Qin Fan was abruptly interrupted by the voice. Turning his head, he saw the old man who had wanted to practice Tai Chi Fist with him yesterday approaching with a beautiful young woman who had a striking figure. The sky was just beginning to lighten.
Qin Fan's mouth twitched. He shook his head, ignoring their teasing banter. As for the woman, he merely glanced at her before looking away. Although her beauty was breathtaking, enough to instantly charm countless men, to the Shura Venerable, it was a different story. On the Cangqiong Continent where strength reigned supreme, even a beauty capable of toppling nations was beneath his notice. How could he possibly be stunned by this woman, whose looks were merely ordinary in his eyes?
Besides, having been reborn in this life, he only wished to protect Jiang Yino and marry her. As for other women, he believed he no longer had any interest. After all, during his long years of cultivation on the Cangqiong Continent, he had had his fill of such diversions.
Nodding slightly with a smile at the old Tai Chi Fist practitioner, Qin Fan returned to his senses and closed his eyes tightly once more.
The incantations of the Cangqiong Refining Body Technique emerged in his sea of consciousness.
Instantly, the True Qi within his body began surging wildly from his Dantian. As he invoked the technique, his meridians, flooded with the surging True Qi, began to tremble rapidly. His chest began to heave and fall in a rhythmic tremor. Luckily, his clothes concealed it; otherwise, the sight would have left any onlooker utterly stupefied.
"He's done with his madness and is now putting on a mystical act?"
An inexplicable feeling of indignant frustration washed over Ye Xuan under Qin Fan's contemptuous gaze. Forget Jiangzhou—even across the entire Lingnan region, she was the undisputed favored daughter of Heaven! Yet now, she was being treated with scorn by a mere teenager?
"Heh, this is getting more and more interesting." Ye Congjun, who had weathered countless storms to get where he was, considered himself an excellent judge of character. Yet, at that moment, he realized he couldn't see through Qin Fan at all. The smile Qin Fan had given him was one of pure indifference, while the glance he'd thrown at Ye Xuan was filled with utter disdain. Who on earth is this kid?
"Elder Ye, the air here has changed! Although its freshness isn't diminished, it seems to be missing something," the middle-aged man behind Ye Congjun suddenly said, frowning as he studied Qin Fan. He then moved closer to Ye Congjun and spoke in a respectful undertone.
Ye Congjun shook his head thoughtfully. A complex expression flashed across his face as he said, "Although I am not a Martial Artist, my body told me the air here has changed. The change began the very first day that young man started meditating here. I felt it over the past ten days, but it wasn't obvious. Only now—"
Ye Congjun paused, looking over at Qin Fan, who sat unmoving and deep in concentration. "It's completely different."
"Elder Ye, what do you mean?" the middle-aged man asked, his eyes widening in shock.
"Logically, that would be the case, but do you think it's realistic? It's a fantastic notion. Can one person's meditation really change nature? Perhaps it's just a coincidence," Ye Congjun sighed, murmuring as if to himself, aware that the middle-aged man, with his Dark Energy cultivation, could easily hear his whisper.
"While it defies common sense, Elder Ye, I think it's necessary to investigate this boy's background! The signs indicate his behavior and reactions are not those of a sixteen or seventeen-year-old," the middle-aged man said with a worried frown. His duty was to ensure Ye Congjun's safety, and the sudden appearance of someone so bizarrely enigmatic forced him to be on guard.
Ye Congjun did not immediately respond. Instead, he intently observed Qin Fan's expression for any changes.
But he was disappointed. On that placid face, devoid of any emotional ripples, he could only read a simple, rustic ease. Nothing more.
"You can investigate him," Ye Congjun finally said with a nod, his voice taut with focus. His curiosity about Qin Fan was growing, so much so that it overturned his own declaration from ten days ago that it was unnecessary.
Although he appeared tranquil and composed on the surface, Qin Fan was sneering internally. With his cultivation having formally entered the Qi Refinement Realm, how could he possibly not hear their low whispers? But he couldn't be bothered to deal with them.
"Hey, stop your mystical act and get up and talk!" Ye Xuan, whose hearing wasn't sharp enough to catch the conversation between Ye Congjun and the middle-aged man, grew irritated when Qin Fan didn't react to her words.
First, she was scorned. Now, she was being ignored. In all her years, she, Ye Xuan, had never been treated like this! Although her status meant she shouldn't get angry with a teenager over something so trivial, she couldn't escape the indignation a favored daughter of Heaven felt at being scorned and ignored.
Along with her indignation, her curiosity was also piqued. Her grandfather, with his vast experience and sharp eye, had called this boy "interesting." Combined with Qin Fan's current serene composure, like a monk in deep meditation, she was dying to rip away his invisible veil and see what this mystic-wannabe was really up to.
"Alright, Xuan, don't disturb him. Come and practice with me," Ye Congjun chuckled, stepping forward with a steady gait.
"Grandfather, wait. I refuse to believe this. I really want to see what this crazy, play-acting brat is up to!" Ye Xuan said, reaching out to gently push Qin Fan's shoulder. "Speak up!"
"Noisy!" Qin Fan finally spoke, his voice cold with annoyance.
He suddenly opened his eyes. A bleak chill emanated from them, and a gaze as sharp as needles shot toward Ye Xuan.
"Get lost! Don't provoke my anger, or I guarantee you will regret it!"
Get lost? Anger? Regret? A fiery rage ignited in Ye Xuan's clear, phoenix-like eyes.
Ye Congjun was also shaken. He never expected this young man he had been observing for ten days to have such a side to him. That look, that tone, those words... It made his old brows furrow deeply.
"Young man, restrain your insolence and speak properly!" the middle-aged man immediately chided, a frigid look flashing across his face. He couldn't allow the Ye Family Princess to be humiliated like this right in front of him. This was a direct slap in the face. If not for a restraining glance from Ye Congjun, he would have already taught Qin Fan the price of his reckless words.
To be bothered by such noisy, disrespectful ants at a critical juncture of his cultivation... Qin Fan's rage began to boil. It was only because this was the Earth Continent. If this were still the Cangqiong Continent, Qin Fan would have slapped them into oblivion long ago.
"I'll say it one more time. Get lost!" His tone was now laced with undisguised fury.
Yet, this only further provoked the middle-aged man's protective instincts.
Unable to control himself any longer, he roared, "Insolent!"