Chapter 555: The Most Awesome Lord in History

At that moment, the horizon was a fiery red, with burning clouds stretching across more than half the sky. Even the ancient village and the vast groves of locust trees were edged with streaks of gold.

By the ancient woods, Ye Fan and his companions were seated at a stone table with stone stools, eating dragon meat and drinking aged wine. Hearing such a loud roar, they all looked up towards the horizon.

A vast purple cloud swept over, like an enormous wave, scattering the fiery clouds in the sky. Standing above it was a man of medium build, but with a commanding presence, gazing down at the ancient village.

"Lord of Lucheng, get up here!" The newcomer bellowed, his voice domineering. He had thick purple hair and eyes that glowed brightly like two divine lamps.

Ye Fan paid him no mind, instead motioning for Princess Yudie and Cheng Hui to drink, filling their cups again and again.

"Lord of Lucheng, come up and face your death!" The purple-haired man's roar shook the mountains; all the ancient locust trees trembled, and leaves fluttered down, revealing a powerful ripple of energy.

"Brother Ye, you're truly calm," Zhang Wen said, setting down his wine cup. "They've come to demand an explanation. Don't be caught off guard."

"Ye—Zhe—Tian, get up here!" The purple-robed man fixed his gaze on Ye Fan, confirming his identity from atop the purple cloud.

"Do you need something from me?" Ye Fan asked, drinking a cup of wine and looking up at the sky.

"Hand over Princess Qi's dragon horse, and then bind yourself and go beg for forgiveness!" The purple-haired man looked down, his gaze piercing like arrows.

"The dragon horse can't be returned, and binding myself is even less of an option," Ye Fan replied, shaking his head.

"Where is the dragon horse? Hand it over immediately!" The purple-haired man's voice boomed like thunder; he was exceedingly forceful.

"The dragon horse is right here." Ye Fan held up a horse bone, stripped clean of meat, and waved it towards the sky.

"You..." The purple-haired man was furious. He had never seen anyone so audacious. To actually cook the dragon horse, and even worse, to eat it in front of him!

"There's truly no live horse left," Ye Fan said. "Why don't you come down and try some yourself? We could even send a bowl back to Princess Qi."

"I'll cut you down!" The purple-haired man uttered a cold sneer, then pointed a finger. A purple dragon, a hundred zhang long, shot forth, soaring and roaring as it lunged at Ye Fan.

"Clang!"

Ye Fan remained seated on the stone stool, raising his wine cup to meet it. The enormous purple dragon, baring its fangs and claws, was forcibly restrained by him, transforming into a beam of light that vanished into the wine cup.

"What skill!" Li Xinyue exclaimed, astonished. Ye Fan had shrunk a hundred-zhang-long dragon to half an inch and absorbed it into a wine cup; such a technique was beyond ordinary people.

"Thank you for sending so much vital energy," Ye Fan said with a smile. "This wine was a bit bland, but now it can become stronger." His finger glowed as he instantly refined the dragon energy into a wisp of primal essence, which then radiated purple mist within the wine cup.

He raised the cup, tilted his head back, and drained it, laughing heartily. "It's rude not to reciprocate!"

Ye Fan then took the wine jar, filled a porcelain cup, and offered it to the sky. The cup transformed into a luminous full moon and shot towards the purple-haired man.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort echoed in the sky, and a purple dragon claw extended, covering the wine cup from below, attempting to snatch it into its palm.

However, at that very moment, the wine cup burst into brilliant light, rising like a full moon, shaking off the dragon claw and unleashing ten thousand sword beams!

The single cup of wine transformed into ten thousand drops, becoming ten thousand streaks of primal sword qi that surged and crisscrossed, shattering the purple clouds and radiating immense brilliance.

The purple-haired man was startled. He rapidly shook his palm and fingers, finally dispelling the sky-piercing sword light. With a *crack*, the wine cup shattered into dust, and his fingers throbbed with sharp pain.

"Indeed, you have some skill!"

"Do you still wish to cause trouble in my territory? If you're done, leave immediately," Ye Fan retorted.

"A mere lord, daring to act like this? Today, I will capture you and make you kowtow before Princess Qi to confess your crimes!" the purple-haired man bellowed.

"Boom!"

He extended a colossal purple hand, reaching for Ye Fan. It was like a mighty mountain, emitting a rumbling sound that shook both the sky and the earth.

