Chapter 1198: All Laws Retreat

Beast hide? Jiang Fan finally looked at his palm. Moments ago, realizing the Soul Refining Exalted One was about to unleash a secret treasure, he had frantically used his Void Fishing Rod to reel it in. He still didn't know what it was. Hearing that it was a Sage Inscription, he couldn't help but ask in surprise:

"Senior Fiend Sovereign, why are the characters inscribed by a Sage so powerful?" Just moments ago, the Soul Refining Exalted One was on the verge of death under the Ten Directions Prison, utterly defenseless. Yet, as soon as the stone tablet bearing the three characters "No Killing" appeared, it shattered the Ten Directions Prison. Jiang Fan didn't understand the principle behind it.

The Ice-Fire Fiend Sovereign solemnly stated, "The inscribed characters themselves are nothing remarkable. What's truly terrifying is the Sage's power attached to them. His power transformed those three characters into a rule. How can a domain defy a rule?"

"A rule?" Jiang Fan's eyes widened in surprise. He curiously looked at the beast hide in his hand, which likely also bore a Sage's inscription. He dared not touch such words that contained a rule without permission. It was better to let the Ice-Fire Fiend Sovereign examine it first.

He raised his hand and tossed the beast hide over. The Ice-Fire Fiend Sovereign didn't catch it directly. Instead, he raised his hand and emitted a beam of ice-fire light, enveloping the hide. A line of characters then emerged from the beast hide.

"All Laws Retreat." The Ice-Fire Fiend Sovereign showed a hint of envy. "Indeed, it's another Sage Inscription. These four characters have become a rule. Even attacks from cultivators undergoing the Five Decays of Heavenly Beings can be nullified by these four characters when they hit you. The prerequisite is that you must have the opportunity to use it. Don't let it be snatched away before you can, like the Soul Refining Exalted One."

He caressed it reluctantly for a moment before finally returning it to Jiang Fan. "Kid, hide this well. Don't let other Exalted Ones know about it. A Sage Inscription is incredibly rare; I couldn't even obtain one from an Exalted One to help me break through to the Sage realm back then. If others learn you possess a Sage Inscription, you won't be able to keep it."

He also secretly coveted this inscription. It would be a lie to say he had no greed. However, firstly, Jiang Fan had treated him well. Secondly, with his current crippled body, his remaining lifespan was uncertain, so forcibly taking this item might not even give him a chance to use it.

Jiang Fan carefully put it away, a joyful expression on his face. So, with this beast hide, he could even neutralize an attack from a Five-Star Giant King? He had to make good use of this beast hide.

"I'm off." The Ice-Fire Fiend Sovereign swiftly pursued the direction where the Soul Refining Exalted One had fled. Seeing the crisis completely resolved, Gu Xin'er sneaked over, extending her small palm as if asking for a reward.

"It's all thanks to my supreme intelligence, timely reaction, perfect coordination, and unparalleled wisdom in discerning your plan, not to mention helping you complete the sneak attack!" she declared. "You owe me a reward, right?"

Jiang Fan smiled. Indeed, it was largely thanks to Gu Xin'er just now. Otherwise, injuring the Soul Refining Exalted One might not have been so easy.

"Follow me!" He led her to an unused, empty hall, then took out his purple sword and continuously slashed through the air, digging two pools into the hall's floor. Afterward, he poured the Nine-Colored Spirit Liquid into both pools.

"What is this?" Gu Xin'er asked, her eyes sparkling. She could feel the extraordinary nature of the spirit liquid, which seemed to offer unusual benefits for cultivation and physical well-being.

Jiang Fan replied calmly, "A gift from nature. It can enhance cultivation and also beautify one's appearance. I will ask the Pavilion Master to erect a wall and a barrier between the two spirit pools to separate them. The left will be for men, and the right for women. These spirit pools will be rewards exclusively for those who perform meritorious deeds in my Heavenly Secret Pavilion. And you, Gu Xin'er, will be the first to use them!"

