The rotund businessman, skilled in reading expressions more than most, noticed Ding Fan's face growing increasingly stern and cold, as though a layer of frost had settled upon it. He immediately realized he might have misspoken again. Though he once faced imminent execution from the muscular man for selling two female cultivators at an auction, the more fearsome youth standing before him might harbor different reasoning.

The businessman regretted his rashness, feeling sincere remorse as he faced a potential life-or-death moment. He slapped his forehead abruptly with a loud crack, then pleaded with regret and self-blame:

"It's my fault, it's my fault. I shouldn't have babbled. Young hero, please instruct me. Anything you wish to know, I will lay bare without exception!"

On his knees, he gazed imploringly at Ding Fan.

Ding Fan's face showed a trace of disdain. The merchant was adept and shrewd—characteristics of a successful businessman—but also possessed common flaws associated with merchants. Ding Fan mused, had another cultivator been in his place, another selling Qing Wen, or anyone else unrelated to him, he might spare the merchant's life.

But these circumstances were real and unchangeable, so today he must eliminate this man.

For Ding Fan, Qing Wen and her companions were his scales of fury, and any harm to them was impermissible!

"How did you capture Qing Wen and the others?" Ding Fan momentarily suppressed his killing intent and asked directly.

"Qing Wen?" The businessman was taken aback, not recognizing anyone named Qing Wen.

"Qing Mei," Ding Fan replied coldly.

"Oh,..." The merchant's heart was drenched in cold sweat. He gathered clues from the youth's unwitting words and realized his mistake. Regret washed over him, worsen by his ignorance of Qing Mei's name contrasting with the intimate familiarity the young man had with her. Clearly, the relationship differed markedly from that of the muscular man's.

The merchant felt profoundly hopeless. He hadn't tormented those female cultivators on the way, Qing Mei included. However, the young man's intimate callout of Qing Mei's name suggested they shared an uncommon bond—not familial but likely amorous.

Whatever the youth's role—to protector or lover—he would surely spare him no mercy...

The merchant sighed deeply and feebly answered Ding Fan's inquiry:

"A friend of mine from the Wild Wolf Gang, an outer disciple, mentioned during our drinking session about a looming major event at the Immortal Sect. Though he often boasted, he never exaggerated baseless matters. Hence, I was alerted to potential trouble at the sect. After our drinks, I gathered many men and surveilled the sect's outskirts secretly."

A glimmer of pride crossed the merchant's eyes as he continued:

"We hid nearby with a dozen cultivators for three days, until the sect incident occurred on the third night. We didn't know what transpired exactly, but the mountain echoed with violent clashes and a sky ablaze with flames. Despite our tension, excitement grew. As businessmen, we understood greater risks promised greater rewards. So, we remained concealed, cautiously scaling the mountain. Soon, we intercepted a group of female cultivators, including Qing Mei; many were injured severely."

"Later, we deemed our harvest sufficient, considering the chaos raging at the sect made venturing further daringly precarious. Subsequently, distinguished patrons learned I captured Qing Mei and offered exorbitant sums for her. I refused, as Qing Mei was renowned within hundreds of kilometers—a dream goddess to numerous cultivators. Clearly, only an auction would fetch her top price!"

"However, I truly avoided laying a finger on Qing Mei, knowing her immense worth. I treated those female cultivators well, and especially Qing Mei, throughout the journey."

At this juncture, he appeared sincerely concerned, intuiting the uncommon bond between Ding Fan and Qing Mei, fearing an impulsive wrath might lead to his demise.

Ding Fan's face held disdain upon hearing this. Regardless of how Qing Wen was treated en route, she had already informed him. Yet, Ding Fan focused now on the issue with the Immortal Sect. According to the merchant, he initially learned of the matter from a Wild Wolf Gang cultivator.

Was the sect's demise also the Wild Wolf Gang's doing?

This query surfaced in Ding Fan's mind, prompting him to ask directly:

"According to what you said, it was the cultivators from the Wild Wolf Gang who first informed you that the Immortal Sect was going to be exterminated. Does that mean the Immortal Sect was destroyed by the Wild Wolf Gang? However, there are many rumors suggesting that the Immortal Sect was annihilated by a coalition of nearby sects. Are you hiding something?"

