Chapter 237: Unexpectedly Attracting Government Troops

Chapter 237: Chapter 237: Unexpectedly Attracting Government Troops

"Cultivation must be above the Soul Emergence Realm but below the Void Realm. They must also be descendants of meritorious officials. In addition, the Crown Prince has three designated spots."

"What’s the purpose of opening the Hua Xu Secret Realm?"

Chu Fan asked.

Eldest Miss Zhu shook her head and said, "I don’t know the specific details, but anyone who enters the Hua Xu Secret Realm must sign a Celestial Dao Contract, pledging lifelong loyalty to the Royal Family."

After hearing this, Chu Fan sighed. At the first mention of the Hua Xu Secret Realm and the Yin Yang Dao Fruit, he had wondered if he could find a chance to go in and take a look.

But upon hearing that he’d have to sign a Celestial Dao Contract, he decisively gave up on the idea.

’Work for the Long Family?’

’That’s impossible.’

’How could I possibly bind myself with such heavy shackles?’

"As long as you’re willing to part with your beloved fox, Hero Chu, you can name any condition. In addition, the Song and Wei Families will be at your service for generations to come."

"Lady Wei, it’s not that I won’t help. The White Fox is my family. How could I possibly trade my own family’s blood for personal gain?"

Chu Fan stood up and directly stored the tea table, copper furnace, and other items before him into the Jun Tianjian World.

"Must you be so unreasonable, Hero Chu?"

Eldest Miss Zhu’s expression grew cold as she spoke in an icy tone.

"What? Are you planning to take it by force, Lady Wei?" Chu Fan asked, somewhat taken aback.

"This is my husband’s only hope for survival. So, you’ll have to forgive me!"

The moment Eldest Miss Zhu finished speaking, four old men flew through the air toward the Bell Tower.

Four Integration Realm cultivators.

Chu Fan truly hadn’t expected the Zhu and Wei Families to possess such hidden strength.

Noticing the change in Chu Fan’s expression, Eldest Miss Zhu said, "Hero Chu, you are a young talent ranked in the top twenty of the Talent List. I truly do not wish to make an enemy of you. It’s just a white fox. Afterward, my husband and I can find another Spirit Fox to compensate you. Our previous promises still stand. Why not reconsider?"

"Do you really think these four can force me into submission, Lady Wei?" Chu Fan’s voice grew several degrees colder.

"To be ranked eleventh on the Talent List at twenty-seven, you are indeed a rare prodigy. But against four Integration Realm cultivators, do you really think you can win?"

Chu Fan was naturally angry by now. ’Your husband’s life is important, but the White Fox’s life isn’t a life?’

’When pleading doesn’t work, you resort to force?’

’Who’s afraid of whom?’

"I thought Brother Wei and I hit it off right away, but it seems I was mistaken. Since it has come to this, then let’s see if you can take the White Fox from me!"

As Chu Fan spoke, with a flick of his wrist, the Juntian Sword was in his hand.

"Stop!"

Wei Mian’s voice came from the distance. He was seen rushing through the air, and upon reaching the Bell Tower, he blocked the four Integration Realm elders. He cupped his fist to Chu Fan and said, "Brother Chu, my apologies. Fortunately, I arrived in time. Please, leave first!"

"Husband!" Eldest Miss Zhu cried out softly.

Wei Mian placed a hand on her shoulder and comforted her in a low voice, "Zi Rou, don’t mention this again. There are still six months. Maybe I can find a better way. Besides, even if we could enter the Hua Xu Secret Realm, there’s no guarantee we’d find the Yin Yang Dao Fruit. Why make things difficult for Brother Chu?"

"No! You can make the decisions on everything else, but you must listen to me on this. No matter what, I have to take this chance." Zhu Zirou grew stubborn.

"Gentlemen, you may return for now," Wei Mian said to the four Integration Realm elders, not arguing with Zhu Zirou.

The four elders looked at Zhu Zirou with troubled expressions.

"I said, return for now!" Wei Mian barked angrily.

Seeing that Wei Mian was truly angry, Zhu Zirou waved her hand at the four elders, who turned and departed.

