Chapter 1105: Reversal

Wei Wuji's heart leaped into his throat. Jiang Fan was on the verge of death. A Bodhisattva was actually stepping in to protect him?

He was burning with anxiety and whispered, "Venerable One, you cannot let Jiang Fan go! The one from White Horse Temple is too far away to save him. Please act quickly!" If he had been able to defeat Jiang Fan, he would have eliminated him long ago.

Venerable Sinful Heart's eyes flickered intensely. Killing Jiang Fan was easy, but if he displeased Bodhisattva Heavenly Listener afterward, would he still be able to remain in Taicang Great State? However, if he didn't kill Jiang Fan, his complicity would be too obvious.

Just then, Jiang Fan sent a mental message: "Little Qilin, now!"

At the far end of the market, in a small alley, Little Qilin was curled up in a hollow amidst a pile of dry firewood.

Receiving Jiang Fan's message in its mind, it immediately poked out its small head, opened its tiny mouth, and spat out a spatial storage device.

Inside the device was the six-zhang Yin Corpse. Behind the corpse was a jade talisman imbued with a trace of Nascent Soul power.

Little Qilin jumped up and smashed the jade talisman with its tiny paw. The Nascent Soul power within the talisman poured out, striking the Yin Corpse. The Voidflow Lightning and Voidflow Fire energies contained within the Yin Corpse's body were activated and flowed through its frame.

Having done all this, Little Qilin immediately put the Yin Corpse away, held the spatial storage device in its mouth, and quickly teleported away.

And at the very moment the Voidflow Lightning and Fire energies flickered, *Beep, beep, beep!* throughout the market.

The compasses on many cultivators' bodies all began alarming. These were artifacts Venerable Sinful Heart had once distributed to powerful cultivators throughout Taicang Great State, specifically for sensing Voidflow Lightning. As soon as Voidflow Lightning appeared nearby, they would instantly react.

Venerable Sinful Heart hurriedly pulled out his own compass. But before the compass could pinpoint the Voidflow Lightning's location, it ceased, indicating that the other party had withdrawn the energy.

His expression changed drastically: "The person cultivating Voidflow Lightning is nearby!" He scanned the surroundings with a sinister gaze, sweeping his eyes over everyone present.

When his gaze fell on Jiang Fan, Jiang Fan forced a bitter smile: "Master, are you still going to trust Wei Wuji's words, preferring to kill an innocent rather than letting a suspect go? If that would put your mind at ease, this disciple is willing to commit suicide."

Venerable Sinful Heart's expression stiffened. Anyone in this market could be a suspect, except for Jiang Fan, because he was the only one who had been examined. This time, he had truly wronged his registered disciple, almost killing an innocent person by mistake.

He retracted his cold, sharp gaze and snorted, "Enough nonsense! Help me search immediately. If you find that person, I, your master, will reward you handsomely!" He took out a round bead imbued with his authority and threw it to Jiang Fan. "If you see anyone suspicious, have them hold it for inspection. Anyone who dares refuse to cooperate, notify me immediately!"

Jiang Fan caught it, clutching the bead, and said, "Yes, Master!"

Venerable Sinful Heart immediately teleported away, rapidly moving through the market in search of suspicious individuals. Although there were many people in the market, not many fit the profile, so it would be easy to find them all. After all, that person had undergone tribulation not long ago. No matter how fast they cultivated, they would only be at the early Nascent Soul stage, right?

Jiang Fan also realized the problem. He didn't have much time left.

"Brother Wang, please help me search too," Jiang Fan said in a low voice.

Wang Chongxiao came back to his senses, looking at Jiang Fan in shock: "You're actually Venerable Sinful Heart's disciple?"

Jiang Fan gave a bitter smile and sent a voice transmission: "Do you envy me having such a master?"

Wang Chongxiao shivered and quickly shook his head: "Absolutely not. He's too ruthless, almost as bad as that demoness. Killing his own disciple just because of a bit of suspicion—I'd rather not have a master like that." He glanced at Jiang Fan, sighing with emotion: "I was truly sweating for you just now. I really thought you were done for. Fortunately, the true culprit who cultivates Voidflow Lightning appeared; otherwise, I would have lost my dear brother."

Jiang Fan sighed helplessly: "Let's not talk about it anymore. We need to find that guy quickly. By the way..." He raised the bead in his hand and chuckled: "Now that I have the Imperial Sword, if I run into Senior Blackbone, would he dare to disobey?"

Wang Chongxiao's eyes lit up. Senior Blackbone was doomed!

Under Jiang Fan's lead, he immediately headed towards the far end of the market.

"Brother Wang, let's split up and search," Jiang Fan said. "If you see Senior Blackbone, notify me immediately."

Wang Chongxiao nodded heavily and said, "Alright! If you encounter him too, remember to notify me so we can deal with him together, to prevent you from getting hurt." Inwardly, he sneered: "If I find him, why would I wait for you? I'll subdue him first, then search him! If that string of top-grade spiritual artifact Buddhist beads is on him, all the better. Then it's your turn!"

With that said, he went to search in another direction.

Jiang Fan, who hadn't gone far, arrived at a corner. There were several broken wooden barrels there. Sensing Jiang Fan's arrival, one barrel suddenly wiggled, and a small head poked out. It was Little Qilin.

It pounced into Jiang Fan's arms, still holding the spatial storage device in its mouth, wagging its tail proudly as if asking for praise.

Jiang Fan stroked its head and said, "I'll get you an extra chicken leg tonight!"

Taking back the spatial storage device, Jiang Fan's eyes showed a playful glint. "Just one more step," he murmured.

He took out the Spirit Soul Crystal and used the Soul-Binding Lock to extract Senior Blackbone's soul.

Senior Blackbone trembled with fear, thinking he was about to be used for alchemy. "Senior Jiang, spare my life!" he begged, snot and tears streaming down his face. "I have an eighty-year-old mother above me and grandchildren waiting to be fed below me; I cannot die yet!"

Jiang Fan scoffed, "You're almost eighty yourself? And your mother is only eighty? That must be your sister, then."

Senior Blackbone's old face stiffened. He coughed dryly, "My apologies, it just slipped out. She's a hundred. Let me try again. Senior Jiang, spare my life! I have a hundred-year-old mother above me, and below..."

"Enough!" Jiang Fan cut him off, saying, "I don't want your life. In fact, I'm going to release you."

"What?" Senior Blackbone could hardly believe it. He rolled his eyes: "Senior Jiang, is this true?"

Inside the Spirit Soul Crystal, Senior Xuanxing and Jiao Huangyin both pricked up their ears, their eyes showing disbelief. Why would Jiang Fan suddenly release Senior Blackbone for no reason? This guy wouldn't be playing a trick, would he?

Jiang Fan took out a black skull, which was Senior Blackbone's spiritual artifact. "Here's your spiritual artifact back," he said, tossing it over.

Senior Blackbone, as if in a dream, hugged his spiritual artifact. He stared at Jiang Fan without blinking, asking as if in a trance, "Senior Jiang, are you really letting me go?"

Jiang Fan nodded, "Truer than pearls."

Senior Blackbone looked suspicious: "Then, Senior Jiang, do you have any instructions?" He always felt that there was no such thing as a free lunch in this world.

Jiang Fan shook his head: "None. You just need to run four thousand nine hundred zhang first. You are not allowed to escape into the void."

Senior Blackbone's eyes darted around: "And after I've run four thousand nine hundred zhang?"

Jiang Fan said, "I'll start chasing you. If you can get away, you'll be free from then on. If you can't get away, I'll use you for alchemy. So, run hard."