Ding Fan asked with a frosty expression, his body exuding an intense Arctic Chill and Divine Vigor, which terrified the Fat Merchant, making him tremble all over, kneel on the ground, and pleading sincerely:

"Spare my life, young hero. Everything I said is true, not a single falsehood. If you don't believe me, you can investigate for yourself."

The Fat Merchant kept kowtowing and begging for mercy. Suddenly, as if he remembered something, he continued speaking to Ding Fan:

"Young hero, I remembered. At that time, when we captured those female cultivators, we immediately descended the mountain and dared not look at what transpired on the mountain. But after we descended, we saw disciples from several nearby sects climbing slowly up to the Immortal Sect. There were many disciples from nearby sects. We were so frightened that we took another route down the mountain, not daring to provoke those sects. Although we did have a few people and decent cultivation, especially Elder Zhao, who is a cultivator at the soul phase, we didn't dare provoke those sects. So we simply left!"

Listening to the Fat Merchant, Ding Fan realized what happened to the annihilated Immortal Sect, though he was still puzzled. Ding Fan believed that the Fat Merchant didn't dare lie at this point, and the details he provided were too specific to be fabricated.

From the Fat Merchant's account, it was clear the Immortal Sect was indeed destroyed by the Wild Wolf Gang. The rumor that nearby sects jointly annihilated the Immortal Sect was invalid as Ding Fan could tell from the cultivation of the daughter of the Immortal Sect's master that it was one of the larger sects nearby, unmatched by other nearby sects.

Even if the small nearby sects joined forces to attack the Immortal Sect, they couldn't have destroyed it overnight. It was clearly the work of the Wild Wolf Gang. During the Immortal Sect's annihilation, other sects might have attacked upon hearing the news. As for whether these small sects did so to curry favor with the Wild Wolf Gang or to loot treasures from the Immortal Sect, Ding Fan couldn't be certain.

But Ding Fan could confirm one thing: the Immortal Sect was destroyed by the Wild Wolf Gang.

Yet, Ding Fan was puzzled about why the Wild Wolf Gang acted so covertly. Destroying the Immortal Sect wasn't difficult for them, considering they had also wiped out the Dayang Sect and had grown significantly stronger over the past six months. But why were there no rumors implicating the Wild Wolf Gang, only stories about nearby small sects joining forces to destroy the Immortal Sect?

This intrigued Ding Fan, but he couldn't figure it out. The Wild Wolf Gang's actions seemed increasingly bizarre to Ding Fan.

"Young hero? Young hero..." At this moment, seeing Ding Fan lost in thought, the Fat Merchant nervously called out, having already shared everything he knew, hoping Ding Fan would spare him.

"You are indeed a good merchant, but a black-hearted one. This didn't initially concern me directly, but your gravest mistake was capturing Qing Wen, leaving me no choice but to end you!"

Ding Fan said coldly, his eyes filled with killing intent.

Upon hearing Ding Fan's words, the Fat Merchant felt as if he were thrown into an abyss, struggling to breathe. Collapsed weakly on the ground, he spoke to Ding Fan in fear:

"Young hero, I... I was wrong. Please spare my life, I will..."

Shhh!

Before the Fat Merchant could finish, Ding Fan swiftly unleashed a Wind Blade, killing him. If not for the merchant's relatively sincere attitude and somewhat useful information, Ding Fan wouldn't have given him a swift end with a single Wind Blade.

The ones who harmed Qing Wen must die!

This was Ding Fan's bottom line. Anyone who breached it must be put to death!

Subsequently, Ding Fan incinerated the Muscular Man's corpse with a Fireball Technique and buried his ashes. After cleaning up thoroughly, there was no trace of the Muscular Man left at the scene, and Ding Fan returned directly to the inn in Panyang Town.

Seeing Ding Fan return, Qing Wen and Bai Her finally breathed a sigh of relief. Ding Fan then recounted everything he'd found about the Immortal Sect and how he killed the merchant, since they were the only surviving disciples of the Immortal Sect. Bai Her had tasked Ding Fan with this investigation, so he naturally needed to inform them about who destroyed the Immortal Sect and why it was so mysterious.

From the Fat Merchant's words, Ding Fan learned the Wild Wolf Gang had plans for the Immortal Sect long before its destruction, having meticulously prepared for its obliteration. Their assault was premeditated and strategic.