Chapter 1053: Qintian Observatory Summons

Jiang Fan ran all the way to the steps of the plaza. Facing Fairy Gan Lan, who was rapidly approaching, he called out a warning:

"Fellow Daoist Gan Lan, stop! The guests have arrived; don't lose your composure."

Fairy Gan Lan huffed angrily, "Where would your Heavenly Secret Pavilion get other guests? Are you trying to trick me? Today, I'm going to chop you up..."

She leaped onto the steps. Only then did she realize that both sides of the main hall were filled with people: Commander Bai Xin of the Imperial Astronomer's Office; Venerable San Qian of the Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall, Lord of the Five Divisions; the abbot of White Horse Temple, Vajra Fayin, and other eminent monks; the Pavilion Master of Mountains and Rivers First-Grade Tower; Venerable Qiyin of Horizon Sea Pavilion. Almost all of them were renowned grand figures from Taicang Great State whom she would have to address as seniors.

They all stared at Fairy Gan Lan, who was holding a forty-meter long saber, with strange expressions. Fairy Gan Lan quickly put away her saber, tidied her disheveled hair, and awkwardly cupped her hands in greeting: "This junior, this junior was just joking with Jiang Fan. I'm not usually this fierce. Really."

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master smiled wryly, "Senior Sister, Senior Brother, please take your seats quickly."

Fairy Gan Lan shot Jiang Fan a glare, then blushed and chose a seat at the very end. Venerable Yun Huo also sat down beside her, looking extremely reserved. Looking at the hall full of contemporary powerhouses, he was instantly struck with profound shock. Was this truly the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, which had fallen into decline and which no one was willing to take responsibility for anymore? Even at its peak hundreds of years ago, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion couldn't have been much more glorious than this, could it?

Watching Yun Tianzhou preside over the founding ceremony with such vigor and spirit, and feeling the vibrant energy of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, Fairy Gan Lan's eyes reddened slightly as she whispered, "The Heavenly Secret Pavilion has been reborn."

Venerable Yun Huo also blinked, forcing back tears, and choked out, "Old Pavilion Master, you can rest assured. The Heavenly Secret Pavilion has found its successors."

At this moment, a figure walked up to them. It was Jiang Fan, holding a small plate with thumb-sized, translucent little fruits.

"Fellow Daoist Gan Lan, Fellow Daoist Yun Huo, you've had a long journey. Have one to refresh yourselves."

Fairy Gan Lan rolled her eyes at him, looking disdainfully at the "beans" on the plate. Due to the presence of honored guests, she politely took one. Venerable Yun Huo also took one curiously and whispered via spiritual transmission: "Junior Sister, what is this?"

Fairy Gan Lan scoffed, "Can anything that little scoundrel gives be good? You can have mine too. Eat them all if you're not afraid of being poisoned." She pushed her fruit towards Venerable Yun Huo.

But at this very moment, an exclamation was heard.

"Dragon Marrow Fruit?" Venerable San Qian exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't this a divine item that has long been extinct? It has the astonishing effect of allowing anyone in the mid-Nascent Soul realm or below to immediately break through a level!"

What? Most people had never seen a Dragon Marrow Fruit, but they had certainly heard of it. No one had expected that a newly established small sect would use such a divine item to entertain guests! Instantly, their eyes glowed with fervor.

Fairy Gan Lan was stunned. The "little scoundrel" had given her a Dragon Marrow Fruit? Wouldn't that mean she could break through to the Three-Aperture Nascent Soul stage? She quickly looked towards her Dragon Marrow Fruit. But she saw Venerable Yun Huo clench his fist, tucking both Dragon Marrow Fruits into his robes:

"Junior Sister, a gentleman's word is as good as gold. Since you gave them to me, both are now mine."

Fairy Gan Lan retorted fiercely, "Then how about I custom-make you a forty-meter long saber? Do you want that?"

Venerable Yun Huo's mouth twitched, and he honestly returned the fruit. Fairy Gan Lan, beaming with joy, held the Dragon Marrow Fruit and said: "At least that little scoundrel isn't completely heartless!"

