Top-tier Unruly Master

At this moment, it wasn't just the scar-faced middle-aged man who was shocked; the elder next to him was also incredibly surprised upon witnessing He Qianyao's display. Her fist technique was remarkable; how could someone at the Early Nascent Soul Stage defeat a cultivator at the Late Nascent Soul Stage? This was unbelievable!

For a moment, the elder couldn't fully comprehend the fist technique, which only added to his astonishment. As a cultivator at the Divided Mind Stage, he rarely encountered a fist technique he couldn't understand. Yet, at this moment, this elder was profoundly shocked by He Qianyao's fist technique, finding himself unable to fully grasp it. For an instant, he was intensely curious about what unique skill her fist technique belonged to.

Sun Hua, witnessing the scene, felt a surge of fury in his heart, clearly not having expected that his subordinate, a Nascent Soul Middle Stage cultivator, would be defeated by a female cultivator at the Early Nascent Soul Stage. This was simply too unbelievable!

"Trash!"

At this moment, Sun Hua cursed viciously, clearly dissatisfied with the scarred man's performance. Just as Sun Hua was about to make a move against He Qianyao, the elder beside him suddenly stopped him. Sun Hua froze for a moment, looking at the elder with deep confusion in his eyes.

"There's not much time left, let me handle it!"

The elder glanced at Sun Hua with indifference, speaking in an incredibly calm tone. The elder knew that Sun Hua was at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, not much different from the middle-aged man. The elder had a feeling, even believing that Sun Hua would also not be a match for the woman in front of them. Her fist technique was profound and not something an ordinary cultivator could handle.

Of course, for the elder himself, this was a relatively simple task.

However, knowing that Sun Hua was, after all, the Young Master, the elder gave him some face and did not reveal the truth. He merely stated that time was running out, which was evidently a good excuse. After all, this inn was designated for alchemists with invitations from the City Lord from Dancheng, and lingering here for long wasn't advisable.

Sun Hua, hearing the elder's words, unwillingly stepped back, knowing that the inn wasn't a place to stay for an extended period. Clearly, it was a situation that called for a swift resolution; thus, Sun Hua retreated, and the elder walked towards He Qianyao.

Being a cultivator at the Divided Mind Stage, the mere release of his aura was enough to weigh on He Qianyao's heart like a heavy boulder, leaving her breathless. The gap between them was clearly immense!

"If you don't want to die horribly, end yourself quickly, so the old man doesn't have to act!"

The elder looked at He Qianyao, and his gaze, terrifyingly calm, seemed like resolving a female cultivator at the Early Nascent Soul Stage was a piece of cake for him. He would even find it embarrassing, being a cultivator who had recently stepped into the Divided Mind Stage, with a cultivation level many eons ahead of hers. Clearly, the gap in strength was colossal.

Faced with him, although He Qianyao's heart was tense, knowing she was definitely no match, she didn't retreat a single step. She had long decided to protect Ding Fan. After all, having done so much for her, it was her time to repay Ding Fan, even if it meant death, which she would accept.

The only regret was never seeing Ding Fan again. However, she believed with Ding Fan's talent, he would be immensely powerful in the future, and knowing what kind of person Ding Fan was, he would surely avenge her and her father, as well as the Dayang Sect and its cultivators. She believed in Ding Fan!

The elder looked at He Qianyao with a resolute gaze, evidently unwilling to give in. The elder felt a hint of disdain, then said indifferently:

"Since you wish to die, I shall fulfill that wish!"

With that, the elder waved his long sleeve, sending a flame as fierce as a tiger rushing toward He Qianyao, so intense that even the temperature of the surrounding air felt scorching. Clearly, this was no ordinary move. Seeing the encroaching flame, He Qianyao felt a deep fear and quickly released her True Qi to shield her body.

However, He Qianyao's True Qi proved useless; upon contact with the elder's flame, it transformed into mist and instantly vanished.

Witnessing this, He Qianyao felt a surge of despair in her heart. The elder's strength was something she could not contend with, and his casual strike meant certain death. In that instant, various images flashed through her mind, mostly of happier times with her father during childhood, moments she cherished the most. She remembered vividly every blade of grass and tree of the Dayang Sect, and the brutal massacre that unfolded also played repetitively in her mind, her father disappearing into the distance, bringing tears to her eyes. And then came scenes of time spent with Ding Fan, bringing a slight upward curve to her lips, though tears streamed down her cheeks.

The time spent with Ding Fan taught her what love is, what it means to like someone. Although she knew that there wasn't any definite outcome between her and Ding Fan, the process itself was joyful. But from now on, there will be no more...

