143: Perfect timing, let's try something new.

"The message is out." The Fire Attribute Disciple nodded. "The Forest Hunting Alliance has replied, instructing us to keep tracking Lin Fan and report his location at any time."

"Excellent." A ruthless glint flashed in the Metal Attribute Disciple's eyes. "Lin Fan, oh Lin Fan, you won't be acting arrogant for much longer..."

"Once those monsters from the Forest Hunting Alliance finish gathering, it will be the day you die!"

...Night fell.

Nights in the Secret Realm were far more dangerous than the days.

Many Vicious Beasts and foreign races that hid during the day would come out at night, and their strength was often even greater.

Lin Fan found a cave, set up a simple Concealment Formation, and prepared to rest.

Li Yan was responsible for keeping watch.

"City Lord, I always feel... those people from the Five Elements Sect were a bit off," Li Yan said hesitantly. "When they left, it seemed like they were hiding something in their eyes."

"Mm." Lin Fan closed his eyes to regulate his breathing and said calmly, "They were indeed off."

"Ah?" Li Yan was stunned. "You saw through them already?"

"Otherwise?" Lin Fan opened his eyes with a faint smile. "Did you really think I'd be fooled by such clumsy acting?"

"On the surface they were afraid, but their breathing was steady, their heartbeats were normal, and there was no true fear in the depths of their eyes."

"More importantly..."

Lin Fan paused, a cold light flashing in his eyes:

"When they left, they deliberately left behind several very well-hidden tracking marks."

"Although I wiped them away casually, their intention was obvious."

Li Yan sucked in a breath of cold air. "They wanted to track us?!"

"More than that." Lin Fan shook his head. "If it was just tracking, there would be no need for all five of them to leave marks. Moreover, the technique was so crude, it was as if they were afraid I wouldn't find them."

"They are... fishing."

"Fishing?" Li Yan was puzzled.

"Mm." Lin Fan closed his eyes again. "Deliberately showing flaws to let me perceive their intentions."

"If I followed the marks to chase them, or set an ambush in place waiting for them to return, I would be playing right into their hands."

"Because the people who truly want to deal with me are likely lying in wait nearby."

Li Yan suddenly understood, and then became worried. "Then aren't we in a very dangerous situation right now?"

"Dangerous?" Lin Fan laughed. "You're wrong."

"This isn't danger."

"This is..."

The corners of his mouth curled into a cold arc:

"A buffet delivered to the door."

[Ding! Conspiracy seen through, calm irony displayed, prestige value +3000!]

[Current prestige value: 132,070 points!]

Li Yan: "...?"

Buffet?

What does that mean?

Before he could figure it out, Lin Fan had already resumed regulating his breathing as if nothing had happened.

But what Li Yan didn't know was that at this moment, Lin Fan's spiritual sense had already spread out quietly like a spiderweb, covering every inch of ground within a three-hundred-mile radius.

In his perception, at least seven extremely well-hidden auras were slowly approaching this cave from different directions.

Every single aura was at the Peak Martial King level or higher.

Three of them had even reached the Early Stage Martial Emperor level!

"One Early Stage Martial Emperor, two Early Stage Martial Emperors, four Peak Martial Kings..."

Lin Fan calculated silently in his heart:

"Is this the first wave of the Forest Hunting Alliance's offensive?"

"A bit interesting."

"But... it's not even enough to get stuck between my teeth."

He slowly opened his eyes and said to Li Yan:

"You stay here. No matter what noise you hear, do not go out."

"But..." Li Yan wanted to say something more.

"No buts." Lin Fan interrupted him. "When I tell you to stay, you stay."

"This is an order."

Li Yan stiffened and quickly nodded. "Yes!"

Only then did Lin Fan stand up and walk out of the cave.

The night wind howled, and the moonlight was dim.

He stood at the cave entrance with his hands behind his back, as if admiring the night scenery.

But in reality, he was waiting.

Waiting for those 'buffets' to deliver themselves to the door... Half a stick of incense later.

The first figure emerged from the darkness.

