Following Jiang Chen''s directive, individuals like Zhang San promptly excused themselves.
Gu Ran also rose, preparing to take his leave, politely dering, "I must return to my cultivation practice, so I bid you farewell."
"Wait a moment, Young friend Niu Qing." Feng Hongbo, shing a radiant smile, interjected, "I have one more matter I''d like to address."
"What might that be?" Gu Ran questioned, a perplexed expression on his face. Internally, however, he smirked, ''This old man is about to reveal his true nature.''
"Young friend Niu Qing, are you sure you want to decline our Feng n''s offer?" Feng Hongbo, his expression grave, held out a small bottle. "Contained within is a pill that can instantly assist your advancement to the Inquiring Journey realm.
Simply say yes, and it''s yours!" As he uncapped the bottle, an intense, alluring medicinal aroma immediately filled the air.
"I appreciate the generosity, Patriarch Feng," Gu Ran said, a faint smile gracing his lips. "Water naturally flows downward, and people naturally strive upward. My ambitions reach far and high; I must respectfully decline."
"Yet, it''s also said that one should advance step by step for a stable journey," Feng Hongbo retorted, shaking his head. "In the Feng n, the opportunities for your growth are ample. You could soon align with the You n, or even greater powers. Why wouldn''t you want our support?"
"Regrettably, my position remains unchanged," Gu Ran replied, his expression resolute, as he offered another respectful gesture.
"You!" Feng Liu shot to his feet, his expression livid as he rebuked Gu Ran. "Niu Qing, your refusal of the esteem and privileges we''ve offered is disgraceful!"
"Our Feng n has shown you considerable kindness recently, giving you priority ess to all training resources!"
"Is this how you repay us?"
"You ungrateful wretch!" he eximed.
"Precisely! Niu Qing, you''re showing ingratitude!" another voice chimed in.
"It seems your skill has puffed up your ego, making you underestimate our Feng n!"
"Your audacity is truly beyond belief. Despite your talents and invisibility skill, you''re still just a Heavenly Origin realm cultivator. Daring to oppose our Feng n, your downfall is inevitable!"
"A genius who is dead is no longer a genius, but merely a corpse. Niu Qing, your demise is preordained!"
The surrounding Feng n cultivators dropped all pretenses and quickly encircled Gu Ran.
Adding to that, the protective Great Formation of ck Wood Ind began to rise, enclosing more than half of the ind.
This strategic move effectively sealed off Gu Ran''s path of retreat.
"Niu Qing!" Feng Hongbo dered, "Since you''ve declined to form a favorable alliance with our Feng n, you must return all the resources we''ve given you!"
"If you can''t return them, then trade them for your invisibility skill!"
His voice grew menacing as he bellowed, "Otherwise, don''t expect to leave ck Wood Ind alive!"
"Hahaha!" Gu Ran erupted inughter.
"Old man, did you really think I was oblivious to your true aim for my concealment ability?"
"Hehe, I dly epted those free training resources, and if you dare to interfere further," Gu Ran sneered menacingly, "I won''t hesitate to take your lives!" His demeanor disyed no mercy for those like Feng Hongbo who harbored ill intentions against him.
"If you''re courting death, then I''ll oblige!" Feng Hongbo growled, propelling himself directly at Gu Ran.
He still harbored the desire to apprehend Gu Ran alive and extract the secrets of the invisibility skill from him.
As Feng Hongbo initiated his attack, others promptly followed.
Numerous individuals directly cast tracking spells on Gu Ran.
"Petty maneuvers!" A crimson light flickered across Gu Ran''s body, swiftly dispersing those tracking signs, and he himself disappeared from sight!
"Boom!!" Feng Hongbo''s attack missed its mark, the residual energy utterly annihting the opulent pavilion where they had been hosting the banquet.
"Where did he vanish to?" someone eximed in disbelief.
"How did he manage to escape so quickly?"
