"Seize them all!" Lie Shan gave the order. The armed personnel from District Thirteen swarmed forward.
"Sky-Reaching Cloud Sword, unsheathe!" A slender sword suddenly appeared in Chen Fan's hand. Holding the long sword, Chen Fan forcefully thrust it into the ground.
"Bang!"
With a deafening roar, a wave of energy erupted from the ground.
The energy wave rapidly condensed into a high wall, directly blocking the advance of the armed personnel from District Thirteen. Those closer were also knocked to the ground by the surging force of the wall.
"Damn it, you two, keep an eye on her." Seeing this, Lie Shan pointed at Bai Lin, who was kneeling on the ground, and then quickly charged towards the energy wave.
Lie Shan did not yet know that this person was Chen Fan. He assumed Bai Lin had found some powerful helper, hence his rash move. After all, once this energy wave appeared, it was beyond the capabilities of ordinary people to withstand.
Lie Shan met it head-on with a punch, driving it directly into the energy wave's high wall.
"Bang!"
Another tremendous roar.
This was followed by a soul-tearing scream.
"Ahhhh!" Lie Shan looked at the still-unbroken energy wall and his mangled right hand, letting out a cry of agony.
Bai Lin also witnessed this scene.
"Is Chen Fan this strong..." she murmured, though not aloud.
"Is this all you've got??" Chen Fan expressed disbelief. After all, Lie Shan's all-out punch had failed to breach Chen Fan's casual defensive energy wall, and his hand was rendered bloody and mangled by the wall's force.
"This makes things easier."
Chen Fan took the lead, immediately retracting the energy wall. With a long sword and clad in black, he plunged into the armed personnel. A single sword energy blast would scatter a large group. The armed personnel on the other side, sensing the grim situation, retaliated with gunfire. However, just as they were about to pull the trigger, Bai Zhannian's long sword pierced directly into the chest of an armed man.
"If I had to say anything, it's that you followed the wrong person," Bai Zhannian stated, looking at the armed personnel falling in swathes.
The personnel within the stronghold also noticed the situation and quickly dispatched reinforcements. The Guardian was also rapidly approaching the scene.
"We must resolve all trouble for Bai Lin. Zhannian, eliminate them all."
Bai Zhannian nodded slightly and thrust his sword into the chest of Lie Shan, who was writhing in pain on the ground. A powerful surge of energy flowed through Bai Zhannian's sword into Lie Shan's meridians, causing them to shatter and leading to his death.
Chen Fan swiftly dealt with all the armed personnel present who knew about Bai Lin's situation. Only Bai Lin, unaware of the full circumstances and utterly bewildered, remained.
"Bai Lin, we're leaving. If they ask questions over there, just say we appeared suddenly and killed Leader Lie, clearing you of suspicion." After speaking, Chen Fan directly picked up the luggage prepared for the two and made a swift escape.
"Ah..."
Watching Chen Fan's receding figure, Bai Lin's cheeks flushed. She hadn't quite grasped what had happened, but she felt Chen Fan was incredibly dashing.
--------
Moments later.
The Guardian arrived first and saw a scene of carnage, including the gruesome state of Leader Lie and numerous armed personnel lying on the ground.
"Secretary Bai, what happened..." The Left Temple coldly snorted and looked at the still-shocked Bai Lin.
"I... I... Chen Fan is alive!!!" Bai Lin exclaimed, feigning a tremble.
The Left Temple carefully examined Lie Shan's wounds and the sword energy on the ground. Apparently, the Left Temple was unaware of Chen Fan's situation. Upon hearing the name Chen Fan, he showed no significant reaction but still asked Bai Lin to recount the events.
"He's a master, possibly as strong as I am. But why didn't he kill you..." The Left Temple looked at Bai Lin with a hint of confusion.
"He... he... said to give you a message," Bai Lin said with a look of terror, as if the previous events were still vivid in her mind.
"Hmph... Nonsense..." If what you say is true, why would such a ruthless killer spare you?
"But he did spare me." Seeing the Left Temple's reaction, Bai Lin felt indignant despite his higher rank. After all, she was still the First Secretary.
"I'll believe you for now." The Left Temple, unable to extract further clues from Bai Lin and needing a way to save face, did not press the matter further.
"Escort Secretary Bai away from here and remain vigilant against this 'Chen Fan'," the Left Temple commanded, then waved his hand and departed.
"So boring. I almost got discovered. I hope Chen Fan and the others are safe." Bai Lin sighed with relief and was escorted by other armed personnel back to the command tent of District Thirteen.
Meanwhile, Chen Fan and the others, having caused a stir, now had an opportunity to exploit the cave entrance to this place. Taking advantage of the diversion of the armed personnel and their relaxed guard, Chen Fan and Bai Zhannian quickly found the gap and leaped down.
"Splash..." The two plunged into the water, sending ripples outward. The impact from the high fall, without cultivation to resist it, would have likely turned them into a pulp.
The bone-chilling water of the pool rapidly washed over their bodies.
"Brother Chen Fan, I'm so cold," Bai Zhannian shouted to Chen Fan.
Although Bai Zhannian hailed from the Kunlun Secret Realm and had seen many ancient tombs, this frigid current was a hundred times more ferocious than any he had encountered in the Kunlun Mountains.