Chapter 1018: Lost Son After Many Years

The True Word Venerable was slightly stunned. "His name is Jiang Fan."

"Is there a problem with that name?"

Haha! Hahaha!

The old man slapped the design drawing of the Phoenix Feather Nine Flame Fan, laughing in anger. "What a coincidence! Guess what the little black-hearted merchant who fleeced me is called?"

The True Word Venerable was dumbfounded. Could it also be Jiang Fan? She pondered, "Senior, could there be some misunderstanding? From my interactions, although this young man is a bit cunning, he isn't greedy or insatiable."

The old man snorted. "Then was my top-grade crystal mine stolen by a ghost?"

The True Word Venerable was at a loss for words. Of all people Jiang Fan could have swindled, he had to swindle this senior. His top-grade spirit sword was now hopelessly out of reach in this lifetime.

"Doesn't he want to refine a top-grade spirit sword? I'll grant his wish! Go find him and bring him to the artifact refining room," the old man said, his face dark.

The True Word Venerable rubbed her temples. With that tone, it hardly sounded like the senior was going to help Jiang Fan refine an artifact. It was more like he was going to refine Jiang Fan into an artifact himself.

At that moment, at the entrance of the Fire Worship Sect mountain gate.

Hua Wuying said worriedly, "Tyrant Senior, are you sure you still want to stay at the Fire Worship Sect? I just have a feeling that red-faced old man doesn't seem like an ordinary person with his every move."

Jiang Fan narrowed his eyes. "Do I still need to 'feel' it?"

After learning about the preciousness of the top-grade crystal mine, Jiang Fan could roughly guess the old man's status. At the very least, he was a Nascent Soul expert of seven apertures, and it was not impossible that he was a half-mad Nascent Soul expert of eight apertures. He might even be at the Soul Transformation stage. However, there were only three recognized Soul Transformation experts in Taicang Great Province, and he had already met all of them. He had never heard of a Soul Transformation Venerable in the Fire Worship Sect. In any case, no matter what his identity, he was definitely very powerful.

Hua Wuying looked around, feeling a chill. "Then why are you still staying here? If he seeks revenge, you're the principal offender, and I, who called out the price, will be an accomplice."

Jiang Fan mused, "Since he handed over the top-grade crystal mine on the spot, he has acknowledged the transaction. Besides, as long as he doesn't know the price Fairy Qianlan paid for the item, he won't feel he was swindled. And the world is so vast, where would Fairy Qianlan and that senior ever meet? Even if they did, they wouldn't know each other. Even if they knew each other, they might not discuss radishes. Even if they discussed radishes, they might not discuss the price. With so many factors, if they still coincidentally overlap, then I'll accept my fate."

Hearing the tightly reasoned logic, Hua Wuying's furrowed willow-leaf eyebrows slightly relaxed. A smile reappeared on her face. "Tyrant Senior, you really think of everything. I was just overly worried."

Jiang Fan smiled faintly, "Even if we take ten thousand steps back, we can still hide here at the Fire Worship Sect for a few days. That senior couldn't possibly storm the Fire Worship Sect, the host's own home, could he?"

Hua Wuying nodded repeatedly with a smile. Her hanging heart completely settled. As expected, following Tyrant Senior was safe.

"Who are you looking for?"

The Fire Worship Sect's mountain gate was usually guarded by young disciples. In recent days, with various sects gathering, for safety reasons, it had been changed to be guarded by elder members of the sect. Several middle-aged cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage stood before the mountain gate, observing their surroundings cautiously. Seeing a young man and woman approach, one of them questioned them.

Jiang Fan took out Fairy Qianlan's fiery red jade pendant and said, "This junior has come specifically to pay respects to Fairy Qianlan."

Hearing the mention of Fairy Qianlan, everyone turned to look at a middle-aged man with a dignified appearance and a smooth, whiskerless face. A faint, playful smile appeared on his face. The middle-aged man also stepped forward with a look of surprise, took the jade pendant from Fairy Qianlan, and said, "Indeed, this is Junior Sister Qianlan's personal jade pendant. She never parts with it. Young man, who are you to Fairy Qianlan?"

