Chapter 1004: Hell Desert Beast

If Venerable Xuan Yang had simply left, Jiang Fan wouldn't have had the time to settle scores with him, at least not for a while. Unfortunately, he returned, and even more maliciously, tried to take Jiang Fan's life while he was vulnerable! Jiang Fan found absolutely no reason to spare him. Not one.

Clutching his severed arm, Venerable Xuan Yang's aged face trembled as he retreated to Qingde's side. "Good disciple," he pleaded, "quickly save your master! Block him for me!" He then levitated, attempting to flee.

With a casual wave, Jiang Fan's two-aperture Nascent Soul power coalesced into a colossal, illusory palm. It instantly slapped Venerable Xuan Yang out of the sky! This sight made Qingde's pupils contract. "A two-aperture Nascent Soul!" he exclaimed.

Elder Xiang's expression grew serious, a hint of regret flickering in his eyes. He realized he should have intervened earlier. Since this man could drive off Venerable Black Moon, his strength must undoubtedly be at the four-aperture Nascent Soul level. Killing him was simply too dangerous.

Venerable Xuan Yang's face filled with terror. He scrambled to his feet, fearfully calling out, "Wait! Young friend Jiang, wait! Everything can be discussed! I was merely joking with you!"

Jiang Fan nodded. "Alright," he said, "I'll let you off this time."

Venerable Xuan Yang was ecstatic. Though he didn't understand why, he felt incredibly fortunate to have been spared. He immediately bowed. "Thank you, young friend Jiang," he said, "I will certainly remember this kindness!" Internally, however, he scoffed. This boy doesn't understand the principle of 'cutting weeds without removing the roots leads to endless trouble.' This boy won't last long in Taicang Great State!

The very next moment, a flash of purple light appeared before him as Jiang Fan suddenly swung his sword. A sudden chill ran down his neck. He incredulously touched his neck, then stared at the blood on his fingertips, his pupils constricting. Profound disbelief was etched across his face.

"But you said... you'd spare me?"

Jiang Fan retracted his purple sword. "I was just joking with you as well," he said coolly. "How could you take it seriously?" How could he possibly let Venerable Xuan Yang go? Wouldn't that leave him with endless future troubles?

"You..." Venerable Xuan Yang's unwilling eyes widened in shock. As the crimson line on his neck became more pronounced, his head finally tumbled to the ground. His headless body, gushing blood, collapsed stiffly.

Jiang Fan observed the body, noting with some regret that no soul emerged. "As expected of a heterodox Nascent Soul," he mused, "it cannot separate its soul from its body like a true Nascent Soul cultivator." He still possessed nine drops of God Transformation essence blood. If he could acquire enough souls from the Nascent Soul realm, he could cultivate nine more drops of Heaven-Reaching Marrow. Unfortunately, Venerable Xuan Yang's soul did not meet the required standard.

Having dealt with Xuan Yang, Jiang Fan's gaze shifted to Elder Xiang. "You tacitly approved of Venerable Xuan Yang's attack just now, didn't you?" he stated calmly.

Elder Xiang's eyelids twitched erratically. This young man acted decisively and ruthlessly, with a penchant for decapitating his opponents. It would be hard for him to even pretend to be dead and escape. He quickly cupped his hands. "I had no such intention!" he protested. "Please, young friend, do not accuse an innocent person."

"An innocent person?" So far, among the people from Sanqing Mountain he had encountered, only Qingde seemed to possess any moral integrity. Although Elder Xiang, standing before him, hadn't openly participated, his intentions often aligned with those of Venerable Xuan Yang.

"Brother Jiang, please be merciful," Qingde said after a moment's thought. "My master and Elder Xiang have offended you greatly. Now that my master has met his deserved end, could you please spare Elder Xiang's life?"

Jiang Fan gazed at him for a moment. "Alright," he finally said, "for your sake, I can spare him. However, I want your Sanqing Mountain's 'Immortal's Drunkenness'!" Jiang Fan had just personally experienced the formidable power of this technique. He had even fallen victim to it! If he didn't demand it now, while such a good opportunity presented itself, it would be difficult to obtain it later.

Elder Xiang was stunned. "How can that be!" he exclaimed. "This is a secret of our Sanqing Mountain, never to be divulged..." Before he could finish, Jiang Fan silenced him with a cold glare.