"Bang!"

Ye Fan did not rise; he remained seated at the stone table. He simply raised his hand to meet the attack. With a loud crash, the purple mist in the sky dispersed, as if a great mountain had collapsed.

The purple-haired man was flung back hundreds of zhang. His heart filled with dread; had he not retreated urgently, his hand and fingers might have been crippled. His expression immediately turned grim.

"I've already spoken my words; what honor would I have if I don't capture you and take you back? You must kneel before the princess and confess your crimes!" The purple-haired man vowed fiercely, spreading his large sleeve. It billowed out, covering the sky and earth, sweeping down.

"Oh no, that's the Sleeve Universe, a supreme art of the Southern Ridge!" Princess Yudie whispered a warning.

Many knew this secret technique, but only a few ancient clans in the Southern Ridge possessed its complete form. Once unleashed, it could devour heaven and earth, truly terrifying.

"Whoosh..."

A fierce gale erupted, sending sand and stones flying. Distant mountaintops were sliced off and disappeared into the sky-obscuring sleeve. It swallowed everything, like an apocalyptic black hole.

Ye Fan's expression changed. This was indeed a peak secret art, aiming to swallow the entire village. He shot into the air, actively confronting it.

"A mere lord, relying on a few tricks, dares to provoke a talent from the Qishi Mansion? I'll take you in!" The purple-haired man sneered, his vast sleeve swirling.

Within it, mist swirled, and faint traces of primordial light flickered, as if the world itself was being created. The space inside was boundless and endless.

"Boom!"

Ye Fan soared upward, trying to evade, but an overwhelming force pulled him into the vast sleeve, from which he could not escape.

"As expected of a divine art from the Southern Ridge, it's terrifying! It devours everything!" Cheng Hui exclaimed below.

"Such a technique is difficult for those of the same cultivation level to counter; they'd be mercilessly suppressed, putting the user in an inherently invincible position!" Li Xinyue sighed softly.

"Boom!"

The void erupted. The enormous sleeve, obscuring the sky, covered all things between heaven and earth. Ye Fan was forcibly drawn in, vanishing instantly.

"Brother City Lord...""Let Brother City Lord out!" A group of children in the ancient village cried out in fright.

"Brother, please show mercy; don't harm his life," Cheng Hui sent a silent message from below.

"He's just a small lord, self-assured with a bit of divine power. Even if he kowtows and confesses now, it'll be hard for him to survive," the purple-haired man sneered.

"How can he be spared?" Princess Yudie asked, her bright eyes like water, her jade-like face radiant. Her long dress swayed as she rose with the wind, ethereal and graceful.

The purple-haired man, seeing her exquisite beauty, was momentarily stunned. He had seen Princess Yudie in the Qishi Mansion before but had not known her identity.

"Let him kneel before the Qishi Mansion for three days and three nights; perhaps then his life can be spared."

"You boast shamelessly!" Suddenly, Ye Fan's clear, cold voice came from within the large sleeve.

"Inside my sleeve, you think you can still get out? The Sleeve Universe creates its own space; in half an hour, I can refine you completely," the purple-haired man sneered.

"Boom!"

A violent commotion erupted within the large sleeve, as if a world were collapsing. It radiated a heart-pounding aura and continuously expanded.

"I originally intended to make you kneel before the Qishi Mansion, but now it seems I'll just refine you directly!" The purple-haired man became ruthless. His entire right arm glowed, and his sleeve, like a massive furnace, emitted ten thousand rays of light.

"Dong!"

However, something astonishing happened. The vast sleeve swelled, continuously emitting explosive sounds, and the surrounding void rapidly collapsed.

"What immense power!" Cheng Hui exclaimed, startled.

"Shattering the void, destroying all things—this force is too terrifying! Even the Sleeve Universe can't withstand it!" Zhang Wen was also deeply shaken.

"Boom!"

With a loud crash, the sleeve shattered. Ye Fan burst out like a demonic god, his palm tearing the void, sending the purple-haired man flying.

"You..." The purple-haired man was horrified. The Sleeve Universe, a supreme sacred art, had never failed, yet it was broken! His entire body was riddled with cracks, and his soul was almost shattered from the shock. What terrifying power was this?!

Everyone present found it inconceivable. The sleeve evolving into a world—if truly trapped within, few of their generation could escape.

