Everyone was momentarily stunned. When had they ever seen the owner of Dancheng's most luxurious guesthouse, even an officially approved luxury guesthouse, burst out with such vulgarities? It was simply unbelievable!

Everyone's minds were still trying to process it. Just a moment ago, the guesthouse owner was issuing an ejection order to that young man, but now, within a short span of time, the guesthouse owner was so respectful towards the young man, even going as far as to comply fully with his commands, making it a complete submission. It was simply inconceivable how even the alchemist invited by Dancheng directly resorted to cursing — unbelievable indeed!

Who exactly was this young man, that he would cause the guesthouse owner to be in such awe!

Among those watching the drama unfold, quite a few people were knowledgeable about the guesthouse owner. To run such a luxury, official guesthouse was not something a simple person could do. He's met all sorts of people, even meeting regularly with the City Lord of Dancheng's City Lord Mansion, with some people from the mansion also showing immense respect for this middle-aged man. Clearly, he's not a regular person.

Yet such a person was showing such respect to a young cultivator. This naturally led everyone to begin speculating about the true identity of this young man!

Many cultivators present had secretly begun assuming Ding Fan was no ordinary person, with some even speculating that Ding Fan was a figure personally invited by the City Lord for the grand finale of the Great Alchemy Competition. Opinions varied greatly...

At this moment, the yellow-shirted young man Gao Lian was also dumbfounded upon hearing the middle-aged owner's words. Although he wasn't from Dancheng, he clearly understood some of the background and temper of the middle-aged owner, knowing that he wasn't someone who would lose his temper easily. Now, he was being told to get out of the guesthouse. Even though he knew he was an invited alchemist of Dancheng, the owner's attitude remained firm.

The look on Gao Lian's face instantly felt like it was slapped hard by an invisible hand. Clearly, the dramatic conclusion was that not only did He Qianyao's group not have to leave the guesthouse, but rather he himself was the one to be ejected.

For a moment, Gao Lian felt ashamed and furious, but dared not take any action. He knew that his cultivation strength was indeed inferior to the cultivator beside He Qianyao, and naturally couldn't defeat them. Furthermore, even if he wanted to do something to the owner, he had to be cautious considering the owner's strong background, even though he was an invited alchemist for Dancheng.

Participating in the Great Alchemy Competition this time was evidently significant for him. Obtaining the invitation from Dancheng came at a high cost, as it was his first time participating in the major alchemy competition of Dancheng. He knew that the Great Alchemy Competition in Dancheng held substantial prestige, being one of the foremost events in Donglai Continent. Therefore, he could not afford to overlook this opportunity.

Feeling humiliated, Gao Lian had no choice but to temporarily leave the guesthouse, originally intending to confront the other party, but ending up being mocked himself, which was extremely frustrating...

At this moment, He Qianyao, witnessing the scene, couldn't help but show an expression of astonishment. The attitude of the middle-aged owner shocked her—it changed so drastically within such a short period, not only allowing both her and Ding Fan to stay, but arranging them in the best room in the guesthouse. The surprise was overwhelming!

Upon seeing the furious, unfortunate expression on the yellow-shirted young man's face, He Qianyao felt a sense of satisfaction and couldn't help but smile, evidently feeling relieved.

Immediately, He Qianyao turned her curious gaze towards Ding Fan, obviously wanting to ask him what he had done to cause the drastic change in the middle-aged owner's attitude.

Ding Fan, noticing He Qianyao tilting her head slightly while looking at him with curiosity, understood the reason behind her curiosity. He then casually flicked the jade plate in his hand, which was the piece given to him by Master Nanyang. He Qianyao, observing Ding Fan's action, quickly realized the reason. It was because of the jade plate—she was not foolish and knew that the jade plate was no ordinary item.

He Qianyao understood that Master Nanyang was an extraordinary figure, judging by the rare spiritual materials growing in Master Nanyang's residence alone. Clearly, the jade plate given to Ding Fan was no simple object either. The middle-aged owner must have seen the jade plate and linked it to certain significant individuals, realizing the importance of the two of them.

This was why he was steadfastly siding with them, even accommodating their demands.

At this moment, the yellow-shirted young man Gao Lian couldn't help but glare at Ding Fan with resentment, murmuring in a displeased tone:

"I'll remember this!"

Ding Fan, hearing his words, remained completely indifferent, not taking Gao Lian seriously at all. To him, such a small figure was truly insignificant. He had many more important matters to attend to and thus had no time to waste on Gao Lian.

Afterwards, Gao Lian, with a defeated look, returned to the guesthouse, packed his belongings briefly, and walked out under the amused gazes of everyone.

