Chapter 1033: Parting Gift

The red-faced elder didn't say a word. He opened the stone door and kicked Jiang Fan flying out. "Get out!" he yelled. "Get as far away as you can! Don't let me see you again!"

He had seen many shameless people, but none as utterly deranged in their shamelessness as this man. This was a first in his life!

"You still want me to forge artifacts for you? And top-grade spiritual artifacts at that?" he scoffed. "Dream on!"

Jiang Fan was sent flying out of the underground palace. If he hadn't been agile enough, he would have landed face-first.

He rubbed his rear and pouted, "If you won't forge it, you won't forge it. How stingy!" But when he looked up, he saw the Zoroastrian Sect Master, Fairy Gan Lan, Venerable Yun Huo, and others standing there. They stared at Jiang Fan with bewildered expressions.

Venerable Yun Huo looked at him strangely. "What was that?"

Jiang Fan straightened up and, without changing his expression, said, "The senior personally escorted me out and lost his grip for a moment. It's nothing, I've forgiven him." Was that really the case?

Venerable Yun Huo didn't think too much about it and said gratefully, "Thank you so much this time. Otherwise, I would have perished in that pillar of fire." He still felt a lingering fear just thinking about it now. Upon learning that Jiang Fan had been taken by the senior, he rushed over anxiously, even intending to go in and plead on his behalf.

Fairy Gan Lan weighed a cleaver in her hand and snorted, "Yun Huo, speak quickly. I'm going to chop him to death." She glared fiercely at Jiang Fan, fuming with rage.

Venerable Yun Huo cleared his throat. "Junior Sister Gan Lan, calm down. Having such a grown son would save you years of detours." Fairy Gan Lan's willow-leaf eyebrows shot up, and she raised her cleaver as if ready to chop him as well.

Venerable Yun Huo quickly said, "Alright, alright, I'll be done in a moment." He took a crystal ball from his sleeve, inside which a small green flame quietly flickered. He said, "This is the unique Source Flame of my Zoroastrian Sect. It has the effect of attracting heavenly tribulations. Take it back to the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets."

He had originally intended it for his disciples, but now he could only use it to repay Jiang Fan's favor. An opportunity for tribulation transcendence? Jiang Fan's face lit up. In the current era, with the arrival of ancient giants, similar opportunities had been largely depleted. Hadn't even a powerful figure like Song Lingyu resorted to feigning death and becoming a scoundrel? Its preciousness was evident.

"Don't be shy, take it," Venerable Yun Huo said. Although it pained him, these worldly possessions were nothing compared to his life. Jiang Fan hesitated for a moment but accepted it, cupping his hands in salute.

"Senior Yun Huo, Senior Gan Lan, please make sure to attend the opening ceremony of the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets together. I also have a great gift for you." He intended to give them a Dragon Marrow Pill to elevate their cultivation by another level.

Before Venerable Yun Huo could respond, Fairy Gan Lan's large cleaver came swinging down. "You still want to go back to the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets?" she snarled. "You can go back horizontally!"

Jiang Fan chuckled, quickly picked up the small Qilin, retrieved the hidden Heavenly Thunder Stone, and then fled using his Cloud Shadow technique.

The Zoroastrian Sect Master reached out, intending to stop Jiang Fan and inquire about the whereabouts of the Nether Ghost Flame. But then he withdrew his hand. He didn't dare ask for something that had fallen into the hands of a senior, so how could Jiang Fan get it back? What a pity for such a powerful Sacred Flame.

Outside the market of the Zoroastrian Sect:

"Junior Sister Yu, stop looking, let's go," Ma Qingyan urged Yu Peiyuan, who kept looking back. "This matter is beyond your interference."

They had personally witnessed Jiang Fan being chased by several powerful figures into the depths of the Zoroastrian Sect, and he hadn't emerged since. Upon inquiry, they learned that Jiang Fan had been taken by a mysterious senior. Yu Peiyuan bit her red lip, her heart filled with worry. Jiang Fan had no background, so he would surely suffer, right?