Upon hearing it could beautify one's appearance and that she would be the first, Gu Xin'er was instantly overjoyed. "Wahahaha, I'll test it out for the senior and junior sisters of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion first!" she exclaimed, already starting to unbutton her clothes, eager to get in and soak.

Jiang Fan paused, then said, "Aren't you going to avoid me?" Gu Xin'er instinctively replied, "You've already touched..." She then realized she was in her identity as Vice Head Gu at the time. Startled, she quickly corrected herself, "Oh, oh, I mean, aren't you going to leave? Do you mean to touch me?"

Jiang Fan nearly burst out laughing. She was still trying to conceal her identity. The astonishing curves of her chest had already given her away. However, looking at her significant changes, he couldn't help but feel a bit worried. "Is it really okay to mess around like this?"

As he turned, he noticed Bai Xin standing at the entrance of the hall, observing the two spirit pools with a scrutinizing gaze.

"Centurion Bai, you can try it too," Jiang Fan offered. Bai Xin shook her head. "Maybe another day. Since you've returned safely, I'll head back."

From her spatial storage artifact, she took out a Lingtian Pill and handed it to Jiang Fan. "Why are you giving this to me?" Jiang Fan asked, puzzled. Bai Xin explained, "It's the basic reward for the reconnaissance mission. Everyone who returned alive gets one."

Jiang Fan slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering that there were mission rewards for the reconnaissance trip to the Heavenly Realm. The first-place prize was a high-grade spirit sword. Once three such swords were gathered, one could unleash the "Great Evolution Sword Array," making them invincible in the Nascent Soul realm! His eyes burned with eagerness. "I'm first place, right?"

Bai Xin, of course, understood what Jiang Fan was concerned about. "Naturally," she affirmed. "However, Taicang Great State doesn't have a ready-made high-grade spirit sword for you. The Grand Wine Sacrifice has invited a friend from Shenbing State to personally forge one for you. It's estimated to take about a month."

"A month?" Jiang Fan frowned. The red-faced elder from the Fire Worship Sect had only taken five days to help the True Word Exalted One forge the supreme-grade spirit artifact, the Phoenix Feather Nine Flame Fan. Yet, someone from Shenbing State needed a month to forge a high-grade spirit artifact? He wondered who the Grand Wine Sacrifice had invited, given that their forging skill was so much inferior to the red-faced elder's. However, he could also understand. Sword-type spirit artifacts were always popular, and those of high-grade were typically wielded by Exalted Ones. There were no ownerless spirit swords for the Grand Wine Sacrifice to casually bestow. At least this sword finally had a destination. He just needed to wait patiently.

He nodded, then went to the Ice-Fire Fiend Sovereign's secret chamber and put the blood coffin away again. The members of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion also arrived one after another once they confirmed it was safe. The battle of Exalted Ones was truly not something they could interfere with.

Jiang Fan calculated the time. There was less than half a day left until the opening of the Heavenly Mountain Battlefield, which was set for seven days. Only Nascent Soul cultivators were qualified to enter the battlefield.

He looked at the four old Vice Pavilion Masters, Nangong Xiaoyun, Ye Banxia, Ren Guhong, Wang Chongling, Deacon Yun Yang, and others who had reached the ninth layer of Core Formation completion. He took out the ten Lingtian Pills he had refined himself, plus the one Bai Xin had just given him, making a total of eleven pills.

"Since the Imperial Astronomical Bureau has opened the battlefield to the entire Taicang Great State, it must be that this battlefield will significantly boost Taicang's overall strength," he stated. "If you miss this opportunity, you will gradually fall behind others. Therefore, this is your last chance."

Upon hearing this, Ye Banxia unceremoniously took one. She had been quite disgruntled after her previous failed breakthrough. This time, she was determined to succeed! The remaining spirit pills were also distributed.

Next, Jiang Fan looked at Yunshang, Nuxin, Chuyue, and the Rebel. If their strength could be improved, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion would naturally gain more advantages on the Heavenly Mountain Battlefield.