The middle-aged owner didn't even bother to look at him. He now understood which side was more important, realizing that compared to Ding Fan and He Qianyao, everything else was truly insignificant. Not to mention he was just a mere traveler. The owner knew clearly that the officials of Dancheng would not blame him for his actions—in fact, they would likely commend him greatly for his decisions.

After all, it's been years since anyone in Dancheng possessed the jade plaque. This time, its appearance naturally commanded the utmost respect from the middle-aged boss.

Then, Ding Fan and He Qianyao, under the personal guidance of the middle-aged innkeeper, traversed a tranquil bamboo grove and arrived at a house with exceptionally beautiful scenery and a serene environment. The uniquely decorated house had a total of five rooms, all seemingly unoccupied, and thus Ding Fan and He Qianyao each entered a room for a rest.

Seeing that Ding Fan and He Qianyao seemed satisfied with the room, the middle-aged boss felt somewhat relieved. Slowly, he walked out to the courtyard gate and sternly instructed the two maidservants:

"Stay here. If the distinguished guests have any orders, act on them immediately. Do not neglect the two esteemed visitors, understood?"

"Yes! Boss!"

"Yes! Boss!"

At this moment, the two maidservants, both remarkably attractive, answered the boss with great seriousness. They realized that the boss treated these two guests with much importance, suggesting they must be significant figures; otherwise, they wouldn't have been allowed to stay here.

After hearing the maidservants' responses, the middle-aged boss left promptly.

At this point, Ding Fan entered the room. With all the necessary furniture and spaciousness, the room also included several divisions. Ding Fan found this arrangement satisfactory yet a bit slow, then proceeded to a designated cultivation area to commence cultivation. Upon reaching this area, Ding Fan suddenly discovered a Spirit Gathering Array within the cultivation room.

Seeing this, Ding Fan was unexpectedly surprised by the inn. Who would have thought that even an inn room could possess such a Spirit Gathering Array? Though not particularly high-level, the array still provided numerous benefits for a cultivator. Ding Fan found this satisfactory, recognizing the inn was indeed extraordinary.

Subsequently, Ding Fan began cultivating with focused intent...

For Ding Fan, cultivation was always the best form of rest. After a short period, he felt invigorated, with his spirit significantly rejuvenated. Ding Fan continued his cultivation, as the sky gradually darkened, knowing he would have to wait until tomorrow to inquire about Zhou Ruoran and Gusu Qingwen.

Within her room, He Qianyao bathed and then comfortably rested.

Before long, night passed. After completing his cultivation, Ding Fan opened his eyes to discover the sky had already brightened. The serene morning light streamed through the window, filling his room with warmth and brilliance.

Ding Fan ceased cultivating and then attended to his hygiene, changing into clothes brought by a maid. Ding Fan grew fond of the middle-aged boss's thoughtful hospitality, even arranging clothing for changing. When Ding Fan attempted to change, the maid, possessing fair skin and looks, remained present to assist with the clothing.

Momentarily, Ding Fan hesitated, feeling slightly embarrassed, eventually asking the maid to leave. Changing clothes himself felt more comfortable for Ding Fan, and after the maid departed, he chuckled softly, acknowledging certain comforts weren't meant for him. Finally, Ding Fan dressed and departed from the inn.

Leaving the inn, Ding Fan headed to various tea houses with bustling patrons, aiming to inquire about Zhou Ruoran and Gusu Qingwen. Previously, Ding Fan heard numerous cultivators gossiping about "Beauty Zhou," stirring his curiosity to learn if Zhou Ruoran was indeed the person mentioned in such talks. Yet despite his inquiries, Ding Fan couldn't gather any useful information.

When inquiring, many individuals remained curious about Ding Fan's motives, considering his frequent questions about "Beauty Zhou." Yet Ding Fan remained indifferent, as his main goal was locating Zhou Ruoran, ignoring others' opinions, acknowledging he couldn't control public discourse. These matters didn't concern Ding Fan.

Regarding the Wild Wolf Gang, Ding Fan couldn't afford to inquire as recklessly as with Zhou Ruoran. Understanding the gang's powerful influence here, Ding Fan knew they were keen on the upcoming Great Alchemy Competition, sensing many hidden disciples within Dancheng.

Hence, Ding Fan inquired cautiously, although the results were undesirable, failing to uncover any particularly useful information.

Nevertheless, while investigating, Ding Fan stumbled upon an intriguing matter concerning the Alchemist Realm. Many cultivators discussed the event, though Ding Fan was unaware of any significant developments, and decided to visit a tea house to gather more insights.