The Ice Spell
Uncle Ba's body was charred and emitting smoke from the flames, and upon hearing Yang Fan's words, he hurriedly knelt, banging his head on the ground and pleading for mercy.
"Please spare me, my lord! I was too blind to recognize a true master!"
Even the three thugs, although battered and on the verge of death, lay on the ground, crying for mercy.
"Master…"
The two maidens in the courtyard, their faces pale with fright, gazed at Yang Fan with lingering trepidation, witnessing him subdue the villains.
Just as Yang Fan was about to speak, a gentle male voice drifted from behind him.
"Are you the son of Yang Tian? Indeed, very impressive…"
Startled, Yang Fan's expression shifted drastically. He turned to find a middle-aged scholar who had silently appeared in the courtyard.
This scholar possessed an exceptional grace, holding a folding fan and exuding a warm demeanor that hinted at a spirited youth.
With a smile, he studied Yang Fan intently.
"Who are you? How do you know my father's name?"
Yang Fan instinctively inquired.
Upon a closer look, he immediately recognized the middle-aged scholar as Mr. Xu, who had made an appearance at the "Wen Tian Conference" today.
Mr. Xu had come to Yang's Fortress alongside the young master of the Yang family from the capital, and his strength seemed unfathomable.
"Ah, I am Xu Li, and you may address me as Mr. Xu," the scholar replied. He strolled leisurely into the courtyard, his gaze never leaving Yang Fan's face. He sighed gently, "You bear such a striking resemblance…"
Yang Fan paused, a wary expression crossing his features. He thought to himself, "This man hails from the capital's Yang family and knows my father's name; could he be one of my father's enemies?"
"May I inquire, Mr. Xu, what brings you here?"
Yang Fan asked, keeping his composure.
Mr. Xu smiled and said, "I came to see an old friend. Long before my arrival at the Yang family in the capital, I had heard tales of the unprecedented genius from the southern Yang family... Alas, fate is indeed cruel; I arrive only to find your esteemed self facing misfortune, a fallen genius."
"Ah, so you are an acquaintance of my father. Did you come to Yang's Fortress solely to see me?"
Yang Fan's expression softened, yet he remained on guard.
"Of course, that is not the case," Mr. Xu replied, his eyes glancing over the kneeling Uncle Ba and the other ruffians sprawled on the ground. "These individuals are of no further use here. Why not allow me to eliminate this little nuisance for you?"
With a faint smile, Mr. Xu abruptly unfurled his folding fan.
As the fan opened, a dazzling light emanated from it, and an overwhelming spiritual pressure descended, rendering the entire courtyard stifling.
Yang Fan felt a jolt through his spirit but managed to endure the intense pressure.
*Whoosh!*
The fan unfurled, releasing a cascade of brilliant azure frost that surged forth like serpentine mist.
In an instant, the temperature in the courtyard plummeted, making the nearby maidens shiver uncontrollably.
*Swish!*
The azure frost snaked around Uncle Ba and the three other thugs, enveloping them in a chilling grip.
*Crack!*
With a swift motion, Mr. Xu closed his fan, gazing at Yang Fan with a smile.
"Such terrifying magic! The fan in his hand is at least a high-grade spiritual artifact!"
Yang Fan gasped, realizing that beneath Mr. Xu's cheerful demeanor lay a subtle threat.
Among the treasures of the Eastern Sheng Continent, artifacts are ranked as the lowest, while spiritual artifacts hold a slightly higher status, with the true treasures being known as "magic artifacts."
All artifacts, spiritual or magical, are further categorized as inferior, middle-grade, superior, and supreme.
With a glance at the four "ice-cubed" figures, Yang Fan inhaled sharply, coming to the conclusion that Uncle Ba and the others had completely lost their life force, frozen in place.
Given Uncle Ba's initial cultivation at the Qi Refinement stage, he could barely last a few breaths, while the other three thugs had perished in an instant.
In a mere flick of a fan, the lives of three to four men were snuffed out so effortlessly.
