Chapter 266: A Journey of Storms and Tribulations

Chapter 266: Chapter 266: A Journey of Storms and Tribulations

Chu Fan took Wen Chan away.

She had changed into a much more conservative long dress, bringing nothing else with her. In her own words, she had arrived with nothing but herself, and she would leave the same way.

Though she had earned a small fortune over the years, it had all gone toward buying her freedom. She did have some jewelry of gold, silver, and Jade, but she worried that carrying these inanimate objects would only serve as reminders of her life in the pleasure district whenever she looked at them.

So, she gave all of it to the sisters she was closest with.

As Wen Chan followed Chu Fan out of the Xi Jun Building, countless hearts were shattered. Innumerable resentful glares were aimed his way.

That night, many factions sprang into action, determined to uncover Chu Fan’s identity.

They could not stand by and watch as a beauty, once seemingly within their reach, was defiled by some inexplicable stranger.

In the minds of most of these men, only they themselves were worthy of such a stunning woman. No one else should—or could—ever lay a finger on her.

Inside the Xi Jun Building, or even within Liuyun Square, no one dared to make a move.

But the moment they stepped out of Liuyun Square, a group of men blocked Chu Fan and Wen Chan’s path.

As for Yan Ying, Chu Fan had persuaded her to return to the Eastern Palace while he was waiting for Wen Chan to change her clothes.

Without the protection of the Xi Jun Building, Wen Chan was like a piece of driftwood, at the mercy of all.

And who would pay any mind to Chu Fan? He was a young man who had never been seen in the Capital City, with not a hint of True Qi flowing through him.

"Boy, have you never heard the saying? A commoner with a treasure is a magnet for disaster."

The speaker was a portly, middle-aged man with a round head. His most striking feature was a pea-sized mole on his left cheek, from which a small tuft of hair sprouted.

His robes were clearly expensive and luxurious.

The men beside him must have been his Guards and Tributors. Two of the old men were even at the Divine Separation Realm.

This meant the middle-aged man had some standing in the Capital City.

"You want to take her by force? Do you not fear the law?" Chu Fan asked with a sneer.

"Sir, he is the younger brother of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites," Wen Chan whispered at Chu Fan’s side.

"I don’t care if he’s the brother of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Even the Vice Minister himself must obey the laws of Hua Xu," Chu Fan said to the middle-aged man, his voice dripping with scorn. "Clear the way, and I’ll pretend this never happened."

"Kid, I won’t make things difficult for you. Leave Miss Wen behind, and you can walk away. This is the Capital City, not a place where any random stray can run wild. Don’t bring disaster upon yourself and your family."

"Sir, you should go first. Please, rest assured, I am not a wanton woman. As soon as I know you are safe, I will take my own life. I will never be with any man other than you." A look of grim resolve settled on Wen Chan’s face.

Chu Fan just smiled. "There’s no need. If I can’t even handle a worthless fool like him, how am I supposed to deal with the enemies who are sure to follow?"

The moment he finished speaking, an Iron Spear materialized in his hand.

They were only two Early Stage Divine Separation Realm cultivators. He naturally paid them no mind.

He didn’t even bother with the Wandering Dragon Spiritual Awareness Spear Technique, using only the basic Spear Techniques that Gu Jie of the Celestial Dao Palace had taught him.

His spear struck like a dragon, sweeping aside all opposition.

Although the two Divine Separation Realm cultivators were quick to react, Chu Fan was faster. With a slash and a thrust of his Long Spear, two beams of Spear Aura shattered their defenses.

He followed up with another swing, sending both Divine Separation Realm cultivators flying. Before the middle-aged man could even register what had happened, the tip of the Long Spear was pressed against his throat.

It all happened in a flash. None of them had ever imagined that this young man—who looked completely harmless and showed no sign of True Qi fluctuations—could be so powerful.

The middle-aged man began to tremble, his forehead breaking out in a cold sweat.

"This is the Capital City. And since this is your first offense, I won’t kill any of you. But if you ever provoke me again..."

Chu Fan didn’t finish his sentence. Instead, with a flick of his wrist, he used the shaft of his Long Spear to swat the middle-aged man, sending him flying.

Chu Fan slung the Iron Spear over his shoulder and glanced back at Wen Chan. "Keep up!"

He then strode forward, and Wen Chan, snapping out of her daze, hurried to follow.

CLAP! CLAP!

Applause rang out from up ahead. Another group of people had appeared, blocking their path.

The one clapping was a young man, his clothes just as magnificent as the last group’s leader. Four old men flanked him, their weapons already drawn.

"As expected of the eleventh-ranked fighter on the Talent List. Not bad. You really do have some skill," the young man said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Are you here for her, too? You want to take her from me?" Chu Fan asked.

"I’m taking the woman, and I’m killing you," the young man declared.

"Kill me? Why? Have I ever offended you?"

"You haven’t offended me personally, but I just don’t like your attitude. You, an Eastern Barbarian, stir up trouble in Hua Xu and now you dare come to the Capital City to make waves."

"The last one was the brother of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. And who might you be?"

"You’re not worthy of knowing my identity."

Chu Fan shook his head. ’Fools are everywhere, but the arrogant and self-righteous are even more common.’

Gripping his Iron Spear in a reverse hold, he charged straight at the young man.

The young man tapped his foot and shot back twenty feet. At the same time, the four old men leaped into the air, launching their attacks at Chu Fan.

Four at Divine Separation Realm Tier Nine.

It was an undeniably powerful lineup.

Chu Fan had no choice but to take this seriously.

For a moment, the empty street was filled with the flash of blade and Sword Auras, and the piercing shriek of clashing steel.

Wen Chan and the young man had both retreated to the walls on either side of the street.

Wen Chan’s brow remained tightly furrowed, her thoughts a mystery.

The young man, however, wore a look of crazed glee and triumph.

He had spent the last month and a half honing his Wandering Dragon Spiritual Awareness Spear Technique. While he had yet to comprehend the Spear Dao, he had mastered the first four forms of the Technique to perfection.

Of the four old men he faced, two wielded swords and two wielded sabers. Saber energy ran rampant while Sword Auras crisscrossed the air.

Chu Fan weaved between the four, the fight a perfect stalemate.

Truthfully, not a single one of them could defeat the Divine Separation Realm Tier Eight Yan Chenghe on their own.

But Chu Fan, limited to his spear and facing all four at once, was inevitably hard-pressed.

Fighting them to a standstill was, in itself, a remarkable feat.

"You old bastard! You’re Divine Separation Realm Tier Nine and you’re still pulling sneak attacks? Have you no shame?"

It wasn’t truly a sneak attack; with four opponents, one of them was bound to be attacking from behind.

But being called out like that by Chu Fan made the old man’s face turn pale with rage.

"You brat! Stop running your mouth!"

"What? You’re allowed to do something so disgraceful, but no one’s allowed to call you on it? Four Divine Separation Realm Tier Nine masters ganging up on a single Divine Separation Realm Tier Four, and you still resort to sneak attacks? Utterly shameless."

Even as Chu Fan hurled insults, the Iron Spear in his hands never faltered, his focus unbroken.

These four old men had lived long lives, and being berated by a junior—a junior whom the four of them together had been unable to defeat after dozens of exchanges—filled them with anxiety and resentment.

Seeing his verbal taunts were having an effect, Chu Fan pressed on. "Hmph, you four old fossils have wasted your long lives! You’ve cultivated all these skills just to learn how to be lapdogs. No wonder you’re all still stuck in the Divine Separation Realm! The way you act, that’s as far as you’ll ever get in this lifetime!"

"WAAAAH!" one of the old men roared, driven mad with fury...