After the Ba Ji sect was gone, Chen Fan assigned training duties to the soldiers. Afterward, he prepared himself for the journey tomorrow to Lin City for the Martial Arts Conference.
To Chen Fan, the numinous treasures in possession of the martial artists were a much bigger draw than the martial artists themselves. Unlike ordinary people, Internal Force users were able to traverse deep into the mountains and retrieve treasures that no one else was able to so much as lay a finger on.
There were so many unexplored jungles and mountains in China that could hold unimaginable treasures. He wagered that most of these treasures were in the hands of the Martial Artists.
Cang Dragon’s training was already on the right track and Chen Fan could entrust the training to the other sergeants. The soldiers didn’t know that Chen Fan was leaving, therefore only a few sergeants and Yu Qin came to see him off.
“Head Sergeant, I am so sorry for what happened…” Huo Donglai blushed, and then he stopped talking altogether.
“What’s done is done. Let it go.” Chen Fan padded his shoulder and then said: “I know you are not like your Ba Ji sect brothers.”
“Thank you, Head Sergeant!”
Huo Donglai was elated by Chen Fan’s acknowledgment. To be approved by a Transcendent Master was every martial artist’s dream.
“Head Sergeant Chen, I have reported your departure to the higher up and they said you can come and go as you wish. We will keep the key to the data room for you. Whenever you want to come back, you will still be the Head Sergeant of the Cang Dragon.” Yu Qin said.
“Thank you. That was very thoughtful.” Chen Fan nodded.
He could imagine how shocked Li Muchen was when he heard about the units newly acquired abilities. The success would only make Chen Fan even more indispensable to Li Muchen.
Things were going according to Chen Fan’s plan. He had wagered that it was still difficult for him to ensure his parents and loved one’s safety all by himself. However, things were different once he gained Li Muchen’s trust and protection.
“With their safety secured, I can finally focus on my task.” Chen Fan thought to himself as a cold light glittered in his eyes.
Once he left the Cang Dragon unit base in the helicopter, he stopped by Chu Zhou City to grab Tong Shan.
Tong Shan was a metallic giant of over two meters in stature. His appearance would have stunned any ordinary citizen. Chen Fan had refined an Illusion Jade Talisman for him to conceal his conspicuous appearance.
With the illusion effect of the talisman, Tong Shan could pass for a thick boned brawny man.
However, with Tong Shan traveling with him, Chen Fan’s modes of transportation were limited. Tong Shan ‘s metallic nature would set off the metal detectors at train stations and airports.
Therefore, Chen Fan had to resort to taking a bus. When the bus driver saw Chen Fan’s childish face, he thought of charging the fledging more buss fair, however, the boy’s large companion had made him think better of his plan. In the end, the driver even offered Chen Fan a discount.
“Hi, my name is Miao Xiaoqian”
Chen Fan and his large companion had attracted everyone’s attention as soon as they walked on to the bus. Tong Shan sat alone in the back row as no one dared to get near the hulking frame with a lifeless face. Chen Fan sat a few rows in front of Tong Shan, across him was a pair of young girls both in their early twenties.
One of the girls looked attractive and was wearing a short blouse with loose sleeves. A pair of black-rimmed glasses made her look artsy and hip.
“My name is Chen Fan.”
Chen Fan nodded slightly.
Chen Fan’s reply immediately opened Miao Xiaoqian up as the latter started to self-introduce. Chen Fan learned that she was a student from the Chu Zhou City University. She was on a road trip with her classmates to Lin City.
Lin City was an ancient city that stood for centuries. It was a bustling city ever since ancient times.
“Is that your travel companion? He looks huge! He should join a basketball team or what have you.”
Miao Xiaoqian pointed to Tong Shan and asked.
“Ah. That is my Big Cousin. He is not all there, but he is very friendly.” Chen Fan cracked a smile.
“I see.” Miao Xiaoqian nodded. The two chatted with each other from the time Chen Fan get on to the bus, after a while, Miao Xiaoqian’s companion also woke up from her slumber.
“Xiao Qian, who are you talking to?”
The other girl stretched her limbs and yawned. Her sleeves rolled back, revealing her smooth and unmarred skin.
Chen Fan gave the other girl a glance and was taken aback by her extraordinary beauty. She had refined features and a pair of watery and dreamy eyes. Despite the innocent look, a hint of sultriness surfaced on her face from time to time. She was not any less attractive than Jiang Churan or Yun Qianqian.
