Chapter 1061: Two Sly Old Foxes

Jiang Fan's expression was calm as he said, "Your sect leader... is dead."

"What?" This declaration froze the expressions of the strong cultivators from various sects. The leader of Sanqing Mountain had fallen at the Heavenly Secret Pavilion?

This news was truly explosive. The Seven-Aperture Nascent Soul cultivator from Sanqing Mountain constricted his pupils and asked in a deep voice, "Do you know how he died?" Sanqing Mountain knew about their leader's death, which had caused great turmoil, but they didn't know how he died. They had never even considered that the leader would die at the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. After all, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was just a newly established small sect. How could it have the power to kill their leader, along with two other sixth-level Nascent Soul cultivators? They had once believed that the leader had encountered an unpredictable, formidable enemy. At the moment, he had simply asked a casual question. To his surprise, he had stumbled upon an incredible piece of information! The leader's death was actually connected to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion.

Jiang Fan said indifferently, "Of course I know. Because I killed him."

The cultivators from the various sects were stunned once again. Jiang Fan, a mere Three-Aperture Nascent Soul cultivator, was able to kill the leader of Sanqing Mountain? The leader of Sanqing Mountain was definitely among the top-tier combatants within the Seven-Aperture Nascent Soul realm, especially with his enigmatic soul secret techniques, which were incredibly elusive and impossible to guard against. Could Jiang Fan truly have slain him?

"You?" The Seven-Aperture Nascent Soul cultivator from Sanqing Mountain looked at him with suspicion. "Regardless of whether it was you or not, we'll capture you first!" Soul light gathered in his eyes, preparing to severely wound Jiang Fan's soul.

"Venerable Xuanyi," the Pavilion Master of Jiangshan Yipin Pavilion interjected, "the ancient giant is important. Let's put other matters aside for now."

Venerable Xuanyi said coldly, "Capturing a junior won't delay anything!" In an instant, two small birds flew out from his eyes. They were the same as Venerable Xuanxing's secret technique, but their power was several times greater, far beyond what Jiang Fan's soul could withstand.

His eyes flashed, and he decisively took out the Bodhisattva's kasaya. With a shake, the kasaya unfolded. The red kasaya flowed with Buddhist charm, adorned with inlaid luminous pearls and jade, radiating a hazy clear light. A faint, elegant sandalwood scent and enchanting precious light silently diffused, making people forget honor and disgrace, dissolve love and hate, and allowing worldly desires, anger, and ignorance to vanish like smoke. The two incoming soul-birds were also repeatedly affected, turning back and returning to Venerable Xuanyi's eyes.

Venerable Xuanyi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly snapped back to reality. His eyes revealed a look of horror: "What is this?"

His answer was Jiang Fan's ready-to-launch Black Heaven Eye! Two incredibly solid, crimson streaks of lightning shot towards his eyes without warning. By the time Venerable Xuanyi reacted, the red lightning beams had already filled his vision. He hastily shielded his eyes with his forearm. His forearm was instantly melted through, and the remaining lightning beams struck his eyeballs. Amidst Venerable Xuanyi's cry of pain, the sockets of his eyes were charred, revealing bone, and blood overflowed. However, his two eyeballs suffered no significant damage; they were merely bloodshot, appearing incredibly red.

"Jiang Fan!" Venerable Xuanyi was both shocked and enraged. If he hadn't specifically trained his eyeballs for cultivating eye techniques, wouldn't Jiang Fan have blinded him?

Jiang Fan also showed a hint of regret. It was a pity that even that hadn't managed to burn through his eyes. But he didn't stop. The Nine Phoenixes Worshiping the Dao Hairpin in his hand activated; with his Five-Aperture Nascent Soul's spiritual power, the hairpin's power should increase further. Venerable Xuanyi's killing intent flared, and he took out a magical artifact, attacking two eight-aperture Nascent Soul disciples in succession. "This kid has a strange kasaya for defense; let's attack together!"

The cultivators from the various sects twitched their mouths. A Seven-Aperture Nascent Soul attacking a Three-Aperture Nascent Soul was already beneath them. Now unleashing two more Eight-Aperture Nascent Souls to besiege him? That was simply too shameless.