Qingde also showed signs of hesitation. Clearly, the technique was too important for him to make a decision without authorization. Jiang Fan rolled his eyes. "Why are you so foolish?" he muttered. "You didn't pass on the cultivation method yourselves. It was disseminated by that traitor, Venerable Black Moon, and Venerable Xuan Yang also died by his hand. Do I need to spell it out for you? They don't even know how to use a ready-made scapegoat! No wonder Venerable Black Moon bullied them."

Elder Xiang's eyes lit up, and he immediately smiled. "Qingde," he instructed, "write it down." With his elder's direct order, Qingde no longer hesitated. He immediately began writing it from memory. Elder Xiang took the written text, tossed it onto Venerable Xuan Yang's corpse, and said, "Qingde, that Venerable Black Moon is truly detestable. He killed your master and even leaked our sect's secrets. Come, let's quickly return and report to the sect!"

Qingde nodded. He gave Jiang Fan a fleeting look of gratitude. He cast a final glance at his master, sighed silently, then turned and left. He had never approved of many of his master's actions, and now that his head was severed from his body, it seemed a deserved fate. He felt no sympathy.

Watching them depart, Jiang Fan, a smile spreading across his face, picked up 'Immortal's Drunkenness.' After a quick scan, his expression brightened with joy. This was a high-grade Earth-tier cultivation technique. Its effect was similar to the 'Forgetful Spirit Curse,' capable of hypnotizing consciousness. The difference was that 'Immortal's Drunkenness' was effective even against Nascent Soul realm cultivators. The greater one's own soul power, the stronger the hypnotic effect it produced.

Upon reading this, Jiang Fan remembered Venerable Black Moon and frowned deeply. "What is going on with that person?" he wondered. "He quickly broke free from my Soul Imprisonment Lock, and the 'Immortal's Drunkenness' he unleashed was so potent that I couldn't resist it. Furthermore, he harbors a deep-seated grudge against me. How is it that I don't recall ever provoking a four-aperture Nascent Soul cultivator..."

Suddenly, Jiang Fan's eyes widened, and his body stiffened. He had just remembered something! The Infernal Fiendbeast! It could devour any living creature, transforming into its exact likeness and gaining its memories! "It was him?" Jiang Fan secretly regretted letting such a monumental hidden danger escape his grasp. He finally understood why the Infernal Fiendbeast wanted the True Spirit Blood Talisman. It was to obtain the True Spirit Blood from it to heal its injuries!

"What a pity!" Jiang Fan thought, looking in the direction the Infernal Fiendbeast had fled, filled with deep regret. So much time had passed; who knew where it had gone now? And since its identity as Venerable Black Moon had been exposed, it would undoubtedly appear with a new facade next time. Finding it again would be incredibly difficult.

Meanwhile, once out of Jiang Fan's sight, Elder Xiang's smile slowly faded. His expression turned grim. "Qingde, what exactly is this man's background?" Qingde felt a bad premonition. "Elder Xiang," he ventured, "wasn't the matter concluded?"

"Concluded?" Elder Xiang said coldly. "The True Spirit Blood Talisman, 'Immortal's Drunkenness,' and your master's life. This matter isn't so easily dismissed. Tell me, what is his background? I need to understand the situation fully before I can make plans." If Jiang Fan's background proved extraordinary, Elder Xiang would grudgingly accept today's events. But if his background was unremarkable, then Sanqing Mountain would not hold back.

Qingde's heart chilled as he finally realized that Elder Xiang had deliberately feigned weakness to save his own life, intending to settle scores later. He hesitated, remaining silent.

Suddenly, he noticed the sky above him darken. Looking up, he saw a colossal, pitch-black, ferocious beast gazing down at them with a mocking air. Before he could react, the beast chanted the incantation for 'Immortal's Drunkenness.' Qingde instantly fainted, falling unconscious.

When he awoke, he found both himself and Elder Xiang lying unharmed on the ground. He jolted upright. "Elder Xiang," he asked, "what was that colossal beast?"

Elder Xiang looked bewildered. "What colossal beast? I only remember the sky darkening and then I passed out," he replied. "Never mind that now. Let's return to Sanqing Mountain first."

Qingde, filled with uncertainty and suspicion, followed Elder Xiang towards Sanqing Mountain. He failed to notice the mocking curve that played on Elder Xiang's lips, as the elder's back was turned to him. Nor did he notice the few fragments of flesh remaining on the ground.