Despite her beauty, her demeanor was cold and distant.
When Miao Xiaoqian introduced Chen Fan to her, she merely nodded aloofly as a reply. Afterward, she started to play on her cell phone.
“Yanxue is like that to everyone, don’t mind her.” Miao Xiaoqian managed an awkward smiled. Chen Fan later learned that the attractive girl was called Lu Yanxue. She was one of the most popular girls at the Chu Zhou City University and had many admirers.
She was such a lovely sight to behold, no wonder she had gotten so used to other people’s attention that she would come off as arrogant.
However, Chen Fan wasn’t struck by her beauty. Attractive she might be, Chen Fan had seen better-looking ones. During his five hundred years of travel, he had seen countless goddesses who possessed sublime beauty.
“Ah, right, Xiao Fan. What’s your plan after you arrived in Lin City? Do you want to hang out with us?”
Miao Xiaoqian batted her eyelashes at Chen Fan and looked to him expectantly.
She was far from infatuated with Chen Fan, so her motivation in inviting Chen Fan came mostly due to pragmatic reasons. It was dangerous for two girls to travel by themselves, particularly two pretty girls. However, with Tong Shan traveling with them, no one would even dare to get near them.
Lu Yanxue heard Miao Xiaoqian’s invitation. She furrowed her brows and kept her silence.
Chen Fan registered the displeasure on Lu Yanxue’s face, so he refused the offer with a made up excuse.
Miao Xiaoqian heaved a sigh of disappointment.
Suddenly, the bus pulled over to the side of the road, and a brawny young man walked into the bus. This young man seemed to be acquainted with the driver as the latter addressed him as “Brother Wu” and the young man didn’t even bother to pay for the bus fare.
The young man noticed Lu Yanxue as soon as he sat down. His eyes lit up as restlessness suddenly came over him. He walked over to Chen Fan and shouted at him.
“Hey kiddo, sit at the back, will you?”
All the while, his eyes didn’t leave Lu Yanxue.
Lu Yanxue registered the man’s stare, so she shriveled her body into her jacket and turned her heard to look out of the window.
Chen Fan furrowed his brows and asked: “Are you talking to me?”
“Why of course! Come on, sit back there now. There are plenty of seats.”
Everyone kept to themselves and didn’t want to get involved.
“Hey young man, why don’t you do as he says?” The driver put in.
Chen Fan heaved a sigh, and then stood up slowly.
Lu Yanxue felt a pang of disappointment after seeing how easily Chen Fan had given in.
“There we go.” Brother Wu patted Chen Fan’s shoulder and said: “Listen to your Brother Wu and sit back there. Brother Wu will buy candy for you.”
Chen Fan said lightly: “I am not standing up to move away for you. I am making space for him.”
“Who?” Brother Wu was confused at first until a giant hand patted on his shoulder.
“Who the heck…” He turned around and the terrifying sight robbed him of words. Trying as hard as he could, he could no longer form a single sound in his throat.
Tong Shan’s hulking frame erected right behind him.
Tong Shan was about two meters tall and he had to lower his head and hunch over in order to avoid hitting the ceiling. He looked like a giant that was trapped in a tin box.
“Shit… Bro… Sorry.”
The young man wavered.
However, his apology came a tad bit too late. Tong Shan grabbed hold of his neck like a thin pencil, and then yanked his arm, throwing the young man off the bus.
Everyone was terrified by the development but no one dared to say a word.
After the bus drove on for a while, the drive finally broke the silence. “Young man, can you get off the bus now? I won’t charge you anything.”
“Don’t worry.” Chen Fan cracked a smile.
The driver dared not to press on, so he shook his head and heaved a sigh.
The development piqued Lu Yanxue’s interest in Chen Fan. However, after trying to connect gazes with Chen Fan a few times and failing, she lost her patience.
They traveled on the quiet bus for a while.
Even as Chen Fan closed his eyes to take a nap, he was suddenly alerted. His Immortal Will registered a few Jeeps that had stopped right in the middle of the road, blocking the bus’s way. A few men waved at the driver, willing him to stop.
After all the passengers filed out of the bus, a few men emerged from the jeep.
The leader of the crowd was Brother Wu.
“Who threw me off the bus? I will make you pay!”
Brother Wu shouted with a broken nose and a black eye.