It was a sinister-looking youth wearing a blood-colored robe, holding a blood-dripping long saber in his hand.

His Early Stage Martial Emperor aura emanated without any concealment.

"Blood Saber Sect, Blood Cliff."

The youth licked his lips, his eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light:

"Lin Fan, your head is worth three thousand Merit Points."

"I really need that money."

Lin Fan glanced at him and said nothing.

After a few more breaths.

The second and third figures appeared simultaneously.

A man and a woman.

The man wore a Star Daoist robe and held a star plate, his aura ethereal.

The woman was dressed in a plain white dress, cradling an ancient zither, her temperament cold and aloof.

The auras of both had also reached the Early Stage Martial Emperor level.

"Star Palace, Star Dust," the man spoke calmly.

"Zither Sect, Qin Heartless," the woman's voice was as cold as ice.

"Lin Fan, you are too arrogant," Star Dust shook his head. "So arrogant that... you've made many people unable to sleep."

"So, we have come."

"To send you to your eternal sleep."

Lin Fan finally laughed.

"Just the three of you?"

"Where are the other four? Come out together."

"Isn't it tiring to keep hiding?"

As soon as he finished speaking.

Four figures appeared simultaneously from four directions.

They were exactly four of those five Five Elements Sect Disciples.

The seven of them completely surrounded Lin Fan.

"Lin Fan, you are indeed very strong," Blood Cliff grinned. "But no matter how strong you are, can you deal with three Martial Emperors and four Peak Martial Kings at the same time?"

"You might as well obediently hand over your head, and we'll give you a quick death."

"Otherwise... you will die a miserable death."

Lin Fan looked around and nodded:

"A decent lineup."

"Three Early Stage Martial Emperors and four Peak Martial Kings are indeed qualified to let me stretch my muscles a bit."

"However..."

He paused and said very seriously:

"Do you know why I waited for you here even though I knew there was an ambush?"

The seven were stunned.

"Because..." Lin Fan grinned, revealing his pearly white teeth:

"I'm hungry."

"And you all..."

"Happen to be the late-night snack delivered to my door."

[Ding! Domineering irony in the face of an assassination attempt, prestige value +8000!]

[Current prestige value: 140,070 points!]

The faces of the seven darkened simultaneously.

"Seeking death!"

Blood Cliff was the first to strike. His blood-colored long saber turned into a streak of light, tearing through the night sky and aiming straight for Lin Fan's head!

At the same time, the star plate in Star Dust's hand rotated, and countless starlight chains emerged from the void, wrapping toward Lin Fan's limbs!

Qin Heartless's slender hands plucked the strings, and an invisible sound blade silently slashed toward the back of Lin Fan's heart!

Three great Martial Emperors struck at the same time!

And the other four Peak Martial Kings also displayed their unique skills, sealing off all of Lin Fan's escape routes!

With this strike, let alone a Peak Martial King, even a Mid-stage Martial Emperor would have to temporarily avoid the brunt of it!

But Lin Fan laughed.

Not only did he not retreat, but he instead took a step forward.

"Just right, let's try something new."

"Five Elements Rotation—Great Formation of Mutual Generation and Restraint!"

Buzz!!!

Lin Fan's hands formed seals, and the Five Elements Laws around him surged frantically!

Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth—five-colored light soared into the sky, weaving into a thirty-foot diameter Five Elements Formation around him!

Within the formation, the power of the Five Elements generated and restrained each other in an endless cycle, forming a perfect defensive system!

The blood-colored saber light slashed onto the formation and was weakened by the Metal Law, then scorched by the Fire Law, its power reduced to less than ten percent!

The starlight chains wrapped around the formation and were absorbed by the Wood Law, converting into life force to nourish the formation!

The invisible sound blade pierced into the formation and was dispersed by the Earth Law, turning into countless tiny ripples that vanished into nothingness!

As for the attacks from the four Peak Martial Kings, they were like tickles, not even scratching the surface of the formation!

"What?!"

The seven people's expressions changed at the same time.