Chapter 1317: Godmother

Jiang Fan gave a wry smile and handed the serrated sword back. "Alright then, I'll give it back to you, is that enough?"

Venerable Lianjing grew even angrier, her voice sharp. "Is this about the sword? How many times have you lied to me? Can you even count?"

Jiang Fan held up a palm. "Five times! Five times at most!"

Venerable Lianjing laughed in exasperation. "Are you saying that's too few?"

A Venerable at the Fourfold Heavenly Tribulation stage had been repeatedly deceived four times by someone at the Nascent Soul realm! No one would believe it if she told them!

However, Jiang Fan had also successfully tricked the Five-Star Giant King and Grand Venerable Wugou. Grand Venerable Wugou had even been trapped and killed. Thinking of this, Venerable Lianjing felt much more balanced. It wasn't too disgraceful to fall victim to this damnable kid.

"You little rascal, how dare you lie to me like this? Do you know what punishment you deserve?" Venerable Lianjing flew over, raising her palm.

Jiang Fan quickly said, "Don't hit me, I have the Sage's inscription on me."

The expected pain didn't come. Venerable Lianjing merely patted his shoulder gently.

Venerable Lianjing sighed. "If I wanted to punish you, I would have done it back in the city. Why would I follow you all this way? Although you deceived me, you genuinely saved me. Even Grand Venerable Xingyuan couldn't restore my domain. For you to accomplish it, you must have spent astronomical amounts of heaven-defying resources. Therefore, the serrated sword is still yours."

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose, glancing sideways at her. "You old woman, sometimes you're quite reasonable!"

Venerable Lianjing laughed exasperatedly. "One moment it's 'Venerable Sister,' the next it's 'old woman'! From now on, you're not allowed to call me either of those. You'll call me godmother!"

She had specifically followed Jiang Fan here because she wanted to take him as her godson. Jiang Fan had saved her several times, and a single serrated sword wasn't enough to repay his kindness, so she intended to protect him in the future.

Jiang Fan shook his head firmly. "I don't want to!" He certainly didn't want to get involved with Young Emperor Mountain.

Venerable Lianjing scoffed, "The first time in my life I've thought of taking a godson, and I get rejected? I'll take you anyway!"

As she spoke, she instantly appeared behind Jiang Fan. She pressed him down onto the cloud, saying, "Call me godmother!"

Jiang Fan struggled, "A forced son isn't sweet!"

Venerable Lianjing chuckled. "But it quenches thirst! Hurry up and call me, or I'll take back the serrated sword, and don't even think about getting the Luck-Transferring Lock back."

He almost forgot, the Luck-Transferring Lock was still with Venerable Lianjing.

After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Fan said reluctantly, "Then don't mention to anyone from Young Emperor Mountain that you have a godson."

Venerable Lianjing found this suggestion a bit strange. She had even planned to instruct the Young Emperor to look after Jiang Fan, her newly adopted brother. But since Jiang Fan had made such a request, he must have his reasons. She nodded. "Alright. I won't spread the word for now."

Only then did Jiang Fan, with a dark expression, awkwardly call out, "Godmother."

Venerable Lianjing poked his forehead. "How many young Venerables wish they could call me godmother, and I've turned them all down. Yet you're the one who's reluctant! I am a peak expert at the Fourfold Heavenly Tribulation stage!"

Complaining, she took out the Luck-Transferring Lock and a lightning-covered token, throwing them both to Jiang Fan. "If you encounter danger, crush this lightning token, and I'll rush to you as quickly as possible. It's rare for me to take a godson, so don't you dare die on me."

Jiang Fan caught both items. Holding the lightning token, his heart warmed slightly. In truth, from the very beginning, Venerable Lianjing had always looked after him as a junior. Now, she was treating him as her godson. He nodded. "Thank you, Godmother."

He thought of the merit given to him by the ginkgo tree and wondered whether to give it to his godmother. She had traveled far and wide precisely to search for merit. However, he didn't know who she intended to give the merit to, which made Jiang Fan dismiss the idea. He only wanted to entrust Grand Venerable Wutong's merit to someone truly trustworthy. Currently, Grand Venerable Xingyuan still met the criteria, but his family relationships made Jiang Fan a bit uncertain. Therefore, it was better to wait and see. If there truly wasn't a more suitable Grand Venerable, it wouldn't be too late to give it to Grand Venerable Xingyuan then.