Ma Qingyan noticed her gaze and said reproachfully, "You should worry about yourself! You couldn't even bring back a bit of the Sacred Flame. If I were Senior Qiyin, I wouldn't find a reason to let you undergo a second tribulation transcendence either. You'll probably be a rogue Nascent Soul cultivator for the rest of your life. When you get back, proactively find an excuse to ask Senior Qiyin for a good assignment and live out the rest of your life in peace. Don't let him seek you out first, or it won't look good for either of you."

Yu Peiyuan quietly lowered her head. Elders wouldn't keep disciples who had no hope of tribulation transcendence by their side indefinitely. They would send them to various markets, mines, or secret realms under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Sea Pavilion. Yu Peiyuan couldn't even bring back a single piece of the Sacred Flame, which would likely utterly disappoint Venerable Qiyin. Rather than being sent away by Venerable Qiyin, it was better to volunteer for an external assignment herself. Both sides would understand implicitly, preserving a bit of face.

The eyes of the accompanying disciples dimmed slightly. Even those who had once envied Yu Peiyuan's opportunity for tribulation transcendence couldn't feel schadenfreude now, because Yu Peiyuan's present was the future for most of them. Reaching the ninth stage of Core Formation was the cultivation peak for most prodigies.

"Junior Sister Yu, if only you hadn't given away the Sacred Flame Token. Senior Qiyin always highly regarded you; maybe you would have had a second chance at tribulation transcendence."

"There's no need to say such things anymore, Junior Sister Yu. An external assignment isn't a bad path; at least you won't have to worry about the gains and losses of tribulation transcendence."

"That's right, we might all be accompanying Junior Sister Yu in the future. You're just going ahead of us."

Hearing everyone's comfort, Yu Peiyuan felt even sadder, but she didn't regret anything. Because, at least, she could be forthright and owe no one favors.

"Thank you everyone, I'm fine."

"Let's go..."

*Rip!* Just then, a flash of lightning streaked across the sky above them. Jiang Fan arrived from a distance. "Senior Sister Yu, please wait."

Yu Peiyuan looked up, a relieved smile appearing on her face. "Since you're fine, I have no more worries."

The elder leading the Heavenly Sea Pavilion group looked at Jiang Fan expressionlessly, saying sardonically, "Are you here to compensate my disciple?" Clearly, he was displeased that Jiang Fan had taken Yu Peiyuan's Sacred Flame Token. At present, his arrival was not welcome.

Jiang Fan cupped his hands and said, "Senior, please allow me a few words with Senior Sister Yu." Yu Peiyuan gave the elder a pleading look.

The elder snorted, "Make it quick."

Yu Peiyuan quickly ran over, asking with concern, "Did that senior from the Zoroastrian Sect make things difficult for you? Was the injury from the Great Yin Sect Master's palm strike serious? If I had known the Sacred Flame Token would cause you so much trouble, I shouldn't have given it to you."

Jiang Fan looked at the kind-hearted girl before him, a warm smile gracing his face. "Senior Sister Yu, live more for yourself. I hope you can safely navigate this turbulent era, with the arrival of the ancient giants." A hint of farewell moved Yu Peiyuan.

She choked back a sob. "Junior Brother Jiang, you too. Take care of yourself."

After this parting, perhaps they would never meet again. Jiang Fan sighed, "Let me give you a farewell gift. Hold out your hand." A hint of a smile appeared in Yu Peiyuan's eyes. Was there such a surprise?

She held out her palm. Jiang Fan placed two items into her hand. Before she could see them clearly, he closed her fingers around them, saying, "Look when I'm gone." Lightning swirled around his body. He waved his hand with a smile. "Take care, Senior Sister Yu. We'll meet again in the jianghu." Then, he transformed into a bolt of lightning and vanished.

Yu Peiyuan stood frozen, tears glistening in her eyes. How many "we'll meet again in the jianghu" ended up never meeting again?

Ma Qingyan shook his head. "He ruined Junior Sister Yu's prospects and then just walked away." "Junior Sister Yu, let's go."

Yu Peiyuan wiped away her tears, a sharp sting tracing across her cheek. Only then did she notice a golden tip peeking out from her tightly clenched fist.