All the guests watching were stunned.
They looked at Luo Bin kneeling with disbelief, their eyeballs almost popping out.
Just moments ago, Luo Bin had arrived wielding a coffin, beating down countless disciples of the Fang Sect, heavily injuring the renowned Jinmen martial arts expert Huo Baitao with a single move, and forcing Fang Baiyan to take his own life. How imposing, how arrogant he had been!
And now, he was kneeling at Chen Fan's feet, drenched in sweat, filled with trepidation.
The drastic contrast between then and now left them speechless.
And Chen Fan, this guest wearing glasses and appearing refined, possessed such terrifying martial arts skills; it was truly astonishing.
The guests in the outer courtyard watched from afar, filled with immense shock and murmuring amongst themselves.
Fang Baiyan walked over, and besides him, Old Master Shang Wushuang, Rong, and other figures from the martial arts world also approached.
"Mr. Chen... Mr. Chen!"
Upon reaching Chen Fan, Fang Baiyan's expression was complex. He bowed deeply, performing a grand salute.
"Sect Leader Fang, with what has happened, there is no longer any need to continue this birthday banquet, is there?"
Fang Baiyan gave a wry smile. He had almost taken his own life just now; how could the banquet continue?
"Clear the premises. All guests, please depart. Fang Sect disciples, guard the surroundings and prevent anyone from approaching this area!"
Chen Fan said.
"Yes, as Mr. Chen commands."
Fang Baiyan naturally agreed and turned to instruct his disciples to escort the guests away.
Despite the understanding of many guests and their desire to witness the spectacle, they still left under the persuasion of the Fang Sect disciples.
The remaining martial artists and those closely associated with Fang Baiyan did not leave.
Chen Fan glanced at them and instructed Fang Baiyan's disciples to invite these individuals to the main hall for tea, even Shang Wushuang was not exempt.
Only Fang Baiyan, himself, and the kneeling Luo Bin remained.
Chen Fan then turned to Fang Baiyan and said, "Sect Leader Fang, this Blood Fiend Palm claims to have come at someone's behest. You didn't seem surprised by his arrival?"
Fang Baiyan looked at Chen Fan and remained silent.
"You had already foreseen this day arriving, Sect Leader Fang?" Chen Fan said.
Fang Baiyan offered a bitter smile, let out a mournful sigh, and said, "In truth, ever since Brother Zhongying died, I knew this day would eventually come."
"The reason I waited until today was simply because they still believed I had some value and attempted to persuade me. After I stubbornly refused repeatedly, this day finally arrived."
"This birthday banquet was originally intended to invite fellow martial artists to deter them a little. I never imagined they would invite... invite Mr. Luo, to force me to commit suicide during the banquet!"
The kneeling Luo Bin glanced at Fang Baiyan, his lips curling into a sneer.
Fang Baiyan was insignificant in his eyes. If not for Chen Fan, he could have killed Fang Baiyan with a raise of his hand.
The reason he had spoken so much earlier was merely to make forcing Fang Baiyan to commit suicide more impactful and to avoid the charge of murder.
Even for someone like him, being free from worldly laws would make his situation slightly better.
"Who are they?" Chen Fan asked.
Hearing this, Fang Baiyan remained silent, then shook his head.
Chen Fan narrowed his eyes and said, "You keep mentioning 'they,' yet you don't know who they are?"
Fang Baiyan hesitated, then remained silent.
"Sect Leader Fang, at this point, do you still think you can cling to a sliver of hope?" Chen Fan said coldly. "Look at all the guests here. Besides me, who can save you?"
Fang Baiyan still did not speak.
Chen Fan laughed in anger and said, "Do you think my arrival here was a coincidence? Fang Baiyan, you are too naive. I actually came here looking for your son!"
"Your son was involved in a kidnapping and bombing case. Various clues point to him as the mastermind. If the evidence is confirmed, he will spend his entire life in prison."
"Moreover, this Master Luo has your son lying in his coffin, which he brought into the banquet and threw at your feet. Do you think they would let your pathetic son go if you died?"
"Being imprisoned would be a good outcome for him; I fear he might be found dead on the streets tomorrow!"
Fang Baiyan's expression changed.
"If they only wanted to kill you, would they go to such elaborate lengths? What they want is to ruin your reputation, to leave your entire family with no survivors!"
Anger and terror flashed in Fang Baiyan's eyes.
He looked around, then finally at Chen Fan and asked, "Who exactly are you?"
"Me?" Chen Fan said lightly, "I am someone they fear. My name is Chen Tianjiao, their mortal enemy. They want me dead, but I am alive and well."
"Every move I make, every investigation I undertake, makes them tremble with fear!"
As Chen Fan spoke, he took out his phone and dialed Qi Wu.
"Send a company of troops to this location. Prepare for a long-term stationing!"
He then stated the address of the old Fang family mansion.
Fang Baiyan's pale face stiffened upon hearing this.
He truly didn't know the implications of the name Chen Tianjiao, but the fact that Chen Fan could mobilize a company of troops so casually hinted at something significant.
Most importantly, what Chen Fan had said was entirely accurate.
"Are you ready to talk now?"
Chen Fan hung up the phone and asked, "A company of troops to protect your family for a period. If you refuse, they will come to take you away."
The kneeling Luo Bin's expression began to shift uneasily.
He was very wary of official forces, and Chen Fan's tone made him realize that Chen Fan held a high position within the authorities.
Furthermore, the conversation between Chen Fan and Fang Baiyan made him feel as though he was entangled in some powerful faction.
"Northern Brotherhood!"
Fang Baiyan finally stopped hesitating, let out a long sigh, and spoke a name.
Northern Brotherhood?
Chen Fan vaguely recalled hearing the name, perhaps from Zhao Quan?
Fang Baiyan now had no reason to lie, and what he said was likely true.
After all, Fang Baiyan's position on that roster was towards the end, indicating he was a relatively important pawn.
"Tell me about your experiences and what you know about the Northern Brotherhood."
Chen Fan said.
Fang Baiyan's face was etched with bitterness, a hint of reminiscence appearing as he spoke with a sense of desolation, "If I had known the outcome would be like this, I would never have accepted the Northern Brotherhood's funding..."
As he narrated, the power and background of this Northern Brotherhood began to reveal a mere glimpse to Chen Fan, sending a chill down his spine.
According to Fang Baiyan, the Northern Brotherhood had started investing in him twenty years ago.
Moreover, the Northern Brotherhood had acted through his childhood friend and brother, Liang Zhongying.
Twenty years – how many twenty-year spans does a person's life contain?
Such a plan was truly far-reaching.
At the time, Fang Baiyan was quite down on his luck, but his family's legacy remained. He had trained in martial arts since childhood, possessed a strong physique, was intelligent, and ambitious, thus catching the attention of the Brotherhood, who decided to provide substantial funding.
However, such funding was, of course, not an investment in the normal sense; it was supervised, much like ancient imperial supervisors.
The person chosen for this supervisory role was none other than Liang Zhongying.