Ling Fan listened quietly to Elder Han's words, pondered for a moment, and nodded lightly, "You may strike."
Elder Han was overjoyed.
"Mr. Ling, be careful!"
A power like a raging sea surge erupted from Elder Han's body. His entire being was like a life furnace burning with unparalleled intensity. His appearance began to grow younger at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In an instant, he transformed from an old man in his sixties or seventies back to the appearance of someone in his forties or fifties.
Terrifying vital energy and blood light flowed through him, and his martial aura, like heavy waves, vibrated in the void, producing a powerful sound.
Boom!
He gathered all his strength and slammed an attack towards Ling Fan. A blood-colored palm print, condensed to the extreme, descended like a giant's hand, suppressing Ling Fan.
At this moment, countless onlookers, powerful figures from Xing Sha City, all changed their expressions!
This Elder Han truly lived up to his reputation as a retainer of the Governor's Mansion. He had hidden his strength so deeply.
He was significantly stronger than Ding Chunxiu, Luo Su, Liao Wu, and others.
No wonder he dared to challenge Ling Fan.
He indeed had some backing.
It was just unknown if he was Ling Fan's match!
Ling Fan nodded slightly.
Elder Han's strength was indeed impressive, almost reaching the peak that a quasi-Heavenly Origin realm cultivator could achieve.
One more step forward, and he would advance to the true Heavenly Origin realm.
Ling Fan couldn't help but feel a slight excitement.
His Five Elements Meridian Opening was now at perfection, and he had advanced to the middle stage of the Qi Refining realm.
Previously, he had fought three quasi-Heavenly Origin realm cultivators and won with overwhelming dominance, without truly exerting his full strength.
The terrifying true qi within Ling Fan's twelve Five Elements meridians instantly circulated to its extreme, faintly emitting the sound of a surging great river.
With a boom.
The unimaginably powerful Five Elements true qi surged out and collided with Elder Han's attack, which had gathered his full strength.
It was as if a terrifying furnace exploded in the arena, with fearsome flames shooting out, too dazzling for anyone to look directly at.
Who won?
Everyone's hearts were filled with extreme curiosity.
After a considerable amount of time.
The residual power from the clash of the two powerhouses slowly subsided.
Ling Fan was still standing with his hands behind his back, looking as calm as ever.
On the other hand, Elder Han's eyes were filled with profound shock, and his hands trembled uncontrollably from the backlash of an irresistible force.
He sighed and said, "Thank you, Mr. Ling, for holding back! Mr. Ling's talent is unparalleled, truly a young master. I am convinced."
After speaking, Elder Han bowed respectfully and deeply to Ling Fan.
Young Master!
Elder Han's words, spoken aloud, were like a bomb dropped into the crowd. Everyone was utterly shocked, as if struck by heavenly lightning, their eyes wide with disbelief!
Who was a master?
They were true martial legends.
Having achieved extraordinary accomplishments in the path of martial arts, they could be regarded as teachers for all martial artists in the world.
In the Liuyun Kingdom, any master was an unparalleled figure capable of founding a sect and dominating the present era.
However, all those masters were veteran powerhouses in their fifties or even hundreds of years old, with the youngest being at least in their late forties or fifties.
But how old was Ling Fan?
A martial master under twenty years old!
If these words had not been spoken by Elder Han, a retainer of the Governor's Mansion, they would never have believed it, even if beaten to death.
However, upon reflection, Ling Fan had fought three opponents alone, killed one quasi-Heavenly Origin realm cultivator, and severely injured two. Now, even Elder Han, a great master infinitely close to the Heavenly Origin realm, was sincerely submitting.
With such a formidable record, no one would dare to refute the claim that he was a master.
"Greetings, Young Master! Greetings, Mr. Ling!"
"Greetings, Young Master! Greetings, Mr. Ling!"
...
Someone started it, kneeling and paying homage to Ling Fan first.
