"You understand me best, old man," Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "There will likely be considerable danger on our trip to Zhongzhou. Why don't you accompany me!"
"That won't do!" the old man scoffed, rolling his eyes. "I still need to teach this lass how to train!"
"I want to go to Zhongzhou too," Lin Xiaojia said earnestly. "I heard that the martial arts competition, held once every three years, will take place in Zhongzhou this time. I can't miss it!"
"How did you know?" Lu Fan asked in surprise. "Did you do some research?"
"When my grandmother was alive, she promised to take me," Lin Xiaojia stated directly. "It's a pity she's gone now!"
"I see!"
Lu Fan nodded slightly. "Since you want to go, then you shall! Following us, you should be safe."
"Lass, aren't you supposed to be training?" the old man glared. "The martial arts competition will surely be full of experts. Why are you going to join the fun!"
"I'm a Great Accomplishment martial artist now!"
Lin Xiaojia said seriously, "In your eyes, perhaps I'm nothing, but I am still an expert!"
"Alright, alright. Since you're going too, then this old man will accompany you," the old man conceded helplessly. "After all, if you leave, wouldn't I starve? Your cooking is quite to my liking!"
"Thank you, senior!" Lin Xiaojia beamed with joy.
"My lord, if we all leave, who will protect Miss Lin?" Han Yunhai frowned. "Chu Zhou is not exactly peaceful, and Miss Lin's safety is very important."
"I can protect myself," Lin Ke interjected. "You don't need to worry."
"I've already gone to the Zhao family and asked them to send experts to protect Xiao Ke at all times," Lu Fan said. "This martial arts competition is an opportunity for experience, it cannot be easily missed."
Hearing this, Han Yunhai quickly nodded. However, he knew that another trip to Zhongzhou would undoubtedly stir up endless trouble.
After all, Zhongzhou was a convergence point, more prosperous than other cities, even a nexus for many cities. Whether in terms of economy or martial arts, it was a colossal entity.
As night fell, the old man sat in the courtyard, gazing up at the vast starry sky, seemingly lost in memories.
Lu Fan walked over. "What's wrong? Missing home?"
"My home is the four seas; I have no other home," the old man chuckled. "Why are you still awake so late, kid?"
"Naturally, I can't sleep!"
Lu Fan smiled faintly and sat down. "Senior, you were an expert in your early years. I wish to inquire about someone. Have you heard of them!"
"An obscure individual, I've never heard of them!" the old man stated directly. "But if it's someone famous, I might know one or two!"
"Du Qianqiu! Do you know of him, senior?" Lu Fan looked at the old man.
"Of course, I do!" the old man nodded. "Thirty years ago, he won first place in the martial arts competition!"
"He was that formidable thirty years ago?" Lu Fan was surprised. "If that's the case, wouldn't he be even stronger now?"
"Naturally!" the old man nodded. "To be first on the Martial Arts Heavenly Rankings, one cannot be ordinary. Why are you asking about him, kid?"
"He has a deep blood feud with me!"
Lu Fan said frankly. "Unfortunately, I've never been able to track him down!"
"I wouldn't have thought you had a grudge against Du Qianqiu," the old man chuckled. "Decades ago, I fought him. His skill was quite impressive. If you want revenge now, with your current combat power, you might not be able to defeat him!"
"A blood feud of this magnitude cannot be borne!" Lu Fan's expression was serious. "It's a pity I cannot find any trace of him!"
"He appears at the martial arts competition every year. If you go to Zhongzhou this time, you'll likely encounter him," the old man said directly. "But are you sure you can handle him!"
"If I can't handle him, won't I still have you?" Lu Fan grinned.
"You little brat, are you planning to use me!" the old man's face turned grim.
"It's a blood feud. If I can manage, I certainly won't ask you to act!" Lu Fan shrugged. "But if I'm outmatched, you can't just stand by and watch, can you!"
"You're oversimplifying things, kid!" the old man stated directly. "People who reach this level have either joined the Dragon Country or become members of ancient sects!"
"Ancient sects?" Lu Fan was surprised. "You mean those hidden sects!"
"That's right. Within the Dragon Country, there are many hidden sects, which even the high-ranking officials of the Dragon Country fear!" the old man said frankly. "Do you know that the Dragon Country's highest authorities, the rulers of the Dragon Country, have to be wary of the power of these sects!"
"If that's the case, why don't the experts of the Dragon Country apprehend these sects?" Lu Fan asked curiously. "The Dragon Country is full of experts; even members of the Dragon Group have Battle Spirit masters!"
"It's not that simple!" the old man waved his hand. "There are things you don't understand yet."
After speaking, the old man returned to his room, seemingly unwilling to reveal much about these matters.
Lu Fan didn't pay it much mind. If the old man didn't say some things, there was a reason for it.
Deep into the night, the Jiang Jing Courtyard was quiet. However, outside the Jiang Jing Courtyard, there were more than a dozen figures.
"Elder, after extensive investigation, it has been confirmed that the Saint Blood Tribe's Saintess is here." A man spoke. "However, there must be experts guarding the courtyard."
"If there were no experts, how could the Arctic Tribe have lost their Grandmasters."
An old man said coldly, "This time, we must capture them all. They offended the Arctic Tribe, and we must make them regret it for the rest of their lives!"
"This matter might not be that simple. Those who can kill Grandmasters are no ordinary individuals," an elder chimed in. "Although we have three Grandmasters deployed now, we still lack absolute certainty of victory."
"Elder, you are too modest. If three Grandmasters cannot subdue this courtyard, wouldn't we be a laughingstock when we return to the Arctic Tribe," a man chuckled. "Besides, with the strength of you three elders, you would have a place even outside the Arctic Tribe. Why worry so much."
The three elders frowned. "We must not underestimate them. Release the Soul-Confusing Powder and envelop the entire courtyard." One elder said, "This way, even top experts will lose their combat effectiveness, and we can defeat the Saint Blood Tribe's Saintess without any effort."
Everyone complied and secretly infiltrated the Jiang Jing Courtyard, simultaneously scattering the Soul-Confusing Powder. This was a unique poison from their Ten Thousand Mountains, rendering even Grandmaster-level experts ineffective.
After they finished dispensing the poison, they waited outside the courtyard. Once the medicine reached its peak, they could charge in and capture everyone inside the courtyard.
Lu Fan, in his room, sensed something was amiss. He unleashed a surge of powerful internal energy, instantly dispelling the poisonous gas within the room. Seeing Lin Ke asleep beside him, he finally felt at ease.
The old man also sensed the situation and emerged from his room, coincidentally meeting Lu Fan. "There are enemies attacking. If I'm not mistaken, they should be from the Ten Thousand Mountains!"
"They've come with ill intentions!" Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. "Using such poison, if one isn't careful, they might fall into their trap."
"The people of the Ten Thousand Mountains have always been ruthless; they don't care about such things," the old man stated.