Two blue silk ribbons shot towards Zhuo Fan. He thought of dodging, but he dismissed that idea.
Despite not unfolding his wings, his speed was beyond the Bone Tempering Stage, thus allowing him to one-up Lin Tianyu.
This was a shock to everyone, but not unlikely to happen.
In the case where his speed was to match a Profound Heaven expert's, that would label him a monster. Across the vast world, he might be the sole person with such a deviant degree of body refining.
It was tantamount to telling everyone who he was.
[I'll have to gamble!]
One ribbon tightened around him and made any movement impossible. There, he reminded himself.
[I just need to showcase how strong I am but within limits. Unlike that known deviant, Zhuo Fan, who could kill a Profound Heaven expert.]
The other wrapped Xiao Dandan in a protective embrace.
What followed next was the arrival of the owner of the ribbons. The people lowered their heads in respect, as did Dong Tianba and his sister.
Zhuo Fan only gave her a rough glance. She was a lady in her thirties, wearing a thin veil over half her face, yet incapable of hiding her grace.
And with how high her cultivation was, it garnered even more respect.
While she walked with light steps, her eyes were solely focused on Xiao Dandan. She extended a dainty finger and tapped Xiao Dandan's forehead.
Yuan Qi entered Xiao Dandan's body and made her shiver, while also taking away the redness in her cheeks.
"What, where am I?" Xiao Dandan looked around in confusion, but when she saw Zhuo Fan it all came back in a flurry of images. She cried in shock and her face went beet red.
"H-how could I have done that?"
"Silly child, you can't even tell when you were tricked?" The woman in blue shook her head, then her eyes snapped to Zhuo Fan.
"Little brother, if you are intent on chasing after Drifting Flowers Edifice's girl, you can chase them using your skills. But don't you think using Bewitching Whispers is demeaning and vile?"
Zhuo Fan praised her in his heart, [She's quite perceptive].
Bewitching Whispers affected a person's mind so that the user could lead his victims to do whatever he wanted. This was how Zhuo Fan got hold of Xiao Dandan so easily.
This little trick wasn't a demonic cultivator's secret skill, but not anyone could employ it. First of all, the user's soul had to be strong, which made most of the demonic cultivators beneath Profound Heaven Stage unable to use it.
And because this skill had limited power, most demonic cultivators did not train to use it. Ergo, the number of people aware of Bewitching Whispers were few and far in between.
Yet, here was one woman who knew its effect.
Zhuo Fan grinned, "Lady, I have no intention of chasing miss Dandan. This is only for the sake of teaching her a lesson."
"Senior aunt, don't listen to this runt. He dared to humiliate me and looks down on Drifting Flowers Edifice." Xiao Dandan was raging as she recalled the scandal she partook in. Even tears started swelling in her eyes.
However, the blue woman eyed her coldly and shouted, "Quiet, haven't you had enough of disgracing yourself?"
Then turned to Zhuo Fan, "I would've long ago put you in your place if not for knowing you had a good reason for using that foul skill to charm a woman in Drifting Flowers City."
The woman then turned her attention to Dong Xiaowan and spoke in apology, "Miss, Dandan was spoiled by her master. I will make sure to punish her. Please don't take it to heart."
"Ah, I would never…" Dong Xiaowan was startled.
The lady in blue smiled as she flew, and two ribbons took Xiao Dandan and the unconscious Lin Tianyu. But Xiao Dandan didn't forget to glare at Zhuo Fan with loathing.
Zhuo Fan, though, did not care, he was thinking of the blue lady's last brief look she gave him.
Thanks to Zhuo Fan's strong soul, he managed to sense it.
[Was I just found out?] Zhuo Fan frowned as he watched her leave.
"Brother!"
Dong Tianba came with the rest to Zhuo Fan to express his gratitude, "Thank you so much. If it weren't for you, the Dong clan's name would've been sullied. Dammit, none of the seven houses' domain is safe to linger for long."
"Big brother Song, thank you…" Dong Xiaowan tightened the thin clothing on her body and spoke shyly.
Not paying attention to any of this, Zhuo Fan spoke with a frown, "Bro Dong, who was she?"