Soon, the dense crowd, like a surging tide, knelt before Ling Fan, heads bowed, their attitudes extremely respectful.
The father and son Xiong Kuang and Xiong Fei, Xiong Da Ying, and a group of powerhouses from the Xing Sha City Lord's Mansion were now filled with dread. They kowtowed even more fervently than others.
They were filled with regret and fear. If they had known this would happen, they would never have dared to offend Ling Fan!
After witnessing Ling Fan's strength, they no longer harbored any thoughts of revenge or resentment.
This was a master-level, and such a young master-level powerhouse!
With a single finger, he could crush them like ants.
They now prayed that Ling Fan would not destroy their City Lord's Mansion; they would be eternally grateful.
On the other side, Liu Yubei and his daughter Liu Xiwei also felt extremely complex emotions as they followed the crowd and bowed.
Ling Fan's gaze swept across the entire scene. He stood amidst the kneeling crowd like a crane among chickens.
With his hands behind his back and a detached expression, he said, "Rise."
Upon receiving his command, everyone hesitantly and fearfully stood up.
"Mr. Ling, Mr. Ling!"
Suddenly, someone shouted loudly.
It was Chu Tiange, who was beside Elder Han. He slid to Ling Fan's feet, his eyes filled with fervent admiration. He was practically begging to lick Ling Fan's shoes.
"Mr. Ling, Tiange was blind and did not recognize your greatness before, and I offended you greatly. Please do not take it to heart. I have an impudent request, please take me as your subordinate! If you do not accept me as your subordinate today, I will kneel here until my legs break!"
Elder Han held his forehead with his hand, completely unable to watch.
Chu Tiange had always looked down on those inferior to him and disdained to associate with them.
When facing someone of equal strength, his competitive spirit would flare up, and he would not rest until he had settled the score.
However, when facing someone far superior in strength, he would instantly transform into their most devoted lackey!
This fellow was truly peculiar.
The crowd was also deeply shocked.
This was the direct young master of the Governor's Mansion.
How noble was his status, how unattainable!
He was practically a celestial noble.
Yet today, he was kneeling at the feet of a seventeen or eighteen-year-old youth, desperately begging to be taken as a subordinate. Looking at his fervent demeanor, he did not feel it was a disgrace to be a subordinate, but rather an supreme honor.
Liang Hugu was dumbfounded.
Damn it!
This works too?
Chu Tiange, have you lost your sense of self-importance? Is my master's relationship with you that good that you shamelessly beg my master to take you as a subordinate?
Are you worthy?
Truly self-indulgent.
However, this kid is quite cunning.
He knows my master is like a divine dragon in the heavens, and he wants to curry favor early!
Liang Hugu suddenly felt a sense of crisis.
If his master were to actually accept this Chu Tiange, with Chu Tiange's thick skin, his own position before his master might be in jeopardy.
Just as Liang Hugu was deeply vigilant, Liu Xiran covered her small mouth in surprise.
The shock in her heart was no less than anyone else's.
"Big Brother! Big Brother! Please accept me as your subordinate. Don't worry, I promise I will never cause you trouble. On the contrary, if you have any orders, your little brother will surely serve you wholeheartedly, even to the point of going through fire and water!"
Chu Tiange frantically expressed his loyalty.
"Within this Tianchu Province, whoever dares to disrespect you in the slightest, I, Chu Tiange, will immediately bring the powerhouses of the Governor's Mansion to chop him to death! Your enemies are my enemies, your friends are my honored guests, and your relatives are my ancestors!"
Chu Tiange's sycophantic words sent shivers down everyone's spines.
Good heavens!
I've seen peculiar people, but never someone this peculiar.
So, the dignified direct young master of the Tianchu Province Governor's Mansion, the aloof Seventh Young Master Chu Tiange, was also so servile and fawning before those with greater power and influence than himself!
Everyone felt ten thousand "grass-mud horses" galloping through their minds.
Their worldview was shattered.