"Brother Chu, I’ve already made arrangements with the inns. Just go to any inn in the city, and all your expenses will be put on the Wei Family’s account. You should go now. I’ll find you for a couple of drinks when I’m free."

Chu Fan didn’t stand on ceremony. He cupped his fist to Wei Mian, then immediately leaped off the Bell Tower, holding the White Fox.

"Husband, he’s skilled, but he’s from the Eastern Domain after all. Why did you stop me?" Zhu Zirou asked, confused.

"Although we only shared a few bowls of tea and didn’t talk much, I can tell that Chu Fan is a man of upright character. If my time wasn’t almost up, I would have liked to befriend him. But to make an enemy of him for the sake of my own life... let’s not even talk about whether we can afford the price. Even if I survived, my Dao Heart would be stained with guilt, and I fear my Cultivation would never advance again," Wei Mian explained.

"Are you saying he has a hidden ace? Or a powerful backer?" Zhu Zirou realized.

"Eleventh on the Talent List at twenty-seven. I wouldn’t say it’s unprecedented, but since the Talent List was created, he is the only person to enter the top fifty before the age of thirty. A man like that—do you think he doesn’t have a Great Power backing him?"

Zhu Zirou fell into deep thought.

Wei Mian continued, "But the real reason I don’t want to be his enemy is that I felt we were kindred spirits."

"But even if we don’t fight for it, he won’t be able to protect that White Fox," Zhu Zirou said.

"And if we snatched the White Fox from him, do you think we could protect it?" Wei Mian retorted.

"But..."

Wei Mian cut her off. "Don’t overthink it. Since there are still six months left, why don’t you give me an heir instead?"

Zhu Zirou’s face flushed red as she playfully punched his shoulder.

After leaving the Bell Tower, Chu Fan walked into the nearest inn. Sure enough, the Shopkeeper and staff, their previous indifference gone, enthusiastically led him to the best guest room.

Once settled in the inn, Chu Fan didn’t leave again. He stayed in his room, focusing on his Cultivation and comprehending the Dao of Cause and Effect while waiting for Leng Yingxue.

The night passed peacefully.

Unexpectedly, at dawn the next day, a troop of soldiers surrounded the entire street.

All the guests and staff in the inn were driven out.

Chu Fan knew, of course, that they had come with ill intent.

He waited quietly as the soldiers finished clearing out all the residents and shopkeepers from the street.

Only then did he emerge from his room and walk out of the inn.

Hundreds of soldiers then drew their bows and crossbows, all aimed at him.

A middle-aged man in armor, mounted on a Wind Chasing Beast, stared at Chu Fan with an intense gaze.

"Seize him!"

The middle-aged man said nothing, simply giving the order.

A volley of arrows, as dense as a swarm of locusts, shot toward Chu Fan.

At first, Chu Fan didn’t think much of such arrows, but as they flew toward him, he realized each one was imbued with a profound and mysterious power that made his heart tremble.

He had no choice but to draw his Juntian Sword and strike down the incoming arrows.

After a few swings of his sword, he discovered that the arrows could pass directly through his Sword Qi, flying toward him without losing any momentum.

Unless he struck them with the blade of the Juntian Sword itself, even his most ferocious Sword Qi had no effect.

Amidst the hundreds of arrows, caught off guard, one struck him in the shoulder.

Even his defensive layer of True Qi couldn’t block it.

The arrow pierced his shoulder, bringing a heart-piercing, bone-gnawing pain. Blood quickly soaked through half of his clothes.

"Stop!" Chu Fan yelled.

At his shout, the archers actually stopped.

"How have I offended you?"

The middle-aged man shook the reins in his hand, and the Wind Chasing Beast took a few steps forward. Looking down on Chu Fan, the man declared righteously, "You are a vile fiend from the Eastern Domain. Upon entering our Central Domain, not only have you refused to abide by the laws of Hua Xu, but you have also acted with extreme viciousness, brutally murdering numerous people. Just days ago, you even used an Evil Technique to poison a Guard from Prince Huai’s Mansion. You have not offended me, but you have violated the laws of Hua Xu. By order of the law, I am apprehending you to be judged by the authorities. Do you have anything to say?"