The youth in black looked at the shocked expression of the other person and curiously asked in his heart:

"Senior brother, have you ever heard of the name Ding Fan?"

"Do you know who the champion of this year's Great Alchemy Competition in Dancheng is?" Wang Feng hinted at the other person.

"Ah! It's him! Ding Fan! A Grade Nine Alchemist!"

Suddenly, the youth in black finally recalled this somewhat familiar name, and couldn't help but feel extremely shocked. He didn't expect that the two of them would encounter such a person. Both Nascent Soul cultivators knew a little about Ding Fan and the Wild Wolf Gang.

However, what they knew was all told to them by a senior at the Emergence Stage. Even that senior at the Emergence Stage couldn't help but be very fearful and respectful when mentioning Ding Fan. Obviously, even a cultivator at the Emergence Stage could only look up to the existence of Ding Fan. Wang Feng and the youth in black knew that, not to mention a cultivator at the Emergence Stage, even those at the Spirit Severing Stage would likely be very reverent when talking about Ding Fan.

After all, both Wang Feng witnessed Ding Fan's methods today; even a cultivator at the Spirit Severing Initial Stage was instantly killed by him. Clearly, his strength was at least at the Spirit Severing Middle Stage, and it wasn't impossible for him to be at the Spirit Severing Late Stage either. Thinking about it made both of them break out in cold sweat.

"Junior brother, let's pretend that nothing happened today and not tell anyone!" Wang Feng sternly warned the youth in black at this moment.

"Don't worry, senior brother. Even if you gave me a hundred guts, I wouldn't dare, unless I didn't want to live. After all, a figure like Ding Fan isn't someone a cultivator like me can afford to offend." The youth in black replied earnestly.

There are indeed too many rumors about Ding Fan, each one more astonishing than the last. Such a figure is naturally someone they can't afford to offend, and since they were spared and warned, it means they should be even more cautious about their own lives!

...

At this moment, Ding Fan withdrew his Divine Sense and saw the scene with Wang Feng and the other person, so he wasn't worried anymore. Although Wang Feng and his companion were a bit arrogant, knowing his identity meant they wouldn't dare to reveal anything, even if they were given a hundred guts.

"Big brother, just letting those two go, won't they expose our whereabouts?" Wang Hu, standing beside Ding Fan, said with a serious expression.

"Don't worry. If they don't want to die quickly, they won't speak carelessly." Ding Fan said calmly.

Upon hearing Ding Fan's words, Wang Hu didn't worry about those two anymore, but his face still bore a worried expression. After all, it was clear that their cultivation had been exposed, and if the Wild Wolf Gang's cultivators found out, it would be extremely dangerous. So Wang Hu looked at Ding Fan with some concern and said:

"Big brother, now that we've been exposed, what should we do?"

Ding Fan pointed up the mountain with his hand and ordered everyone:

"Everyone head up the mountain, leave a few disciples to notify the rear team."

The cultivators agreed in unison. At this moment, Wang Hu heard Ding Fan's instruction and was puzzled about why they needed to go up the mountain. Could there be some treasure up there? Wang Hu didn't ask much, as it was clear from Ding Fan's demeanor that he had a plan in mind. Soon everyone started going up the mountain, and before long, a member of the Dayang Sect suddenly descended from the mountain – it was Elder Gao who had been taken away by the bandits earlier.

Seeing Elder Gao come down, everyone was overjoyed; Elder Gao didn't appear to be injured. Before long, Elder Gao walked over to Ding Fan and respectfully said:

"Sect Leader, I've returned. Earlier, to avoid exposing my identity, I had no choice but to let them capture me and lock me in a small room. But then I heard a commotion outside and learned that all the bandits had been slain by us. It seems that we might have already exposed our identity, so I demonstrated my cultivation and killed my way out, wiping out all remnants of those bandits!"

"Hmm, well done," Ding Fan nodded with satisfaction.

Then Elder Gao followed Ding Fan and several other elders, heading up the mountain together. Since Elder Gao had come down from the mountain, he occasionally pointed out paths to everyone, making the journey much smoother. However, soon they arrived at a place unfamiliar to Elder Gao. When they reached a fork, Ding Fan chose a direction, and Elder Gao, feeling a bit anxious, immediately advised:

"Sect Leader, I've heard those bandits say that this path leads to a forbidden area. There may be unknown dangers inside. Sect Leader, please be cautious."

Upon hearing Elder Gao's words, everyone was taken aback. Initially, they didn't understand what the Sect Leader planned to do by bringing them up the mountain. Now, having arrived at a bandit's forbidden area, they were even more puzzled and tense. Although the bandits' cultivation wasn't high, their numbers were significant, and if they considered this place forbidden, there must be some perilous presence within.