The pinnacle of strength! Ye Fan's combat power astounded them; he had truly fought his way out. Even Princess Yudie's small, cherry-like mouth was wide open, her beautiful eyes shining with wonder.

"Still want me to kneel before the Qishi Mansion? You can kneel outside this ancient village for a few days instead!"

Ye Fan activated the "Line" character secret, displaying unparalleled speed. He instantly rushed over and struck the man with a punch, sending him plummeting to the ground.

"Pfft!" The purple-haired man spat blood, falling to the ground like a wooden stake. Multiple cracks appeared on his body, and blood gushed forth.

"Bang!" Ye Fan descended and kicked him away. The purple-haired man's body was nearly shattered; the moment the Sleeve Universe technique collapsed, he was severely weakened and lost the ability to resist.

"I won't make it difficult for you. Just kneel outside the ancient village for three days and three nights. You wanted me to do this at the Qishi Mansion, so you can set an example!"

"Ah..." The purple-haired man screamed, struggling violently, his eyebrows twitching upwards.

"Brother Ye, perhaps let it go. Let him leave," Princess Yudie stepped forward to persuade him, fearing the situation would escalate beyond control.

Cheng Hui, Zhang Wen, and Li Xinyue also stepped forward to plead with him, hoping to avoid further trouble.

"Alright then, he can just kneel for one night." Ye Fan sealed the purple-haired man's cultivation, kicked him to the village entrance, and ignored him.

"Are you... truly planning to be a lord here permanently?" Princess Yudie asked, almost speechless, like the other three.

That night, deep within the Immortal Mountain, news spread among a small circle of people. Had there not been strict rules in the Qishi Mansion preventing them from leaving at will, many more would have come to watch.

"Have you heard? Princess Qi's dragon horse was eaten! One of her protectors, indignant, went to confront the culprit and was made to kneel outside an ancient village.""I heard already! That's quite a character of a lord; daring to do something like that is truly jaw-dropping!"

The next day, more people learned the news, all surprised and discussing it.

"This small lord is just too audacious! Daring to act like this is truly speechless.""Princess Qi hasn't emerged from seclusion yet; otherwise, she'd surely fight to the death.""Just wait and see. More of her protectors are bound to go in the next couple of days. It's a pity we can't leave recently, or I'd definitely go see this lord for myself."

Over the next few days, Ye Fan engaged in successive battles. A total of six more protectors came to cause trouble, aiming to suppress him and take him to the Qishi Mansion.

These were no ordinary individuals; they were top experts from the Five Great Domains, otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to enter the Qishi Mansion, which only opens once every ten thousand years. All possessed formidable combat power!

Unfortunately, each of them was defeated by Ye Fan, sparking a heated discussion within the Qishi Mansion. By now, many knew there was a remarkably formidable and unique lord outside the Immortal Mountain.

The six experts each knelt for a night in the desolate hut, all returning severely injured. Moreover, three of them had ridden their mounts, but a peacock, a golden divine hāo, and a colorful luan never returned; they had all been stewed and eaten.

"Damn, that lord is truly something else! He ate three more spirit beasts!""Where did this guy come from? Six experts, all defeated by him, not only kneeling for a night but also having their mounts eaten? Who is this person?"

Within the Qishi Mansion, half the people knew about this incident, causing a stir and becoming a widespread topic of conversation.

If it weren't so difficult to leave the Qishi Mansion, a large crowd would surely have come to witness this formidable lord. Even many beautiful women grew curious and wanted to see what was happening.

"Just now, the seventh person was defeated. His purple qilin was, without surprise, stewed in a large iron pot by that extraordinary lord."

Everyone was stunned, wishing they could immediately run out and see for themselves.

"That fellow is now addicted to eating spirit beasts. It's said he specifically made a large bow and now spends his days roaming his territory, claiming there are many exotic beasts here for hunting, to satisfy his cravings."

When this news returned, many were dumbfounded and wanted to see what kind of lord this was.

"The most incredible lord in history! Truly speechless!" People could only exclaim this.

"Princess Qi has emerged from seclusion!" That day, this news spread, exhilarating everyone.

People knew that with the main figure appearing, a great storm was surely brewing.

"Even if it means punishment, I must leave the Qishi Mansion to watch the battle!" many declared.