Gazing at the handwriting on the note, Lu Fan felt a hint of confusion. He didn't recognize the person, yet the man's gaze seemed devoid of hostility.
The note stated that someone wished to see him by the willow tree on the east side of the city. This made Lu Fan even more suspicious. Had his identity been exposed? Or were there spies from the Heavenly Dynasty within this Hell Dynasty? Otherwise, why would this happen?
Despite his curiosity, Lu Fan did not delay. He headed directly towards the willow tree on the east side of the city. He was well aware that if there were malicious intentions, they would have acted by now. After all, this was the capital of the Hell Dynasty. Under normal circumstances, if he made a move, other experts from the Hell Dynasty would surely come to his aid.
In that scenario, even with Lu Fan's immense power, he would be unable to do much. Lu Fan understood this clearly, which was why he was so perplexed.
By the willow tree on the east side of the city stood a little girl, draped in a black veil, with two pigtails tied on her head. This seemed to be a unique characteristic of the Hell Dynasty, but she looked incredibly cute.
Upon arriving by the willow tree on the east side of the city, Lu Fan looked towards the little girl. The girl pointed at him and said, "Little brother, it's inside the courtyard. That older brother said for me to bring you in!"
Lu Fan's brow furrowed. He glanced towards a courtyard ahead, his heart filled with curiosity. He wondered who this mysterious person was, and why they were orchestrating such an event, leaving him utterly bewildered.
A short while later, Lu Fan entered the courtyard. Inside, a young man was playing a zither. The melody flowed, carrying a captivating, almost demonic sound. He appeared to be quite powerful and not to be underestimated.
"An expert from the Hell Dynasty!"
Lu Fan instantly became alert, a killing intent flaring within him. He knew very well that the strength of the person before him was not to be trifled with. Any slight misstep could lead to his demise.
"Northwest King, I trust you are well!"
The man in black smiled slightly, ceasing his zither playing. He looked towards Lu Fan and cupped his fist in greeting, showing him considerable respect, seemingly without any hostility.
"I am very curious. Who are you, and why have you brought me here?"
Lu Fan spoke, "Since you know I am the Northwest King of the Heavenly Dynasty, you should also know that our identities are different. You should also know that I have a special purpose for coming to this Hell Dynasty. Under normal circumstances, you shouldn't be acting like this!"
"While that may be true, things are not as the Northwest King imagines,"
Hei Tie shook his head. "I am the First Prince of the Hell Dynasty!"
"The First Prince of the Hell Dynasty!"
Lu Fan's brow furrowed. He took a few steps back, his gaze sweeping around. The First Prince of the Hell Dynasty was not someone to be trifled with; he likely had countless experts by his side. Lu Fan had no allies on his current visit to the Hell Dynasty. If he were surrounded, his life would be in grave danger.
"You need not be so nervous. This is my private residence, and I have not informed anyone of your presence here," Hei Tie quickly said. "I know your purpose in coming to the capital is to rescue the Northern Western Prince, but this matter is not as simple as you think. We may need to plan it carefully!"
"Since you are the First Prince of the Hell Dynasty, why are you helping me?" Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "Could there be some hidden secret?"
"You may not know, but within the Hell Dynasty, there are two factions: one is the war faction, and the other is the peace faction. Among these two factions, I belong to the peace faction," Hei Tie stated frankly. "Therefore, I do not wish for any conflict between the two dynasties, as it would be a catastrophic disaster for both. If the two dynasties were to go to war, it would result in endless bloodshed!"
"Do you truly think this way?" Lu Fan was somewhat skeptical, even disbelieving. After all, in his eyes, the people of the Hell Dynasty were not benevolent. How could they advocate for peace?
"If I did not think this way, I would not have brought you here, nor would I have spoken so much to you," Hei Tie said directly. "You are the Northwest King of the Heavenly Dynasty. With a single command in the capital, I could have countless experts attack you, and then bring you back to the dynasty to claim great merit!"
"So, you are helping me because you don't want the two dynasties to go to war?" Lu Fan narrowed his eyes, still maintaining a cautious demeanor.
"You may not know, but some things are not as simple as you think. Hei Yan wants to use the Crown Prince of the Heavenly Dynasty as a medium to provoke conflict between the two dynasties. At that time, both dynasties would likely suffer immensely," Hei Tie's eyes held a serious expression.
"If I recall correctly, the Black Lotus Envoy truly serves someone else!"
Lu Fan smiled slightly, seemingly intending to probe.
"You are correct. Among the many princes of the Heavenly Dynasty, there is one who carries the blood of my Hell Dynasty. Therefore, the Black Lotus Envoy serves him,"
Hei Tie stated frankly. "It is precisely because of him that everything has been instigated. But rest assured, as long as the Hell Dynasty does not move, the war between the two dynasties cannot begin!"
"I want to know who this person is. At least, this is the sincerity you should show me," Lu Fan's expression was cold, with a hint of seriousness. If this person could not be found, it would certainly not be good for their Heavenly Dynasty.
Facing these words, Hei Tie replied helplessly, "This information is highly confidential. Even I am not privy to it. In fact, I had been suspecting the First Prince, Bei Xi, but now it seems that is not the case. I have been searching as well!"
"Then what you've said is practically useless!"
Lu Fan shook his head, suddenly feeling a sense of helplessness. He had initially held some expectation, but now it seemed all for naught.
"That's not entirely true. You must understand that coming to the Hell Dynasty alone, if you truly intended to rescue someone, you would have no chance of leaving alive," Hei Tie stated directly. "Moreover, your whereabouts have already been exposed. The Black Lotus Envoy and others are plotting against you. If you were to walk into a trap, it would be seeking your own death!"
"When was my whereabouts exposed?" Lu Fan asked with slight surprise. He had always been protected by the Haotian Tower, concealing his information. Under normal circumstances, it shouldn't have happened.
"In the valley, when you rescued the numerous slaves of the Heavenly Dynasty, your whereabouts were exposed," Hei Tie smiled. "Through my methods, I could detect it, let alone their methods!"
"I truly didn't expect the Hell Dynasty to be so powerful!"
Lu Fan narrowed his eyes, a coldness creeping in. He also frowned, feeling a sense of bewilderment. How could the people of the Hell Dynasty possess such divine abilities?