Ding Fan heard Elder Gao's words and suddenly stopped in his tracks, his heart hesitating somewhat. Finally, he spoke to everyone:

"A few elders come with me inside, the rest stay here and wait for my command."

Although Ding Fan heard Elder Gao, he had no choice but to go in. At this moment, they had reached the mountaintop; clearly, the left side of the summit was the bandits' place, while the right side was a forbidden area designated by them. Ding Fan did not know what dangerous presence lay within this so-called forbidden area, but he previously observed the densest concentration of Spiritual Energy was over there, and there was a Formation present. Therefore, Ding Fan had to see what was really going on at the mountaintop.

However, Elder Gao's words served as a reminder, prompting Ding Fan to decide to have the remaining Dayang Sect disciples stay here while he took several capable elders with him to investigate. Ding Fan's Divine Sense had already swept the surrounding area instantly, along their path within a few kilometers there was no powerful Yuan Beast or any signs of danger ahead; thus, Ding Fan felt no relaxation in his heart and became more cautious.

He trusted his Divine Sense; initially, there appeared to be no visible dangers, yet this area was regarded by the bandits as a forbidden zone, implying there must be a reason. With such dense Spiritual Energy left untouched, while choosing to camp in a comparatively sparse district, surely there had to be significant problems ahead, otherwise the bandits wouldn't act this way.

Thinking this way, Ding Fan knew he would not understand the situation ahead without personally going in to see.

Several elders of the Dayang Sect followed Ding Fan as he headed towards the right side of the summit, Wang Hu accompanying them. Ding Fan walked ahead of everyone, carefully inspecting his surroundings, surprised by the extremely dense Spiritual Energy here, resulting in lush and robust vegetation, yet devoid of any Yuan Beast, evidently quite suspicious.

"The Spiritual Energy here is truly dense, without coming here, you couldn't possibly discover!" one elder behind Ding Fan exclaimed, amazed at the thick Spiritual Energy.

"Indeed. But it's strange there's not a single Yuan Beast here; logically they should be thriving profoundly, yet no trace of a Yuan Beast is found, something seems amiss!"

"That's right..."

Several elders behind Ding Fan couldn't help but discuss, filled with alertness, tense expressions clear. Obviously, the abnormalities here must imply some peculiar circumstances.

Ding Fan heard the elders' conversations and evidently agreed with their reasoning; there must be something unique here, but so far he hadn't found any place of danger. Rather, the rich Spiritual Energy was refreshing, mere breathing brought slight improvements in cultivation, almost tempting in its bounty. Shortly, under Ding Fan's lead, the sect members ascended a steep slope and were astonished to find a vast Heavenly Pool-like lake ahead.

The diameter of the Heavenly Pool was several thousand meters, surrounded by mountains, with a stunningly beautiful view. The Spiritual Energy was at its most concentrated here. This scene deeply shocked everyone, not expecting such a Heavenly Pool atop the mountain amidst such high altitudes, it was certainly rare.

Additionally, this Heavenly Pool-like lake defied common logic, as water naturally flows down, yet here at several thousand meters above sea level, stood this Heavenly Pool, practically a marvel. The densely packed Spiritual Energy incited madness, with thriving vegetation captivating one's spirit. Despite being autumn, the foliage exuded summer's full bloom, brilliantly beautiful, intoxicating one's gaze.

"This is an extraordinary place, truly stunning..."

"Indeed, the Spiritual Energy is ridiculously dense here..."

"Just one glance makes one reluctant to leave. If not for the sect master finding it, others might never discover this place. The sect master has excellent vision!"

"That's right, that's right..."

The elders witnessed such a spectacle, completely stunned by the beauty, involuntarily admired Sect Master Ding Fan, understanding if not for his guidance, they would never discover such an enchanting place with dense energy, surely a sanctuary for cultivation. Imagining Dayang Sect established here just couldn't help but incite thrill.

Ding Fan heard everyone's words, scanning their visibly joyous expressions, but couldn't feel joy himself. His face grew serious, suddenly he shouted:

"Everyone, be careful!"

As soon as Ding Fan uttered those words, a surge of Mysterious Thunder descended from the sky. Hearts skipped a beat, everyone quickly released True Qi to defend against the mighty Mysterious Thunder from above.

Rumble....

Everyone was utterly shocked by the sudden barrage of Mysterious Thunder from the clear sky, which seemed completely inexplicable! Witnessing this, Ding Fan finally understood why it was deemed a forbidden area by the bandits; indeed, there was a Formation enveloping the area, the Mysterious Thunder being part of an Attack Formation.