Chapter 1161: Hell Lotus

Gu Xin'er quickly scribbled, "He keeps mocking my 'one-handful' chest. I’ll die a thousand times!" Noticing Jiang Fan was about to look over, she hurriedly closed the notebook and tossed it into her spatial storage device.

She huffed angrily, "You don't need to know! You just need to remember, what goes around comes around; the time just hasn't come yet."

Once she cultivated to become a Venerable, she would take out her 'Death Diary' and settle the score with Jiang Fan, item by item. She would definitely make him admit defeat, even in death!

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose. Was there really such deep-seated animosity between them?

"Then how about I give you something as compensation?"

Gu Xin'er raised her chin and huffed, "I don't want anything from you!"

Jiang Fan took out some Breath Soil, pinched off a small piece, and said, "This is Heavenly Breath Soil, capable of making seeds sprout and grow strong overnight. Don't you have any bold ideas for it?"

Gu Xin'er looked down at her chest, which she had previously complained about being "one-handful size," and her eyes immediately gleamed with excitement. Her anger instantly turned into a smile. She took out her little notebook and crossed off the entry she had just made.

"Alright, alright, I forgive you now! Oh, and by the way, here are all the rare treasures and wonders from the Heavenly Realm collected by Black Cloud Stronghold!" She then produced a spatial storage device.

Jiang Fan looked inside and saw various spirit fruits and treasures not found in the Middle Earth, all imbued with dense spiritual energy. Some of them were incredibly beneficial, even for Nascent Soul cultivators. The quantity was enormous, enough to supply the Three Divine Sects and Seven Great Cults for an entire year. In the Heavenly Realm, these items were merely sustenance for the Asura race, largely dispensable. As no one truly valued them, their quantity was astounding.

He immediately accepted the items and, at the same time, handed the Breath Soil to Gu Xin'er.

"Wahahaha! You little rascal, just wait and see! You'll be looking at a completely different person in a few days!" Holding the Breath Soil, she gleefully ran off.

Jiang Fan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Gazing at her petite, fleeing figure, he murmured: "How long will this little girl keep wearing her mask?" If he hadn't noticed it before, after several interactions, he'd be blind not to notice. Deputy Pavilion Master Gu and Gu Xin'er, in terms of physique, personality, and even their manner of dress, weren't just similar; they were practically identical. There was no doubt they were the same person. But Jiang Fan had no intention of exposing her; he would just let her continue her act.

"Cough, cough..." A violent cough echoed. Venerable Heart Demon seemed unwell; the divine halo behind him flickered erratically. Jiang Fan saw this and asked worriedly: "Venerable, were you injured during the last reconnaissance mission?"

A great war was imminent. Of the Ten Giant Kings, he had cunningly poisoned and killed one, the Space Giant King, but there were still nine remaining. If Venerable Heart Demon couldn't participate in the battle, Middle Earth's situation would become even more dire.

"It's nothing. Soon, Soul Masters from Danzhou will come to my Taicang Great State. At that time, I'll ask them to refine a spirit elixir for me."

Danzhou? A great state specializing in alchemy? It was the first time he'd heard of a great state specializing in a single Dao tradition. There must be many Soul Master experts there, right?

Jiang Fan couldn't help but think of himself. His current soul power had reached the six-aperture Nascent Soul level. Correspondingly, refining fifth-grade spirit elixirs should be quite easy for him. However, since Venerable Heart Demon planned to invite Soul Masters from Danzhou to assist, he decided not to reveal his own capabilities.

"Thank you, Venerable, for risking yourself to go to the Heavenly Realm to save me this time."

Venerable Heart Demon waved his hand. "I didn't do anything. Rather, you successfully slew that nine-aperture giant, and didn't let this fellow perish up there." As he spoke, he disdainfully kicked Song Lingyu, who was still unconscious on the ground. His eyes blazed with indignation. "Strongest in power, yet quickest to pass out! The Myriad Calamity Sacred Hall's reputation was completely ruined!"

