Chapter 1326: Taicang Eighteen Sons

Jiang Fan suddenly felt bewildered. He frowned and said, "Save your strength for killing ancient giants." He had no significant grievances with Venerable Chen Jing. Their only conflict involved half of the Aperture Opening Divine Nail, but it wasn't worth a fight to the death.

"That's not up to you." Venerable Chen Jing gazed at Jiang Fan indifferently, slowly releasing his cultivation of an eight-aperture Nascent Soul. Dust swirled around him, and gravel trembled. The members of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion all felt a sense of suffocation.

Jiang Fan's pupils contracted. "An eight-aperture Nascent Soul?" How could this be? The last time Venerable Chen Jing came to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion to pick up Venerable Zhen Yan, he was still a five-aperture Nascent Soul. Now, he had leaped to an eight-aperture Nascent Soul.

In terms of cultivation speed, he was on par with Jiang Fan. However, Jiang Fan had consecutively experienced the tempering by Venerable Lian Jing and the spiritual rain baptism from Grand Venerable Wugou. Could Venerable Chen Jing also possess such immense opportunities? What was going on with this guy's cultivation?

Nevertheless, Jiang Fan didn't feel that an eight-aperture Nascent Soul posed too much of a threat. Killing him wouldn't be too difficult. Gazing at Venerable Chen Jing, Jiang Fan said faintly, "Leave the Heavenly Secret Pavilion; don't humiliate yourself."

If it were any other powerful individual openly provoking him like this, the other party would have been suppressed and killed by him before they could even utter a threat. But this was Venerable Chen Jing. He was Venerable Zhen Yan's disciple and Nangong Xiaoyun's older brother. If not for Venerable Zhen Yan's sake, he should at least consider Nangong Xiaoyun's. How could he kill her brother right in front of her?

Venerable Chen Jing said coldly, "Don't humiliate myself, you say? Jiang Fan, are you even worthy of saying that to me?"

Jiang Fan grew impatient. Just as he was about to act to drive him away, countless presences emerged from the direction of the underground palace. A rough count showed several dozen people.

At the forefront were over a dozen young people, all of whom had reached the eight-aperture Nascent Soul stage! Each of them was accompanied by elders from their respective sects, ready to prevent them from falling into madness.

Jiang Fan frowned. "What, did you bring helpers?"

Venerable Chen Jing said indifferently, "Why would I need helpers to kill you? I merely invited the Eighteen Prodigies of Taicang to be witnesses. To let them collectively witness the return of the former Prodigy King of Taicang."

Prodigy King? Venerable Chen Jing? Jiang Fan looked puzzled. Venerable Chen Jing was twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, and not long ago, he was a five-aperture Nascent Soul. With such talent, could he really call himself the Prodigy King of Taicang? And what did "return" mean?

Swish, swish, swish—

Successive young, peerless experts, exuding formidable aura, descended. Their ages were generally between twenty and thirty. There were exactly sixteen of them. Excluding the deceased Zong Chaosheng, one person was still missing.

"Brother Chen Jing, you've returned to the eight-aperture Nascent Soul stage?" The first to land was an eight-aperture Nascent Soul female from the Myriad Tribulations Sacred Hall. She was twenty-five or twenty-six years old and quite attractive. Her beautiful eyes sparkled as she gazed at Venerable Chen Jing.

"When I received your message, I thought it was fake." Another slender young man in a Taoist robe landed; he was the contemporary prodigy of Sanqing Mountain. He held a whisk and smiled, saying, "Ever since you crippled your cultivation and re-cultivated to attain the Dao of God Transformation, Taicang Great State has become desolate. Among us Eighteen Prodigies of Taicang, some went mad, others went into seclusion. None of us ventured outside anymore. The martial arts of Taicang Great State lost their vibrancy because of our departure. Now that you have finally returned, Taicang Great State will surely become lively again."

