Chapter 1286: Pattern King Chong Xiao

She had been a little concerned earlier.

Like her, this person had been invited back to Wenhua Academy as a guest and had met with the Dean. This suggested extraordinary abilities.

Revered Starlight also looked over and asked, "Qianjiao, who is this?"

Revered Qianjiao quickly replied, "I forgot to introduce him."

"He is Wang Chongxiao from Taicang Province. He is skilled in thunder spiritual powers, and I invited him to clear the evil spirits from the remains."

"I just didn't expect Revered Lianjing to also come."

A hint of difficulty appeared on her face. As someone from Young Emperor Mountain, Revered Lianjing also practiced thunder spiritual powers, and she must be stronger than Jiang Fan. But since she had already invited Jiang Fan, she couldn't just send him away, could she?

Revered Lianjing was surprised. Was the middle-aged man before her also a thunder cultivator? She subtly glanced at him and was surprised to find that she couldn't discern his true state. "What a powerful cloaking artifact; I can't see through his cultivation or spiritual powers."

She pondered briefly and said, "It's fine; bring him along."

"I will focus on transferring the body, and he can be responsible for clearing the evil spirits."

Revered Qianjiao breathed a slight sigh of relief and looked at Revered Starlight, asking, "What do you think, husband?"

Revered Starlight scrutinized Jiang Fan and said meaningfully, "Wang Chongxiao? That name sounds very familiar."

Revered Qianjiao looked puzzled. "Now that you mention it, it does sound a bit familiar."

"Wait!"

"Jiang Fan from Taicang Province, when traveling in the Celestial Realm, impersonated Wang Chongxiao, right? You're also from Taicang Province. Could it be that you are the real Wang Chongxiao who was impersonated?"

Jiang Fan felt uneasy. He hadn't expected the name 'Wang Chongxiao' to have spread so widely due to his journey in the Celestial Realm. Fortunately, he remained composed and revealed a pained expression: "Forgive my presumption, elders. It is indeed I."

Revered Starlight and Revered Qianjiao exchanged strange looks. Revered Qianjiao couldn't help but murmur, "I thought it was just an alias Jiang Fan made up. So, there really is such a person?" For a moment, she didn't know how to console him. After all, Jiang Fan had impersonated Wang Chongxiao and done many things in the Celestial Realm that angered the Ancient Giants. He had been saddled with one blame after another. It wasn't hard to imagine that he had become a prime target for the Ancient Giants to eliminate!

Revered Lianjing slammed the table and snapped, "That scoundrel Jiang Fan again—" Mid-curse, she recalled the sage's inscription on Jiang Fan: "To beat is to cherish, to scold is to love." She quickly changed her words: "That darned little darling, causing trouble everywhere! How can Heaven be so blind as not to take him away already?"

Revered Starlight and Revered Qianjiao stared in astonishment at the furious Revered Lianjing. How badly had Jiang Fan wronged her, to make a dignified Revered one at the Four Decay stage of Heaven and Man go so berserk?

Jiang Fan felt a shiver of guilt. If he were discovered, it would truly be over.

Mistaking Jiang Fan's reaction as fear from her outburst, Revered Lianjing quickly reined in her anger and said: "I'm not targeting you. Like you, I am also a victim of Jiang Fan. We are in the same unfortunate boat. Tell me, how did Jiang Fan impersonate you in the Celestial Realm and what kind of trouble did he cause you? Let's curse at this... this little darling together!"

Jiang Fan was speechless internally. *Am I crazy? Curse myself?*

The pained expression on his face eased slightly as he shook his head and said: "Junior does not blame Jiang Fan. On the contrary, I greatly admire him."

"For the sake of the people of Middle-earth, he ventured deep behind enemy lines, unafraid of sacrifice or bloodshed. How truly great is that? What does it matter if he impersonated my name? It is my honor, Wang Chongxiao's honor, and my pride."

Silence fell in the hall.

Revered Qianjiao couldn't help but look at Jiang Fan with new respect. "Fellow Daoist Wang, your magnanimity is truly vast! No wonder my son likes him. Such noble character and vast magnanimity are truly rare."