Just then, the bottomless sea cave suddenly began to tremble. Thick mud surged out of the cave, as if some giant creature were moving within it.

The Pavilion Master of Jiangshan Yipin Pavilion said in a deep voice, "Gentlemen, let's secure the ancient giant first. You can fight each other later. Unless you want to hand over Venerable Evil Crow's reward to someone else."

Only then did Venerable Xuanyi reluctantly retract his artifact. Feeling the burning pain in his eye sockets and forearm, he stared coldly at Jiang Fan. "Neither you nor the Heavenly Secret Pavilion will escape!"

Jiang Fan also put away the Nine Phoenixes Worshiping the Dao Hairpin and said indifferently, "You're welcome to visit the Heavenly Secret Pavilion." The Heavenly Secret Pavilion had Venerable True Word presiding over it. Even if she rarely made a move, as long as she stood in the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, no one would dare to act presumptuously in her presence.

Rumble! The sea cave trembled even more violently. A savage, wild aura emerged with the surging mud.

Jiang Fan's eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward to ask, "Pavilion Master, how did you know about this place?"

The Pavilion Master of Jiangshan Yipin Pavilion held out his palm: "To ask me a question, you need to pay."

Jiang Fan scoffed, saying, "Give me back my Dragon Marrow Pearl! I'm not playing anymore!" He had come to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion empty-handed to offer congratulations and ended up getting a Dragon Marrow Pearl for free. Now he dared to ask him for speaking fees. They definitely needed to cut ties!

Only then did the Pavilion Master of Jiangshan Yipin Pavilion chuckle, "Alright, I'll answer you for free. Someone informed our Three Divine Sects and Seven Great Teachings that there's a weakened ancient giant here. So we came. From your tone, it seems you knew about this place through other channels. Hmm, you almost had all the benefits to yourself."

Jiang Fan looked surprised. Who informed the Three Divine Sects and Seven Great Teachings? Since this person knew about the ancient giant and the bounty offered by Venerable Evil Crow, why didn't they try to capture it themselves? Even if their strength was insufficient, selling the information to the Grand Yin Sect could have yielded astonishing resources. Why share the benefits freely with everyone? He showed a hint of vigilance: "Don't you think there's something wrong with this?"

The Pavilion Master of Jiangshan Yipin Pavilion stroked his chin: "Of course there's something wrong. No pie falls from the sky. The problem is..." He shook his head, looking puzzled: "The information he provided is true. According to our investigation, there really is a weakened ancient giant inside, whose strength is less than that of a Three-Aperture Nascent Soul cultivator. So, for once, I'll believe that there are good people in the world."

Jiang Fan also couldn't figure it out. He decided it was useless to ponder it. He counted, and those present included the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, White Horse Temple, Sanqing Mountain, Jiangshan Yipin Pavilion, and Myriad Phenomena Empty Realm. Furthermore, all of them had dispatched top-tier masters. It seemed that the reward content from Venerable Evil Crow must have changed. Otherwise, the original "Heaven-Soaring Pill" reward wouldn't have attracted so many peak cultivators. It would be very difficult for him to seize the ancient giant. However, what puzzled him was why this group of people were standing outside the cave and not going in to snatch it. Were the Three Divine Sects and Seven Great Teachings usually so courteous when snatching things?

But then he understood. It was easy to go down and grab it, but difficult to escape afterwards. The sea cave had only one entrance and exit. Once the ancient giant was captured, one could only exit through the sea cave. And what awaited him upon exiting was obvious: a joint bombardment from the experts of the five sects! Therefore, no one wanted to be the scapegoat. They could only find a way to force the ancient giant out. Then, whoever snatched it could use various secret techniques to escape.

Witnessing the increasing commotion within the sea cave, the ancient giant was about to emerge.

Jiang Fan thought for a moment and carefully retreated. He turned his head and transmitted a message: "Old man, get far away. A fierce battle is coming..."

He looked back, but where was Venerable Six Paths' shadow? He had already retreated to a distant coral reef. Picking his nose, he said, "Aren't you coming over? Waiting to be a punching bag?"

A vein throbbed on Jiang Fan's forehead. This disloyal old geezer!