At this time, Ding Fan had obviously become a focal point. The cultivators from the City Lord Mansion were all looking at Ding Fan with unkind eyes, clearly determined to take him down. Especially those tall subordinates; their leader had been ambushed by Ding Fan. Although it wasn't too serious, it was obvious that everyone wanted to vent their anger. The cultivator had just finished speaking.

The numerous cultivators from the City Lord Mansion immediately understood that even if Ding Fan didn't make a direct move, this big hat had to be placed on his head, since one of their own had already fainted. Clearly, that counted as being injured. Moreover, they had never suffered such a loss before. To be ambushed in Wuji Square, on their own turf, was simply unacceptable without consequences.

"Right! You used force here in Wuji Square. You have to come with us! Otherwise, don't blame us for being rude!"

At this moment, among the many cultivators of the City Lord Mansion, one cultivator at the Nascent Soul Middle Stage spoke harshly to Ding Fan. After he spoke, many other cultivators began to draw the longswords from their waists. The atmosphere heated up instantly.

Ding Fan, seeing this scene, asked the crowd in an exceedingly cold tone:

"Who saw me using force?"

Among the crowd, a cultivator from the City Lord Mansion spoke with great disdain:

"If we say you did, then you did! Our man has already been sneak attacked by you! What else do you want to argue?"

"This is utterly ridiculous, there are quite a few people here. So many people saw, when did I ever sneak attack anyone? Who saw it?"

As time passed, Ding Fan was getting a bit anxious as the time for the Great Alchemy Competition was nearing its end. He was not at all afraid of these people in front of him. Ding Fan knew that there were surely experts lurking in Wuji Square, and he also understood that this Great Alchemy Competition was heavily associated with the Wild Wolf Gang. If he truly made a move, not only might he be unmatched against those hidden experts, but he might also expose himself in front of the Wild Wolf Gang.

Ding Fan was well aware of his deep hatred for the Wild Wolf Gang, and it was clear that the Wild Wolf Gang also deeply hated him. Ding Fan knew he wasn't yet strong enough to oppose the Wild Wolf Gang, and participating in the Great Alchemy Competition was a chance to gather news about them. Thus, Ding Fan still couldn't use force against them. Ding Fan felt somewhat helpless, wondering if he would really miss out on this Great Alchemy Competition...

By this time, quite a few people had already gathered around Ding Fan, evidently attracted by the commotion. They couldn't imagine someone daring to cause trouble here, and they felt sorry for Ding Fan. Of course, in their eyes, someone as young as Ding Fan entering the VIP channel to register for the Great Alchemy Competition was clearly asking for trouble.

"I never expected someone would dare to cause trouble in Wuji Square—it's practically suicidal!"

"Even if that kid didn't make a move, the fact that the tall cultivator fell because of him is undeniable. That kid's really gotten himself into trouble!"

"Defying the City Lord Mansion in Wuji Square is a death wish!"

"..."

The crowd was discussing spiritedly, clearly predicting a tragic fate for Ding Fan. No one believed that someone so young could be an Alchemist, let alone possess an invitation from Dancheng as an Alchemist.

That was simply impossible!

The cultivators from the City Lord Mansion who heard Ding Fan's words were obviously unconcerned. After all, their teammate, their leader, had fainted because of him, and even if Ding Fan hadn't personally made a move, he couldn't explain this away.

"No need to argue anymore, here's the last question: are you coming with us or not? If not, don't blame us for executing justice on the spot!"

An unfriendly middle-aged cultivator from the City Lord Mansion staff said, plainly delivering Ding Fan a final ultimatum.

He Qianyao, witnessing this scene, couldn't help but grow anxious and worried. After all, He Qianyao knew that the tall man fainted because of Ding Fan, and it clearly had something to do with Ding Fan. And with numerous hidden experts in Wuji Square, Ding Fan's little tricks surely couldn't escape their eyes.

Ding Fan was obviously aware of this as well; he felt somewhat helpless, considering whether he should explain again and mention Master Nanyang. As Ding Fan pondered, suddenly a middle-aged man with a very imposing demeanor walked into the crowd.

The middle-aged man's presence was significant, and as soon as he stepped into the crowd, many people immediately felt a great pressure. This was obviously the cultivation of a Nascent Soul.

While Ding Fan didn't feel any pressure, he could see that the middle-aged man was clearly at the Emergence Stage cultivation. He wore extravagant clothes, which obviously bore an insignia of the City Lord Mansion, suggesting he was also from the City Lord Mansion, possibly a steward.

"What's going on here?"

The middle-aged man looked at Ding Fan and the many nearby cultivators from the City Lord Mansion and asked with significant seriousness.

Immediately, a cultivator from the City Lord Mansion recounted all the events concerning Ding Fan without any distortion, reporting them truthfully to the middle-aged man. However, this cultivator, along with the others from the City Lord Mansion, was evidently feeling quite pleased.