Venerable Lianjing showed a benevolent smile. "Then Godmother will be going. Take care of yourself."

"You too, Godmother."

Watching Venerable Lianjing depart, Jiang Fan put away the lightning token and the Luck-Transferring Lock.

Not long after.

In Myriad Origin State, at the Imperial Observatory.

As Jiang Fan flew onto the central main island, he heard a desolate, mournful sound.

"Ten years, the living and the dead, lost in vastness; without thought, I can never forget; nowhere to speak of this desolation! Jinghong, it's been ten years, why can I still not forget you? Why were you so cruel to leave me alone in this world?"

Jiang Fan was surprised and looked towards the sound. On a small mound of earth, a young man in a green robe, with disheveled long hair, leaned against an old tombstone, drinking alone. His eyes were full of tears, and his sorrow was boundless.

Jiang Fan also felt his desolation and, by his voice, guessed his identity. It was none other than the Grand Wine Sacrifice, who had ultimately shattered Grand Venerable Wugou's remnant soul in the Sky-Connecting Black Pillar. He hadn't expected that this Grand Wine Sacrifice, like Venerable Wutong, also had a poignant unfulfilled love. The difference was that the Grand Wine Sacrifice's beloved lay in eternal slumber beside him. He was deeply immersed in sorrow, unable to extricate himself.

With this in mind, he stepped forward and gently bowed. "This junior, Jiang Fan of Tai Cang State, thanks Grand Wine Sacrifice for saving my life."

The Grand Wine Sacrifice, tipsy, stood up and patted his shoulder. "Vast rivers and mountains only deepen distant longing, while falling flowers and rain wound spring further. It is better to cherish the person before you. Young man, cherish those around you. Don't wait until you've lost them to be filled with regret."

Jiang Fan was deeply moved. This Grand Wine Sacrifice was truly a man who loved deeply. Compared to him, Jiang Fan felt a sense of guilt. He had so many female confidantes, yet the Grand Wine Sacrifice was so devoted.

The Grand Wine Sacrifice raised his head, took another swig of wine, and stumbled to the other side of the small mound.

"Xunyan, it's been twenty years, why can I still not forget you? Do you know how I've lived all these years?"

Jiang Fan froze. He walked to the peak of the slope and looked down. On the other side of the small hillside, there was an even older tomb. No, as the hillside stretched on, it was entirely covered with graves. The Grand Wine Sacrifice, after crying at one grave, moved to the next to continue his lamentations.

"Ziling, it's been thirty years, why can I still not forget you? Miaohai, it's been forty years, why can I still not forget you? Pan'er, it's been fifty years, why can I still not forget you?"

Jiang Fan looked at the dense, countless graves, a vein throbbing in his forehead. This scoundrel, how many women had he been devoted to over a thousand years? No wonder it was said that, apart from the Grand Wine Sacrifice of Tai Cang State, none of the other states' Grand Wine Sacrifices were normal people.

"Tch!" Jiang Fan spat, rolled his eyes, and walked away.

***

In Tai Cang State, in a library of a small city.

Green Pearl closed her human language book, a cold smile appearing in her eyes. "Jiang Fan! You never expected this, but I've been in the Central Lands for a while now! And I've secretly mastered your Central Lands' script! This time, you won't be able to trick me again!"

She rushed out of the library. Ahead of her, a small beast with brown fur all over, carrying a broken bronze hairpin in its mouth, was running wildly on clouds. Behind it, a group of half-giants were chasing it.

"What a cute little beast!" Green Pearl's eyes lit up. She waved her sleeve, sweeping the little beast along with her as she flashed into the distance.

She held the little beast in her arms, rubbing her cheek against its furry back repeatedly. "Little one, why were you being chased by a group of half-giants?"

The little Qilin had tears in its eyes and spoke in human words. "Waaah, my master was in danger and told me to run back first. My master might be gone, waah."

Green Pearl looked surprised. It could speak human language? She liked it even more. "Don't be sad, I'll help you save your master. However, I still have something else to do. Little one, have you heard of a human named Jiang Fan?"

The little Qilin blinked, then its eyes shifted, and it nodded in a childish voice. "Mmm-hmm, I know him. I'll take you to him! Go that way." It raised a small stubby leg and pointed towards the Imperial Observatory.