"Our patriarch is a Middle-stage Inquiring Journey realm expert, how is this possible?"
"How could Niu Qing, just a Heavenly Origin realm cultivator, elude our patriarch''s grasp?"
The Feng n members were left deeply stunned, each scrambling to cover any escape routes that Gu Ran might exploit.
Nevertheless, they were a moment toote.
Gu Ran''s figure abruptly materialized in a corner, instantly breaking through the encirclement, and then disappeared once more.
"Damn it! Niu Qing, there''s no escaping!" Feng Hongbo, infuriated and humiliated, bellowed and immediatelyunched an assault in the direction Gu Ran had vanished.
However, Gu Ran had already relocated, and Feng Hongbo''s strike met nothing but air.
The attacks of the others followed in quick session, akin to a cast across the sky, raining down relentlessly, yet they still failed to flush out Gu Ran.
"He''s eluded us!" Feng Hongbo roared in frustration.
"Damn it, his invisibility skill is a major threat; we must capture him as soon as possible!"
"Station someone at the ck Wood Ind''s Great Formation; we can''t let him kill the cultivators who are controlling it!"
"Everyone else, spare no efforts and start searching!"
He thundered with rage, "I won''t ept that a mere Heavenly Origin realm cultivator could evade me!"
In his eyes, regardless of whether Gu Ran''s invisibility skill was a secret art or an artifact, its utilization would consume a substantial amount of Yuan Power!
Gu Ran''s invisibility skill couldn''t possibly sustain for a prolonged period!
Soon, Gu Ran would reveal himself under his vignce.
Dealing with him then wouldn''t pose a challenge!
"Quickly, start the search and leave no stone unturned!" hemanded urgently.
"Send a team of cultivators to Bull Horn Street, led by three Heavenly Origin realm members!"
"Where''s Zhang San and his team? Call them here at once!" Under Feng Hongbo''s directives, the Feng n''s elites began to disperse.
Thus, no matter where Gu Ran materialized, there would invariably be individuals nearby to spot him, to pin him down!
Even if Gu Ran seeded in eliminating the individuals restraining him, it would deplete his time.
If this continued, by the time Feng Hongbo ultimately arrived at the scene, Gu Ran would surely meet his demise.
Moreover, Zhang San was also a high-ranking expert of the Inquiring Journey realm!
However, what Feng Hongbo could never have anticipated was that Gu Ran could indeed siphon off a portion of the cultivation base of the individuals he vanquished!
Those who engaged Gu Ran first would invariably be a valuable source of strength for him!
After a few confrontations, Gu Ran could potentially ascend to the Inquiring Journey realm!
Yet, Jiang Chen was entirely aware of this!
''It''s starting! Time to identify the first casualty,'' Jiang Chen thought as he activated his Viin''s Eye, gathering all the data rted to the supporting characters.
Shortly, he witnessed the first casualty Feng Liu!
As the eldest scion of the Feng n, Feng Liu possessed a crucial status, representing the hope of the n, almost entirely.
Once he fell at Gu Ran''s hands, it would heighten the Feng n''s animosity towards Gu Ran, making them relentless in their pursuit.
Therefore, even without the help of the Viin''s Eye, Jiang Chen could deduce that Feng Liu would be the first to fall.
"Zhang San, gather your men and head to Golden Leaf Street at once. Protect Feng Liu and his team and assist them in handling Gu Ran!" Using his potent divine sense, Jiang Chen remotely instructed Zhang San.
Withser-focused determination, Zhang San said nothing and immediately executed the order!
A Message from AlphaWIA:
A Message from AlphaWIA
:
By joining the membership, not only do you support the ongoing development of the novel, but you also gain ess to read up to Chapter 328.
The first protagonist, armed with a system, takes the stage.
Patreon: [https://bit.ly/3OHBfqz]
Ko-fi: [https://bit.ly/3KJOiH3]
Today''s releases: 2/2. Chapter 243: [https://bit.ly/3Oy8eO0]