What realm of strength did Mr. Xu possess?
Yang Fan sensed that the man's prowess was likely greater than that of his own master, Elder Liu.
In all of Yang's Fortress, perhaps only the reclusive ancestor of the Yang family could rival such power.
"Ah—!"
The two maidens nearby fainted, paralyzed with fear, collapsing onto the ground.
"Mr. Xu's ice spell is the most formidable I have ever witnessed," Yang Fan breathed out, finally voicing his thoughts.
In this vast Eastern Sheng Continent, which housed countless kingdoms and the savage beast territories, the Kingdom of Yuyang was but a modest nation. The southern Yang family was merely a trivial sect of cultivators. Thus, Yang Fan's experiences were exceedingly limited.
"Such humility, dear nephew…" Mr. Xu regarded Yang Fan steadily, inquiring with a subtle intensity, "How does my cultivation compare to that of your master?"
"This?" Yang Fan was taken aback by the unexpected question. It seemed Mr. Xu might know Elder Liu.
"If we were to compare strength, I believe my master does not match your prowess," Yang Fan admitted candidly.
Mr. Xu chuckled in acknowledgment: "Your master, Liu Wuhen, why did he leave Yang's Fortress before the 'Wen Tian Conference'?"
Yang Fan hesitated, unsure how to respond.
"Furthermore, did your master seal your powers before leaving?"
Mr. Xu's eyes sparkled with a sharp light, and an invisible pressure enveloped them.
*Whoosh!*
In a blink, Mr. Xu appeared before Yang Fan, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Yang Fan felt a chill seep into his very bones, immobilizing him, as an icy energy invaded his body.
After a moment, Mr. Xu pushed Yang Fan away, a glint of intrigue flashing in his gaze.
"Strange, your body feels so empty… Could it be that you truly fell into a magical lapse, losing your powers?"
Mr. Xu pondered, perplexed. He had initially thought that Elder Liu had engineered this, sealing his disciple's powers, but it appeared otherwise.
*Bang!*
The courtyard door burst open as a young man clad in white charged in, addressing Mr. Xu, "Sir, you should spare this one's life; three years from now, I will return to 'Yang's Fortress' to confront those two brothers."
Yang Fan glanced over, realizing that the arrogant young man was none other than the Yang family's young master, Yang Yu, who had wreaked havoc on the "Wen Tian Platform" just moments ago.
With an air of dominance, Yang Yu barged in, casting a cold glance at Yang Fan, the so-called "waste."
Mr. Xu replied with a smile, "Yang Fan is the son of an old friend; how could I possibly harm him? But why are you not watching the 'Wen Tian Conference' at the southern Yang family?"
"Humph, a bunch of ants at the Qi Refinement stage, hardly worth my time," Yang Yu retorted arrogantly.
Mr. Xu maintained his smile, glancing at Yang Fan. "When your father returns, please convey my regards to him."
Having said this, Mr. Xu exchanged glances with Yang Yu, and together they exited the courtyard.
"Waste, don't forget to attend the 'Wen Tian Conference' three years from now; I'll make sure to turn both of you into useless beings then."
Before departing, Yang Yu shot Yang Fan a disdainful look.
Yang Fan shrugged, stepping back into the courtyard to gather his belongings.
Mr. Xu and Yang Yu strolled toward a secluded corner of Yang's Fortress.
"Sir, why did you change your mind? Why not deal with that boy?" Yang Yu inquired, unable to contain his curiosity.
"If he truly possesses great talent and potential, I will certainly incapacitate him to eliminate future threats. However, upon my recent examination, I found that while he has indeed lost his powers, he is not entirely a waste. If he wishes to restore his previous cultivation, I estimate it would require at least a decade," Mr. Xu mused thoughtfully.
"Ten years, huh?" Yang Yu chuckled. "In three years, I'll return to Yang's Fortress and incapacitate him again."
"Incapping him once is trivial, but you must not disrupt the plans of the family head and the ancestor," Mr. Xu cautioned coldly.