Chapter 1031: To Die For

The red-faced elder glared at Jiang Fan. "Still trying to argue? You extorted a hundred times over for my spirit stones! I'd recognize them even if they turned to ash!"

Jiang Fan exclaimed in dismay. What kind of day was this? He'd spent five or six days at the Fire Worship Sect without incident, and today was his last. And yet, he just had to run into this old senior.

"Senior, to be honest, this was all my little female companion's idea. Oh, by the way, she's Hua Wuying from the Myriad Tribulation Holy Palace, and her master is Song Lingyu. Senior, every wrong has its perpetrator, and every debt its owner. Please don't wrongly accuse an honest man."

The red-faced elder stomped his foot, cracking the ground, and laughed angrily: "You little rascal! You, honest? Then there isn't a single trickster in the world!"

Jiang Fan's scalp tingled. He simply let go of the Holy Fire Medallion and said, "Alright then, consider this Holy Fire Medallion my apology to you, Senior. Farewell, farewell." He immediately summoned a lightning dragon to make his escape.

To his surprise, just as the lightning dragon swooped down, the elder glanced at it, and it dissipated on the spot. Immediately after, Jiang Fan found himself frozen, unable to move. It was just like facing Venerable Evil Crow. This made Jiang Fan gasp, staring in disbelief at the red-faced elder: "S-senior. You're a Venerable?"

He felt the world's full malice directed at him. He had accidentally extorted someone, and of all people, it had to be a Soul Transformation Venerable? How many Soul Transformation Venerables were there in the entire Grand Cang Prefecture? The probability of encountering one was perhaps one in a billion, yet he actually did. He wouldn't believe it wasn't the world's malice even if you beat him to death.

"Heh! So you know about Venerables!" The red-faced elder chuckled.

Jiang Fan swallowed hard and said, "Senior, please calm your anger. This junior is a translator personally appointed by a Venerable of the Myriad Tribulation Holy Palace, Venerable Truth's most trusted companion, and an envoy chosen by a Bodhisattva. We're all on the same side."

The red-faced elder angrily retorted, "Who the hell is on the same side as you? You little shady merchant! I'm going to dig out your heart and see just how black it is to extort a hundred times the spirit stones from me!"

Good heavens! Jiang Fan's eyes widened. What was the background of this old man in front of him? How could he speak with such authority?

At this moment, he noticed something very strange. Despite the elder possessing strength similar to a Soul Transformation Venerable, there was no divine halo behind his head.

Could it be that his body had a problem, and his Soul Transformation cultivation was unstable? His eyes darted around, and before the elder could act, Jiang Fan quickly said, "Senior. Have you heard of Time-Space Dust? This junior knows where to find it!"

A glimmer of light flashed in the red-faced elder's eyes. "Time-Space Dust? You, a shady merchant, actually know the whereabouts of Time-Space Dust?"

Seeing a chance, Jiang Fan quickly said, "Senior, to be frank, I am the Deputy Leader of the Jiangshan First-Class Pavilion, and I possess extensive knowledge of many goods and information across the continent."

The red-faced elder looked surprised. No wonder his heart was so black. So he was from the Jiangshan First-Class Pavilion, and a Deputy Leader at that.

Just then, powerful figures such as the Grand Yin Sect Master, the Fire Worship Sect Master, and the Jiangshan First-Class Pavilion Leader arrived one after another. When they discovered the Holy Fire Medallion in the elder's hands, their eyes immediately gleamed with fervor.

Fortunately, the Fire Worship Sect Master's respectful bow startled them into realization. "Senior, why have you come out?"

The red-faced elder picked up the Holy Fire Medallion, glanced at it, and said, "The Nether Ghost Flame has appeared, so I came out to see." He casually tucked it into his sleeve.

The fiery hearts of the crowd were instantly doused with ice water. The elder before them was incomparably mysterious. Who among them would dare offend him? Once the Nether Ghost Flame was in his hands, no one would dare ask for it again.