He Qianyao was facing the flame about to strike her. She closed her eyes at the last moment, entrusting all her hopes to Ding Fan. She needed rest for now... though she didn't know if Ding Fan had finished his breakthrough, she had already done her best...

Just as He Qianyao closed her eyes, with the flame about to hit her, a sudden, fierce gust of wind instantly extinguished the elder's flame.

At that moment, He Qianyao clearly felt the presence of that gust of wind, and she couldn't help but open her eyes in shock. A slightly plump middle-aged man had somehow already stood at the doorway of the courtyard. This slightly plump middle-aged man was the innkeeper. He looked at Sun Hua and the other two with very sharp eyes and said:

"Young Master Sun, you arrived unannounced; as the innkeeper, I truly apologize for not welcoming you properly!"

Upon hearing the words of the slightly plump middle-aged man, Sun Hua frowned. Clearly, Sun Hua recognized the plump innkeeper. Even though he seemed to have cultivation at just the Nascent Soul Middle Stage, Sun Hua knew his actual cultivation was at the Nascent Soul Late Stage. While he might not match Elder Zhao, he was evidently comparable.

"Ah, it's Boss Fang, I truly apologize! We're just handling some personal matters, and didn't mean to disturb you!"

Sun Hua spoke with a forced smile, clearly aware of Boss Fang's capabilities. After all, he was Lord Lin's person, and even if Sun Hua usually behaved arrogantly, he couldn't act too wantonly now. Otherwise, it would affect not only himself but also his father.

At this point, Elder Zhao, observing the situation, clearly with ill intentions, had grown increasingly resentful of He Qianyao. If it weren't for He Qianyao delaying earlier, their mission would have been completed already. Elder Zhao knew well of He Qianyao's motives but didn't wish to speak up out of respect for Sun Hua. He simply couldn't hold back anymore and had reminded Sun Hua.

Yet, even then, they hadn't anticipated that Boss Fang from the inn would intervene. Clearly, the situation had become more complicated to resolve! Subsequently, Elder Zhao, with great disapproval, spoke to Boss Fang:

"I presume you're clear about our objective, so don't obstruct us. Once we're done with our affair, we'll leave immediately!"

The plump boss, hearing their words, couldn't help but sneer internally. Obviously, Ding Lin, possessing the jade plate, was a pivotal figure in the Great Alchemy Competition. As someone under Lord Lin, Boss Fang was well aware of how much weight Ding Lin held with the city lord. Allowing the other party to succeed was simply out of the question. Still, the plump boss was somewhat wary.

All because of Elder Zhao. Naturally, the plump boss knew Elder Zhao, renowned for his bad temper and stubbornness. If he set his mind on something, he would achieve it by any means necessary, regardless of the consequences. Only Sun Long could handle him in Dancheng, for rumor had it that Sun Long once saved Elder Zhao's entire family, which led to Elder Zhao serving as Sun Long's steward, protecting him closely, and devoting himself to Sun Long!

The plump boss understood that, given his strength wasn't a match for Elder Zhao, if the latter insisted on acting alone, he wouldn't stand a chance to stop him. Hence, the plump boss was hoping for a peaceful resolution to the matter.

But hearing Elder Zhao's remark, the plump boss couldn't help but feel worried internally. Nonetheless, he maintained a composed demeanor and said:

"You must understand that the person you're seeking isn't just any cultivator, nor just any alchemist. The individual achieved first place in the initial round of the Great Alchemy Competition, and their preservation method for the alchemy cauldron was admired. The city lord highly values them. If you were to kill them, have you considered the consequences? The city lord will not let the matter rest. It won't just be a problem for the few of you, even Sun Long will also be held accountable."

The plump boss spoke calmly, clearly intending to explain the gravity of the situation and persuade the other party to retreat.

But Elder Zhao held a disdainful expression on his face and then casually said:

"What of the city lord? As long as Vice City Lord Sun orders it, I will complete the task! No matter how talented one is, if dead, do you believe the city lord would turn against Vice City Lord Sun over a corpse? I'm sure you understand the reasoning here, don't you? Haha..."

The plump boss, listening to Elder Zhao, had a very unpleasant expression. It seemed likely that the other party was determined to kill the target. But he absolutely couldn't let them succeed. After all, he was Lord Lin's man, and Lord Lin urgently needed talented alchemists like Ding Lin. It was evidently an excellent opportunity to form a connection with Ding Lin, whose potential as an alchemist was immense.