Revered Lianjing was also stunned. She couldn't help but re-examine Jiang Fan and asked, "You truly don't hate Jiang Fan? He impersonated your name and did many bad things."

Jiang Fan smiled calmly. "It's all for Middle-earth, for the common people. How could that be a loss? If impersonating me can benefit all beings, I am willing for everyone who ascends to the Celestial Realm to impersonate me."

He paused. Jiang Fan cupped his hands towards Revered Starlight and said: "Senior, this junior is not speaking empty words. From now on, whenever cultivators from Hunyuan Province go to the Celestial Realm to carry out difficult missions, if they are concerned about revealing their identity, please feel free to act in my name. Afterward, whatever the Ancient Giants have, they can come after me, Wang Chongxiao, alone! The Buddha said, 'If I don't go to hell, who will?' I, Wang Chongxiao, am willing to sacrifice myself to pave the way forward for Middle-earth."

Revered Starlight was slightly taken aback. Revered Qianjiao covered her mouth, gazing intently at Jiang Fan, as if seeing a dazzling light emanating from him. That was the most brilliant radiance of humanity! She couldn't help but murmur, "If Middle-earth were filled with people like you, why would we ever worry about not defeating the Ancient Giants? Taicang Province truly produces outstanding talents."

Revered Lianjing's heart was deeply shaken. Could there truly be such selfless people in the world? She recalled how she had sought immediate revenge on Jiang Fan for a minor deception, leading to her current predicament. Compared to Wang Chongxiao's noble spirit, she couldn't help but feel ashamed of herself. Having lived half her life and cultivated to the Four Decay stage of Heaven and Man, she realized she was inferior to Wang Chongxiao, who was of similar age but had a lower cultivation level.

She sighed softly, cupped her hands respectfully, and said, "Fellow Daoist Wang, your golden words are truly admirable! This humble one also wishes to be like you, prioritizing the greater good and letting go of my grievances with Jiang Fan."

Jiang Fan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally bluffed his way through, and incidentally, he had brought trouble upon Wang Chongxiao. Soon, Wang Chongxiao would pop up like mushrooms after rain from all corners of the Celestial Realm. *Isn't it just a matter of harming each other? Come on, who's afraid of whom?*

Jiang Fan nodded and said, "Revered Lianjing, please go to the Celestial Realm without hesitation. This junior will do my utmost to help you restore your domain."

Revered Lianjing smiled slightly. "Thank you. Just protect yourself when you get to the Celestial Realm; don't worry about me." How could her domain be something a Nascent Soul realm cultivator could repair? Even Revered Starlight shied away from it.

She looked at Revered Starlight and asked, "Great Revered one, when will you depart?"

Revered Starlight replied, "I will depart once my true form returns."

Jiang Fan froze. "True form?" Jiang Fan looked at Revered Starlight in front of him, utterly perplexed.

Revered Lianjing, however, didn't seem surprised. Seeing Jiang Fan's bewildered expression, she gently explained: "Revered Starlight has been traveling the Nine Provinces for many years, seeking merits. What you see before you is merely a paper effigy of him. He only returns when something important occurs."

*Paper... paper effigy?* Jiang Fan recalled Gu Xin'er. When she explored the Celestial Realm, she had used a paper effigy to leave the Connecting Heaven Black Pillar and investigate the outside. By dripping a drop of blood onto it, one could share the paper effigy's vision. But the paper effigy before him was too realistic, wasn't it? If no one had told him, he wouldn't have known it was just a paper effigy.

But upon closer thought, if the person in the hall had been Revered Starlight himself, he would have likely sensed their arrival the moment they entered the academy. He wouldn't have been caught off guard by Revered Qianjiao kicking open the door and frantically clearing the chessboard. Furthermore, his mask might not be able to block the perception of a powerful expert at the Five Decay stage of Heaven and Man. Yet, the Revered Starlight before him hadn't shown the slightest suspicion.