The Fire Worship Sect Master, not without disappointment, bowed and said, "We shall take our leave." The others respectfully withdrew one after another.

"Are you the Leader of the Jiangshan First-Class Pavilion?" Suddenly, the red-faced elder called out to the Pavilion Leader. The latter quickly turned around and respectfully said, "That would be this junior. What are your instructions, Senior?"

The red-faced elder snorted heavily: "You Jiangshan First-Class Pavilion need to be more careful. How corrupt have your disciples become? It's simply outrageous."

The Jiangshan First-Class Pavilion Leader was scolded for no apparent reason but could only nod, bewildered: "This junior will respectfully heed your teachings." He carefully retreated.

He couldn't help but ponder: "It's time to rectify the atmosphere within the Pavilion. Earning one or two times the profit on an item is enough. Earning ten times, like a lion with its mouth wide open, how can it not incite divine and human wrath? See? Even this senior couldn't stand it."

After everyone had left, the red-faced elder looked at Jiang Fan, hands behind his back, and said, "Come with me."

Jiang Fan, left with no choice, braced himself and followed the red-faced elder into the underground palace. Before descending, he had an idea, sending the little Qilin away with the Heavenly Thunder Stone in its mouth. He had too many valuable items and couldn't risk a Venerable searching him.

The temperature inside the underground palace was even higher. Upon reaching the lowest secret chamber, Jiang Fan's clothes began to burn. He had to use his Nascent Soul power to keep the high temperature at bay.

He stood nervously in the secret chamber, his gaze darting around. Suddenly, he noticed a familiar blueprint on the table and was instantly speechless.

Wasn't that the design blueprint for the Phoenix Feather Nine Flame Fan? So, the senior whom Venerable Truth had asked to forge an artifact was this red-faced elder in front of him?

The red-faced elder looked at Jiang Fan with a stern face and said, "Tell me, where is the Time-Space Dust?" Jiang Fan's eyes darted around, and he said, "Senior, I know of a mysterious person who is selling Time-Space Dust. If Senior needs it, I can step forward and buy it for you."

Since the red-faced elder had a physical issue, he probably greatly needed this item. With this leverage, Jiang Fan had a good chance of escaping today. But to his surprise, the red-faced elder's next sentence plunged Jiang Fan into an ice cellar.

"I don't need it. I'm just curious where the Time-Space Dust in Grand Cang Prefecture came from. Since you know nothing..."

Jiang Fan's heart pounded wildly. Having witnessed the cold ruthlessness of Venerable Evil Crow, he understood all too well how insignificant his life was in the eyes of a Venerable. Killing him would be no more than stepping on an annoying insect for a Venerable.

He quickly said, "Senior, please spare my life." The red-faced elder chuckled, "Give me a reason to spare your life."

Jiang Fan's mind raced, and he said, "This junior... can move the Sky-Reaching Black Pillar. When the ancient giants descend someday, perhaps it could be of some use."

The red-faced elder showed a trace of surprise: "So you're the young man who carried the Sky-Reaching Black Pillar from the mainland to White Horse Temple? That's unexpected. However, that reason isn't enough. Whether you move it or not, it won't change the outcome of the ancient giants' descent."

His finger tapped on the table as he scrutinized Jiang Fan with interest. "I'll give you one more chance."

Jiang Fan's heart trembled. This wasn't going to work? Seeing the red-faced elder's finger tapping faster and faster, gradually losing patience, Jiang Fan's heart sank rapidly.

But he still couldn't think of anything he could say to make a Venerable let him go simply by word of mouth. Should he hand over his magic treasures to buy his life? No! That would be like drinking poison to quench thirst; the other party would demand more and more, and eventually, he would still die.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Jiang Fan, and he said, "Senior, do you know about the Primordial Command Token?" The red-faced elder's finger suddenly froze in mid-air.

A deep regret appeared on his face: "I know. I almost obtained it. Our Central Land World missed a chance to change its destiny."