With that kick, Song Lingyu awoke with a groan. Rubbing her eyes, she blankly scanned her surroundings and exclaimed in surprise: "Huh? We're back in Middle Earth? The reconnaissance mission wasn't difficult at all; it was over in the blink of an eye."

Hearing this, a vein throbbed on Jiang Fan's forehead; he almost wanted to kick her himself. *You* were comfortable! You went up for half an hour, lay there, and woke up when everything was done. He, on the other hand, had a near-death experience, almost losing his life!

Venerable Heart Demon, embarrassed to hear this, snapped, "You disgrace! Aren't you coming back with me?"

Song Lingyu shrank her neck, quickly got up, and obediently replied, "Yes, Venerable." She quietly followed Venerable Heart Demon and honestly left.

Just before she left, a Thunder Derivation Token slipped from her sleeve. Jiang Fan's gaze sharpened, and his heart stirred. Song Lingyu belonged to the Hell Division of the Myriad Calamity Sacred Hall, and her primary cultivation was the Hell Lotus. Could this Thunder Derivation Token be related to the Hell Lotus? Was she secretly giving him a small token of gratitude?

Excited, Jiang Fan quickly stepped forward, picked it up, and swiftly tucked it into his sleeve. Venerable Heart Demon had publicly ordered that outsiders were forbidden from learning new parts of the 'Six Heavenly Thunder Divisions'. Therefore, he couldn't let Venerable Heart Demon see it.

However, possessing only the Thunder Derivation Token was useless. He also needed a large amount of lightning energy. The 'Abyssal Heart' he had acquired was still only at minor accomplishment due to the lack of lightning energy.

"Hey, since you're already helping, why not go all the way and give me some more lightning energy!" Jiang Fan caught up to her and said in a low voice.

Song Lingyu turned and glared at him, whispering, "You brat, you're never satisfied. There's none left, not a single bit!" Lightning energy is hard to come by; only those from the Myriad Calamity Sacred Hall have a small reserve.

"Lightning energy can be used as payment for debt," Jiang Fan added.

Song Lingyu was instantly overjoyed and secretly produced a fist-sized ball of lightning energy. Jiang Fan took it immediately. "This accounts for half an Ethereal Sky Elixir. You still owe me three and a half."

"Three and a half, rounded up, is still four."

The smile that had just bloomed on Song Lingyu's face immediately vanished, and she said indignantly: "You little black-hearted merchant, you're something else!" She then took out another fist-sized ball of lightning energy. "This is the last one!"

Jiang Fan beamed with delight. "That pays for one, still three left to go!"

Song Lingyu snorted. "That's more like it! Make sure you take good care of my disciple, don't treat her poorly, okay? I'll come to redeem her soon."

Jiang Fan retorted huffily, "You'd better come quickly! She's costing me a fortune!"

Venerable Heart Demon, walking ahead, felt a vein throb on his forehead. At such close proximity, it was hard for him, a Venerable, not to overhear their transaction! These two, couldn't they even pretend a little? Breaking his publicly set rules right in front of him. And he had to pretend not to hear! Sometimes, he truly wanted to report them!

"Let's go!" He huffily pulled Song Lingyu, disappearing almost instantly.

Previously, Jiang Fan couldn't fully comprehend the speed of a God Transformation Venerable. To him, it was like teleportation. But now, having cultivated the Origin of Wind, he could already discern their trajectory. It was the ultimate speed unleashed by formidable Venerable power. If his Origin of Wind could advance another level, he would also have a chance to achieve such speed.

Reflecting on this, Jiang Fan took out the six-zhang tall Yin Corpse and had no choice but to transfer his Void Flow Fire Energy, Lightning Energy, and recently cultivated Wind Energy into it. Back in Middle Earth, he had to constantly guard against the sharp sword hanging over his head: Venerable Heart Sin! He hoped his wife, Green Pearl, would quickly descend and kill Venerable Heart Sin!