Dong Tianba's tone was grave, "Drifting Flowers Edifice's 1st Overseer, the Iris Edifice's Qin Caiqing! Haaa… such luck that the one we met was the Iris Overseer. She is honorable and kind. She is known to never pick on clans and other disciples. But if it were Peony Overseer, with her fickle personality, she would've released her wrath on us!"
"I see, with her cultivation, it is no wonder she is an Overseer."
Zhuo Fan took a deep breath and ripped the ribbon to shreds.
"Bro, how are you so strong? That was Iris Overseer's ribbon imbued with her Yuan Qi. How did you break out of it?"
Dong Tianba watched Zhuo Fan as though he was viewing a monster, "I feel like I don't know you anymore."
Laughing, Zhuo Fan waved it off and took out a small bottle, "The Song clan is third-rate, but we have our ways. Look, this is our Body Tempering Pill. It's all thanks to this that my body is so strong."
"As if! Body Tempering Pill is only a 4th-grade pill. It's not outstanding enough to make you stronger than a 7th layer Bone Tempering cultivator and break out of a Profound Heaven expert's restriction!" Dong Tianba's expression remained impassive.
Zhuo Fan smiled, "It wouldn't be a secret method of the Song clan if anyone could refine it. You think I'd join the Hundred Pill Meeting if it weren't for this?"
Dong Tianba was starting to believe him after hearing Zhuo Fan continue to praise the pill.
But what they didn't know was that these were only lies made up by Zhuo Fan.
Meanwhile, Zhuo Fan was feeling vexed. He could not understand why Qin Caiqing did not expose him if she knew who he was? Did she go to call for help thinking she could not defeat him?
[If that is the case, then staying here would be all the more dangerous. She could be asking for backup.]
Zhuo Fan said frantically, "Uh, bro Dong, I have some urgent matters to take care of. Let's talk at a later date."
"Sigh, I haven't given my proper thanks, how can…" But before he could finish, Zhuo Fan was already meters away waving his hand as he left.
Dong Tianba was startled but sighed in the end, "Bro Song truly is husband material. Wan'er, you must be regretting your refusal by now."
"Brother…"
Dong Xiaowan rolled her eyes, but still peeked at Zhuo Fan with clear and emotion-filled eyes…
Meanwhile, at the Drifting Flowers Edifice, in the guest hall.
A charming and enticing woman in red sat in the lounge. She wore a thin veil, obscuring her most prominent features.
But it couldn't hide the fire in her eyes that could stir the coldest heart.
She was a true vixen!
On her left was a middle-aged man, with even whiter hands than hers. He was stroking his goatee, but his eyes rested on her every curve.
The woman in red rolled her eyes and smiled, "Elder Lin, do I have something on me?"
"Cough, Peony Overseer must be joking."
The old man faked his cough and showed an embarrassed smile, "I can't help but wonder, why isn't the exalted Edifice Lord present and it is the Peony Overseer who is welcoming me instead."
"Hee-hee-hee, is Elder Lin not satisfied with me?" The lady fluttered her eyes at him.
Her gesture almost stole the elder's soul away, finding it difficult to reply, "Uh, Peony Overseer is very considerate and kind, and, ha-ha-ha…"
"Humph, I came here to join the Hundred Pill Meeting, not to see you two flirt."
An angry snort came from Peony Overseer's right, a red-haired elderly, "Since the meeting hasn't started, I'll be leaving. I have important things to take care of."
"Hell Valley's fifth elder, why are you so vexed?" Peony Overseer smiled, "The meeting will commence upon the Edifice Lord's order. The great houses have yet to gather, so it is only natural for it to take a while longer."
"Peony Overseer, don't listen to this old goat grumble. These days, Hell Valley was sacked of its three elders by a mere brat. They lost all credibility, so how could they have the patience to participate in the Hundred Pill Meeting? Right now, fifth elder must be thinking of new and ingenious ways to skin that punk alive. Or maybe the anxiety of having his poor little elderly life in danger got him wound so tight he has been jumping in his sleep! It must be torture, ha-ha-ha!"
"Lin Zitian, screw off! I wonder how many elders Merry Woods would lose if they met that brat!" Fifth elder slapped the table and glared at the middle-aged man.
Lin Zitian also stood up and returned a glare without fear, "Wanna fight?"
Their power was on full display and sparks could fly at any second!
But laughter interrupted their staring contest, "Ha-ha-ha, how rowdy! If you guys want to fight it off, count me in!"