Jiang Fan observed their expressions and vaguely felt that the person in front of him had an unusual relationship with Fairy Qianlan. Could he be one of the several excellent suitors mentioned by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master who were pursuing Fairy Qianlan? He took a brief look and found the person in front of him quite impressive. He had a dignified bearing, and his cultivation had reached the Nascent Soul stage of three apertures. No wonder the Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master was jealous.

"I am her..." Jiang Fan said, feigning embarrassment, "Saying it out loud wouldn't be good for her reputation. Senior, never mind that, just take me to see her. We haven't seen each other in eighteen years, and this time we've finally reconnected. I can't wait to see her."

The people at the mountain gate exchanged glances. They looked at Jiang Fan's age, and then at his remarkably handsome appearance, which was as striking as Fairy Qianlan's. Then they pondered the phrase, "haven't seen each other in eighteen years, and this time we've finally reconnected." They couldn't help but look strange. This... no matter how they looked at it, wasn't this Fairy Qianlan's illegitimate son?

The middle-aged man's smile stiffened, and his eyes widened. Fairy Qianlan has an illegitimate son? He had once heard Venerable Yunhuo say that Fairy Qianlan had someone she loved, a junior brother from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. Could it be that they had a son together?

"Hello, I am a close friend of Fairy Qianlan, my Daoist title is Wan'an."

"Can you tell me where you're from?" Venerable Wan'an asked, his gaze tense.

Jiang Fan replied, "A very distant place."

So he came from that continent? Venerable Wan'an still wouldn't give up. "Besides the jade pendant, did Fairy Qianlan give you anything else?"

Jiang Fan thought for a moment. He extended his palm, and a blood-red lotus slowly emerged. The middle-aged guards gasped in astonishment. "This... isn't this the 'True Fire Art of Qianlan'? I remember she obtained this with her life. She never taught it to anyone except her true disciples. How does he know it? Could he really be her illegitimate son?"

Venerable Wan'an was momentarily dazed. He distinctly remembered Fairy Qianlan saying she would never transmit this cultivation method to outsiders. The young man before him was, in all likelihood, Fairy Qianlan's illegitimate son. He found it difficult to accept at first that Fairy Qianlan had such a grown son. It took him a while to reluctantly convince himself. This illegitimate son only represented Fairy Qianlan's past. If he loved her, he had to accept everything about her!

Immediately, he braced himself and said, "Alright, follow me for now. I'll take you to see Fairy Qianlan." In any case, it would be best to clarify things with Fairy Qianlan first.

Hua Wuying glanced at Jiang Fan beside her, muttering to herself. Was this guy on a journey of thousands of miles to find his mother?

So, under the admiring and sympathetic gazes of the middle-aged men, Venerable Wan'an led Jiang Fan and Hua Wuying into the Fire Worship Sect.

Along the way, Venerable Wan'an kept observing Jiang Fan. He was surprised to discover that Jiang Fan had also unexpectedly broken through to the Nascent Soul stage. Could he really have successfully transcended tribulation in a place like that continent? That seemed quite unrealistic. Perhaps Fairy Qianlan had secretly sent him many resources over the years. Thinking carefully, that was the only possibility. After all, he was her son; how could she bear to watch him suffer on the continent? Unable to acknowledge him due to her status, sending resources to compensate for her guilt was simply human nature.

In addition, Jiang Fan had an extraordinary demeanor, a handsome appearance, and was accompanied by an equally beautiful female companion. Both his career and his relationship seemed very successful. Accepting such a son didn't seem too difficult to bear. Rather, he wondered if the other party would accept him as a stepfather.

Thinking of this, he began to try and curry favor. "You've just arrived in Taicang; you probably don't know anyone yet, do you? Later, I'll introduce you to some important people." He felt he should show off his connections and background, so that Fairy Qianlan's illegitimate son would know his own exceptional qualities.

Jiang Fan smiled. "That sounds good. I'd also like to meet more people. Dealing with venerables and Bodhisattvas all day is too taxing on the mind."