Within the small world, Lu Fan finally found a few fierce beasts after traversing mountains and crossing ridges: a wolf, a snake, and a chicken.
Returning to the Soul Separation Grand Array, Lu Fan transformed the wolf into his own likeness. He dripped a drop of blood onto the wolf's head. Then, he released a snake and a chicken. Both the snake and the chicken walked towards the stone snake and stone chicken opposite them. The Zhan Shen Sword hanging above remained motionless.
Lu Fan immediately transformed into a mouse, concealing his aura, and slowly crawled towards the stone mouse.
Hum... hum... The Zhan Shen Sword suspended above vibrated slightly.
Lu Fan was startled and suddenly leaped onto the stone mouse. Clutching the stone mouse, he stared intently at the Zhan Shen Sword. The Zhan Shen Sword continued to hum, seemingly having lost its target.
Whoosh... Lu Fan, however, had already sensed the danger and was rapidly fleeing outwards.
However, before he could escape, Taishang Laojun rushed over.
"What is this?" Upon seeing a wolf in the center of the Soul Separation Grand Array, with a chicken and two snakes nearby, Taishang Laojun became furious. How could that brat have escaped? How did he do it?
Hoo... With a wave of his hand, Taishang Laojun caused the small animals to disintegrate into dust, vanishing without a trace.
"Brat! I will not let you escape!" Taishang Laojun suddenly flicked his wrist, and a grand array was generated throughout the entire Laojun Mansion. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh... various magical treasures flew out. He was confident that Lu Fan had not yet left the Bajing Palace. To leave, hum! It wouldn't be that easy!
Lu Fan, hidden in a corner, watched as the magical treasures in Taishang Laojun's hand continuously searched the Laojun Mansion. Laojun also sat cross-legged, opening his six senses, believing that he would detect any anomaly within the Laojun Mansion.
Lu Fan dared not even breathe, his Breath Concealment Art pushed to its limit.
"Master! Wa Huang seeks an audience." At this moment, the young attendant walked in and said to Taishang Laojun.
"Hmph!" Taishang Laojun snorted angrily, got up, and walked outside.
Roll... Lu Fan rolled on the ground and came to the attendant's feet. He bit the attendant's trouser leg and slipped out. The array Taishang Laojun had set up was not easily bypassed. Escaping with the attendant was likely the best method.
Outside the Bajing Palace, Liu Ruyan stood anxiously. For several days, she had searched every place Lu Fan might appear but found no trace of him. Therefore, she suspected Taishang Laojun's residence the most, though she had no evidence.
"Wa Huang! Is there something you need?" Taishang Laojun said as he stepped out and bowed.
"Laojun! Could you divine the whereabouts of Patriarch Hongyun?" Liu Ruyan asked tentatively after bowing.
"Alas! I have divined several times, but I have no information about this old fellow. However, if I am not mistaken, he has been in Twelve Gorges Village all along." Taishang Laojun stroked his beard and said after some thought.
"On what basis do you say that?" Liu Ruyan's eyes suddenly lit up as she asked.
"It's just a feeling. There seems to be something in that place that I cannot fathom," Taishang Laojun said.
"Oh! Thank you, Laojun." Liu Ruyan bowed. After speaking, she began to calculate with her fingers.
She suspected that Taishang Laojun had not invited her into his residence. At the same time, she somewhat believed Taishang Laojun's words; that place, Twelve Gorges Village, was indeed where the slovenly old Taoist often resided. For a powerful being like the slovenly old Taoist, hiding anywhere would make him difficult to discover.
Seeing Wa Huang calculating, Taishang Laojun turned and returned to his residence. He had no mood to chat with Nuwa here. What he wanted most now was to find that brat Lu Fan. He even regretted not having swallowed the brat whole earlier. Even if it meant a mutual destruction, he wouldn't have given the brat a chance to escape.
Just as Taishang Laojun and the attendant turned back, a large rat suddenly appeared on the ground where the attendant had stood.
"Ruyan! Hurry!" The large rat crawled onto Liu Ruyan's foot, and a voice entered her ear.
Seeing the large rat, Liu Ruyan was startled, but then she heard Lu Fan's voice and immediately understood. She turned and left without hesitation.
"Xiao Fan, how did you turn into such a disgusting creature?" Liu Ruyan said as they walked.
"Heh heh! I am this mouse now. As soon as I show myself, everyone will want to kill me," Lu Fan chuckled.
...
At Wa Huang Palace, Ling'er rushed to greet Liu Ruyan upon her return.
"Wa Huang! You're back! ... Ah!" Ling'er bowed to Liu Ruyan but suddenly saw a large rat emerge from Liu Ruyan's sleeve cuff, letting out a startled cry.
Whoosh... Lu Fan revealed his true form and stood beside Liu Ruyan.
"Ling'er? You're afraid of mice? Aren't you said to be the natural enemy of mice?" Lu Fan said smugly.
"Tsk! You look so disgusting, who would want to be your natural enemy!" Ling'er patted her chest, still shaken, and said.
"Xiao Fan! Stop messing around and tell me quickly, what exactly happened?" Liu Ruyan said, rolling her eyes.
Lu Fan recounted the events. After listening, Liu Ruyan was so angry she felt like cursing. That old fellow Taishang Laojun had deceived everyone.
"Xiao Fan! What are your plans now? As soon as you show yourself, you'll likely be torn to shreds and devoured by all the powerful beings! Moreover, the methods of the great powers are extraordinary. If you stay in one place for too long, they will be able to calculate your location," Liu Ruyan said worriedly.
"I want to go back to Twelve Gorges Village! The array laid by the slovenly old Taoist there can shield heavenly secrets! Moreover, my parents, Wang Yan, and Lu Chenglong are all there. If I don't go back for too long, I'll worry!" Lu Fan said urgently.
"Alright then! I'll send you back now," Liu Ruyan said quickly.
"You can't send me. If you send me, other powerful beings will notice you," Lu Fan said urgently.
"You said... Taishang Laojun really refined a small world?" Liu Ruyan suddenly remembered Lu Fan's earlier words and asked.
"I'll take you to see it!" Lu Fan suddenly took Liu Ruyan's hand, and the two instantly arrived at the small world.
Seeing two women in the small world, both looking exactly like herself and Yuan Feng, and having children, Liu Ruyan glared fiercely at Lu Fan. Hmph! This brat got lucky!
"Heh heh! I didn't do this; Taishang Laojun did. Look over there, there's also someone who looks exactly like Taishang Laojun!" Lu Fan pointed to the foot of a mountain in the distance.
Liu Ruyan looked over and indeed saw a handsome man, looking disheveled, holding a branch and confronting a large gray wolf.