give up easily, and there were likely more experts waiting for Lu Fan.
"Senior Brother Yuanqing, we absolutely cannot let this person go. I will drink his blood and eat his flesh!"
Xiaqing Zhenren was furious. Being outmaneuvered in a ditch had filled him with displeasure. His good arm was gone just like that, how could he accept it?
More importantly, this matter was not trivial. Once it spread, his reputation would be ruined, and how would he establish himself in the Dynasty in the future?
As expected, as soon as Lu Fan reached the outskirts of the city, a white-haired old man blocked his path. He looked ancient and exuded an even more powerful aura than the previous two.
"Young man, you indeed have remarkable skills. Even two Earth Venerable powerhouses could not stop you. Truly astonishing."
Yuanqing Zhenren spoke directly, "If you are willing to serve the Dynasty, I can guarantee your life is safe. I can also intercede for you with the Princess."
"So, you don't have absolute confidence in capturing me?" Lu Fan asked with a smile. "That's why you want to use this method to lure me back to the imperial city?"
"Young people are truly naive. You should be able to tell that I am not an Earth Venerable, but a Heavenly Venerable."
Yuanqing chuckled coldly, the aura emanating from him being exceptionally terrifying.
Seeing this, Lu Fan also frowned. In fact, he had long known that a more powerful existence would be waiting outside the city gate. However, Lu Fan was still somewhat surprised that so many experts were mobilized to deal with him. It seemed somewhat unwarranted.
"I'll give you one last chance. If you are willing to pledge allegiance to the Dynasty, I can ensure your safety!" Yuanqing Zhenren stated directly.
Although Lu Fan was someone Shen Yehong wanted to kill, Yuanqing was someone he wanted to protect, and he had never failed to protect anyone he intended to.