Jiang Fan listened with growing astonishment. If he understood correctly, they meant that Venerable Chen Jing had once crippled his cultivation? And his current realm was a result of re-cultivation? This was quite astounding!

Jiang Fan knew full well the hardships and obstacles he had encountered on his journey from the Qi Refining stage to his current state. If he had to start over, he had no confidence he could reach his current realm again. Yet, Venerable Chen Jing had once cultivated to the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. And then he self-crippled his cultivation to start anew?

A huge question in his mind was suddenly answered. That was, why Venerable Zhen Yan would take someone as seemingly mediocre as Chen Jing as a disciple. It turned out Chen Jing wasn't mediocre. He had simply started over!

Venerable Chen Jing calmly looked at Jiang Fan. "Surprised, aren't you? Actually, I'm also surprised. It turns out I was once a peak Nascent Soul expert who had touched the God Transformation realm. It's just that back then, I was too eager for quick success, wanting to achieve God Transformation alongside my master, and I chose the wrong path. As a result, I got stuck at the nine-aperture Nascent Soul stage, unable to awaken for a long time."

"Now, I've embarked on a new path, and it's the one most suitable for me. Soon, I will awaken into God Transformation and become a Venerable, transcending all beings!"

Jiang Fan was secretly astonished. He recalled that Priestess Ling Yin had once said there were only two outcomes for those who fell into madness to awaken. One was to awaken through God Transformation. The other was to cripple one's Nascent Soul, allowing the madness to lift naturally, but requiring a complete restart. He hadn't expected anyone to actually take the second path. And, surprisingly, forge a completely new path to God Transformation.

"I have you to thank." Venerable Chen Jing said indifferently, "It was you who stimulated me and helped me find a brand new path."

Jiang Fan's expression turned odd. Could Venerable Chen Jing be referring to him sleeping with Venerable Zhen Yan? That could stimulate him? This guy couldn't possibly have fallen for his own master, could he? He waved his hand. "No need to thank me for something like that. I enjoyed it, and it was no trouble at all."

A hint of malice appeared in Venerable Chen Jing's eyes, and his voice turned grim: "No need to provoke me. My master has already clarified that it was a misunderstanding. I believe you wouldn't dare touch her!"

Jiang Fan shrugged and said, "Didn't your master tell you that we met again in Hunyuan State?"

"What?" Venerable Chen Jing's gaze sharpened as he recalled his master sitting blankly before the spiritual pond. Could something else have happened between his master and Jiang Fan? He asked in a deep voice, "What happened between you two? Speak!"

Jiang Fan replied, "Nothing much, just the two of us, naked and embracing."

*Crack!* A chill flashed in Venerable Chen Jing's eyes. "My master didn't kill you?"

Jiang Fan helplessly spread his hands. "If she were to kill me, it would be akin to murdering her own husband."

Venerable Chen Jing's eyes blazed with sharpness as he roared: "Silence! Do not insult my master!"

Jiang Fan said playfully, "You still don't know? Her father, Grand Venerable Xingyuan, has already betrothed her to me. We'll be getting married soon. As her disciple, you'll have to come and cheer us on then!"

"What?" Venerable Chen Jing staggered, saying in disbelief, "That's impossible! Jiang Fan, stop spouting nonsense here!"

Jiang Fan crossed his arms and said, "Call me by my name while you still can. Before long, you'll have to address me as 'Master-in-law'."

Venerable Chen Jing's aura erupted, kicking up sand and stones in an instant. The Eighteen Prodigies of Taicang standing beside him were forced to retreat. They glared angrily at Jiang Fan.

"Where did this brat come from, spouting such audacious words?"

"How dare he speak to our Brother Chen Jing like that?"

"Having not ventured outside for many years, have these younger generation brats forgotten the prestige of us Eighteen Prodigies of Taicang?"

Jiang Fan glanced at them. With a faint expression, he said, "Didn't you bother to find out who I am before you came?" The elders behind the Eighteen Prodigies of Taicang all changed their expressions.