The middle-aged man was famously impartial and unsparing within the City Lord Mansion, highly loyal to it, regularly watching over the cultivators from the mansion. With Emergence Stage cultivation, if Ding Fan was up to any tricks, even if the others couldn't tell, the middle-aged man's eyes wouldn't miss it.

Surrounding onlookers, seeing the arrival of this middle-aged man, also felt deep concern for Ding Fan. This man was renowned in Dancheng; someone once tried challenging the City Lord Mansion's authority, and the middle-aged man unhesitatingly crippled their cultivation before imprisoning them in the City Lord Mansion's dungeons.

Obviously, even ordinary cultivators in Dancheng are well aware of the middle-aged man's strict and decisive nature. Clearly, people know that Ding Fan is merely a cultivator at the Early Nascent Soul Stage, and encountering this middle-aged man would surely be disastrous for him...

Very soon, the middle-aged man learned the full details of the incident and then strode over to Ding Fan's side, directly saying:

"Do you have a Jade Plate? Take it out and let me see it!"

At this time, the middle-aged man said to Ding Fan, and it was evident from his tone that he was quite skeptical, after all, from the middle-aged man's perspective, Ding Fan seemed too young. How could such a young cultivator be an Alchemist? Even if he were, it still wouldn't be possible for him to qualify for the VIP passage.

The middle-aged man evidently somewhat trusted his own people's account, as the youth of the opposing side was, understandably, questionable. However, he did not make any hasty decisions and was very cautious.

Upon hearing the middle-aged man's words, Ding Fan's face remained calm and unchanged. He then took out the Jade Plate once more and handed it over to the man.

The moment the Jade Plate appeared before the middle-aged man, he was utterly dumbfounded! He couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment:

"How is this possible? It's simply unbelievable..."

At this moment, the cultivators from the City Lord Mansion saw the expression on the middle-aged man's face and were puzzled, not understanding what could have shocked him so greatly.

Yet the next scene left everyone in complete jaw-dropping amazement.

At this point, the middle-aged man respectfully handed the Jade Plate back to Ding Fan with both hands, then spoke with great respect:

"I'm sorry, young master, this was a misunderstanding. Please, this way!"

After respectfully addressing Ding Fan, he pushed through the crowd, thoroughly clearing the path to the VIP passage, and gestured with utmost respect to invite him in.

The cultivators from the City Lord Mansion who witnessed this were astonished, visibly taken aback! What exactly was happening here?

Who had ever seen the middle-aged man treat such a young cultivator with such deference? It was as if he treated even the City Lord no differently. What was going on here?

Many of the cultivators from the City Lord Mansion were at a loss, standing there dumbfounded, unintentionally blocking the direction indicated by the middle-aged man. Observing this, the middle-aged man coldly and angrily said to those few from the City Lord Mansion:

"What are you still standing here for? Step aside quickly! Let the young master go through the VIP passage and directly facilitate his registration!"

The middle-aged man spoke with a cold and commanding tone, without a trace of doubt. The few cultivators of the City Lord Mansion, taken aback, clearly did not understand who this young man was, warranting such awe from the middle-aged man. They finally stepped aside as ordered and returned to their posts.

Not only the cultivators from the City Lord Mansion were shocked, but everyone else who witnessed the scene was equally stunned, clearly unable to believe that this middle-aged man would treat the young cultivator with such respect, neither blaming him nor showing any inclination to follow his instructions, something utterly unbelievable!

Those cultivators registering through the ordinary passage had previously found Ding Fan's situation laughable, considering him a fool in their eyes. How could someone so young be an Alchemist, let alone use the VIP passage? Therefore, witnessing the earlier commotion, they couldn't help but feel a sense of schadenfreude.

However, upon seeing the interaction between Ding Fan and the middle-aged man, they were completely dumbfounded. It turned out not only did Ding Fan remain unscathed, but he also had the middle-aged man clear the way for him to directly enter the VIP passage, and with the latter's encouragement, smoothly registered.

This was simply incredible!

To know that the middle-aged man held a significant position in the City Lord Mansion, being at the Emergence Stage, and yet he was following the young cultivator's commands so obsequiously, it was undoubtedly astonishing to everyone.

At this moment, He Qianyao, witnessing the event, couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, grateful that she and Ding Fan were both unharmed, and that Ding Fan could register smoothly.

Ding Fan remained as indifferent as ever toward the middle-aged man's attitude, merely whispering as he passed by:

"Thank you."

The middle-aged man, upon hearing Ding Fan's words, replied with the utmost respect:

"It's my duty, young master!"

The cultivators standing relatively close to Ding Fan and the middle-aged man couldn't help but be shocked by the scene they witnessed between the two!