As Jiang Fan distributed them one by one, all the guests were smiling broadly. This was no mere congratulatory visit today; it was clearly a fortuitous encounter!

Both hosts and guests were delighted. The Heavenly Secret Pavilion Master lit incense and prayed, announcing the sect's rules, personnel appointments, future plans, and more. He then bowed to the heavens and declared: "From today onwards, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion of Green Stallion Mountain is officially established!"

The honored guests present were filled with emotion. It was rare in the entire Taicang Great State for a sect's founding ceremony to attract so many powerhouses from divine sects and great academies to offer their congratulations. The Heavenly Secret Pavilion had a promising future.

*Beep! Beep, beep, beep!*

Just then, everyone's identity tokens rang at the same time. This included the members of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion who had just received their new tokens. They picked up their tokens and saw it was a message from the Imperial Astronomer's Office. The notification was addressed to all sects in Taicang Great State.

"Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar Reconnaissance Notice: Venerable and Bodhisattva reconnaissance failed. A second reconnaissance will be conducted in ten days. Each sect is to dispatch one Nascent Soul realm cultivator to gather before the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar in ten days. The first-place contributor will receive a custom-forged top-grade spirit artifact, second place a mid-grade spirit artifact, and third place a Heavenly-tier cultivation technique fragment."

The announcement caused a stir throughout the hall. Jiang Fan's expression slightly darkened, but he wasn't surprised. Given the fate of the True Word Venerable, it was clear that the reconnaissance of the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar had not gone smoothly. A second reconnaissance was inevitable. The only thing that surprised him was how enticing the rewards were—to be able to specify the forging of a top-grade spirit artifact. Wouldn't that mean his sword array had hope of being completed?

Upon receiving this message, the powerhouses from various sects also became solemn. After the banquet ended, they departed one after another to go back and make arrangements for this matter.

Jian Linyuan, holding the Dragon Marrow Fruit, said with a hint of shame, "Senior Jiang, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's representative must surely be you?"

Jiang Fan nodded, "I have more life-saving methods; it's more suitable for me to go on such a dangerous mission." Investigating the movements of the ancient giants concerned the entire Taicang Great State, and he had no intention of shirking. Besides, there were rewards he needed.

Jian Linyuan said, "Then please come to my Jian family as soon as possible. My Jian family possesses techniques for concealing one's aura, which might help you survive at the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar. The promise I made earlier for you to come and study further at my Jian family is still valid."

Jiang Fan's eyes lit up. "Before setting off, I will certainly pay your noble family a visit," he said.

After seeing off Jian Linyuan, Jiang Fan greeted Abbot Puguang.

"Benefactor Jiang, you must be careful on your trip to the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar. Make good use of the kasaya the Bodhisattva gave you; it might help you turn misfortune into good fortune."

Jiang Fan suddenly understood. No wonder the Bodhisattva had suddenly given him a kasaya. So, the Bodhisattva had already foreseen the second reconnaissance and knew Jiang Fan would go. To prevent Jiang Fan from dying at the Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar, leaving no one to move it again, the life-saving kasaya had been sent. He gave a wry smile. "Please thank the Bodhisattva for his concern on my behalf," he said.

Afterwards, Venerable Qiyin, Fairy Gan Lan, and Venerable Huoyun successively bid farewell. Next were the few people from the Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall. With the aura of today's Heavenly Secret Pavilion founding ceremony, minor sects would no longer dare to harass them, so their roles as guest elders were not very significant anymore. However, Jiang Fan still warmly invited them to serve as guest elders and gifted each of them some insights into "Shadow in the Clouds."

Finally, Commander Bai Xin. She said, "I will also go when the time comes. I will protect you." After speaking, she nodded her chin and left.

Jiang Fan smiled knowingly. Commander Bai Xin was, as always, cold on the outside but warm-hearted. It would be good to have a powerful and trustworthy companion on this trip; it should make it much safer.

Outside the mountain gate, Tong Fei waited impatiently for Bai Xin and the others to emerge. "Took you long enough to come out. What good things did the Heavenly Secret Pavilion use to entertain you? Made you reluctant to leave?"