Chapter 1325: 阴阳 Heaven

"Am I speaking nonsense?"

Xia Chaoge clenched her fists and gently tapped the water's surface, sending ripples outward. She pursed her lips, slightly annoyed, but her voice remained soft: "This isn't the first time, Martial Uncle!"

Jiang Fan's expression turned serious. "Chaoge, the relationship between us isn't one for such jokes."

They were martial uncle and niece, after all. Some boundaries shouldn't be crossed, even if their ages were similar.

Xia Chaoge bit her red lips, hesitating several times before finally mustering the courage to say: "Martial Uncle, have you forgotten the person you scratched at the Thunder Pool in the Tianji Pavilion on the mainland?"

Jiang Fan froze. His pupils gradually constricted, until they were pinpricks. He spun around abruptly, staring at Xia Chaoge in astonishment. "You... you... you were the one who used the Yin-Yang Heaven technique?"

Xia Chaoge's face, which had just regained some color, flushed crimson again. She extended her hand, and the spatial storage device on the shore flew into her palm. With a thought, a Thunder Transformation Token appeared in her hand. "I wanted to give this to Martial Uncle last time, but I was afraid you'd recognize me, so I didn't dare. Now... I've been teased by Martial Uncle again anyway. Whether I hide what happened last time or not, it doesn't matter anymore." She flicked her finger, sending the Thunder Transformation Token over, then shrank back into the water. Her small face was completely red.

Jiang Fan caught the token, but had no mind to examine its contents. His mind went blank, and he stammered, "The person who secretly watched me cultivate... was that you?"

Xia Chaoge turned her face away, not daring to meet Jiang Fan's eyes, and nodded slightly.

Jiang Fan looked at his right hand, feeling his face burn with shame. He asked in disbelief: "Then... then what I scratched... was your..."

Xia Chaoge was overwhelmed with embarrassment, frantically slapping the water with both hands: "How can you still ask!"

Jiang Fan felt his head spin. Oh heavens! What had he done to Xia Chaoge? He had actually, *actually*, touched her *there*? Even more shameful was that his mind, quite cooperatively, recalled the sensation from that day.

*Slap, slap, slap!* Jiang Fan quickly slapped his own face, trying to dispel those indecent thoughts.

Damn it! You're Xia Chaoge's elder; how can you have such thoughts in your head?

He couldn't stay any longer. He quickly said, "Thank you for the Thunder Transformation Token, Chaoge. I... I'll leave now."

Xia Chaoge's face was flushed, and her voice was barely a whisper: "Okay."

Jiang Fan, red-faced, hurried away. How could he possibly tell anyone about this?

After Jiang Fan had left, Xia Chaoge covered her face, overwhelmed with embarrassment. "How could something like this happen?" She still felt as if she were dreaming. She recalled Jiang Fan's gaze, moving from her face to her neck, then to her collarbone. Finally, it settled on her chest. She was so embarrassed her head felt like it was steaming. She immediately ducked underwater and didn't dare surface for a long time.

Much later, she finally poked half her head out. With a mixture of shame and indignation, she thought, "Martial Uncle actually looked at my chest. He's not just a ladies' man. He's a rogue!"

Jiang Fan, no longer in the mood for bathing, fled the spiritual pond as if escaping. "Damn it, how could something like this happen!" He wore a disgruntled expression. He glanced at the Thunder Transformation Token in his hand, momentarily losing all desire to cultivate.

*Boom!* Suddenly, a tremendous crash echoed from outside the Tianji Pavilion gates. It was accompanied by towering plumes of thick smoke. The gate tower had been shattered!

Jiang Fan frowned. Who was audacious enough to cause trouble at the Tianji Pavilion? The massive commotion finally alerted everyone in seclusion within the Tianji Pavilion.

Fairy Yunshang, the Tianji Pavilion Master, Demon Sovereign Nuxin, and others all shot out simultaneously. "Jiang Lang?" Fairy Yunshang spotted Jiang Fan, her eyes brimming with joy.

The gentle, graceful figure, clad in white, flew into Jiang Fan's embrace. Feeling the warmth and softness in his arms, Jiang Fan couldn't help but hug her tightly.

"Missed me?"

Fairy Yunshang, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, gazed at Jiang Fan without blinking, nodding her chin repeatedly. "Yes, I've been thinking of you constantly."

Jiang Fan smiled and kissed her forehead. Liu Qingxian also flew over, her eyes full of delight: "Xiao Fan, what took you so long to come back?"

Fairy Yunshang discreetly stepped out of his embrace, opting to hold just one of Jiang Fan's arms instead. Jiang Fan, seizing the opportunity, pulled Liu Qingxian into his embrace as well, saying: "I came back a while ago, but you were all in seclusion, so I didn't dare disturb you. Come to my room later; I'll check how much your cultivation has improved."

Liu Qingxian's cheeks flushed slightly, and she lightly scoffed, "Saying such things in public. Have you been corrupted by that Asura woman?" She gently bit Jiang Fan's shoulder, but not hard, merely complaining with a hint of resentment.

Jiang Fan laughed wryly, "She's a Four-Crowned Asura King; now she's likely a Five-Crowned one. How could such a powerful being have any personal involvement with me? Our relationship is simply one of mutual utilization of each other's value; there's no romantic affection whatsoever." This wasn't a pretense. It was a true reflection of his relationship with Hong Xiu. They were both extremely rational individuals, and absolutely no romantic feelings would develop between them. Their current harmonious coexistence was merely due to their shared formidable enemy, the Ancient Giants.

If, one day, their fundamental interests clashed—for instance, if her clan invaded the Central Plains, or if the Central Plains attacked her stronghold—both Jiang Fan and she would unhesitatingly revert to their respective racial stances. They would immediately become enemies! He might have some fated connection with Lv Zhu, but not with Hong Xiu.

"I was just teasing you, no need for a serious explanation," Liu Qingxian chuckled. "Don't you have enough women around you already? If I got jealous, wouldn't I be soaking in a vat of vinegar every day?"

At this moment, Xia Chaoge also rushed over in disheveled clothes, her hair still wet, and her cheeks flushed. "What happened?" She looked towards the smoke and dust at the gate tower, her face showing confusion.

Fairy Yunshang observed her unusual appearance. Then she noticed Jiang Fan was also wet and had a faint blush on his face. Seemingly understanding something, a hint of surprise appeared in her eyes. She subtly shifted her gaze and asked, "Chaoge, aren't you surprised that your Martial Uncle is back?"

Xia Chaoge had seen Jiang Fan, but acted as if she hadn't. This could only mean one thing: The two had already met. And it was in the spiritual pond. And something had happened between them.

Xia Chaoge's heart fluttered. "Oh, oh, I... I didn't notice."

"Martial Uncle, you're back."

Jiang Fan, feeling guilty, nodded. "Mm, just got back."

Fairy Yunshang took in their expressions, smiling but saying nothing. To diffuse the awkward atmosphere, she looked towards the gate tower and asked, "Who dares trespass into our Tianji Pavilion?"

Everyone's attention was immediately drawn towards the gate tower. Amidst the dust and smoke, a young figure, hands clasped behind his back, walked slowly and deliberately. It was none other than Superior Chen Jing!

Jiang Fan frowned. He held no good feelings for his former senior disciple from the Azure Cloud Sect. "What are you doing here?"

Superior Chen Jing ascended the steps one by one, his expression cold and his eyes sharp. His demeanor was vastly different from before. He reached the top of the steps and stood before the group. Raising a finger, he pointed directly at Jiang Fan from a distance:

"Between you and me, only one can exist!"