Chapter 1352: Farewell to Master (Sixth Watch)

The Two-star Giant King, with both arms severed and his tongue gone, was no match for Venerable Desireless. He glared at Jiang Fan with hatred, then decisively turned and ran. Venerable Desireless hesitated briefly, gave the demoness a fierce look, then abandoned her to pursue the Two-star Giant King.

The demoness’s eyes showed relief; how could she dare to stay? Wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth, she gave Jiang Fan a reluctant look. “Young master, we will meet again!” she said. “Sooner or later, this old woman will make you her male consort!” With that, she vanished and fled.

Venerable True Word was also badly injured. She struggled to climb out of a scorched crater, but ignoring her own wounds, she immediately went to check on Jiang Fan. Both he and the demoness were severely hurt; how much more so Jiang Fan, who was merely a Nascent Soul body? She looked around. Jiang Fan lay in a deep impact crater, nestled in Green Pearl’s arms.

In the final moments, Green Pearl had embraced Jiang Fan, using her back to absorb the impact he suffered. As a result, Jiang Fan only had a caved-in chest and severely damaged internal organs, but his injuries were not fatal. Green Pearl, however, was in a much worse state; she had already fallen unconscious.

Venerable True Word breathed a slight sigh of relief, gazing at Jiang Fan’s blood-smeared face. “We’ve managed to save our lives,” she said thankfully. Jiang Fan tried to get up, only to realize that all the bones in his upper body were broken, leaving him unable to move. He could only rely on the handful of Rejuvenation Pills he had swallowed earlier to slowly recover.

He first glanced at Green Pearl, finding her to be unharmed. Then, he quickly looked towards Venerable Heart Devil’s remains. The relief in Venerable True Word’s heart faded as she silently approached, carrying Jiang Fan, and brought him before Venerable Heart Devil. Jiang Fan gazed at Venerable Heart Devil, who had no breath left, and tentatively called out:

“Your soul… it’s still there, isn’t it?” As his voice fell, a translucent, fist-sized soul-body slowly floated out from Venerable Heart Devil’s corpse. It continuously shed specks of spiritual light.

It was rapidly dissolving. “You’re… alright… that’s good…” The soul-body before them was indeed Venerable Heart Devil. It had held on, not dissipating, just waiting for Jiang Fan to arrive. Jiang Fan said in surprise:

“Didn’t you have one chance at body possession? Why are you dissipating?” Venerable Heart Devil chuckled hoarsely. “Do you truly believe… the Young Emperor’s domain… can bring people back from the dead?”

“That was merely a sacrifice of one chance at body possession, a restructuring of the body.” It turned out that Jiang Fan’s Grand Derivation Sword Array had already severed Venerable Heart Devil’s opportunity for body possession. With this death, he would truly vanish. Jiang Fan looked at the Luck-Turning Lock clutched tightly in the corpse’s arms, his expression complex.

“Why did you save me? I was the one who killed you.” Venerable Heart Devil’s soul was dissipating even faster. Its lower half was already gone.

Its voice grew hoarser. “Because… you are my disciple…” “This is the last thing… I can do for you… as your master…” Jiang Fan’s vision blurred, and his heart trembled. His knees bent, and he silently knelt down, his voice trembling.

“Thank you, Master, for saving my life!” Venerable Heart Devil smiled. “And I… thank you…” “For… still being willing to call me… ‘Master’… in the end…”

“Take my… spatial storage ring…” “And… be careful of the Young Emperor… he won’t give up easily…” His soul specks scattered like raindrops. In moments, only his face remained, rapidly melting away.

“Farewell forever… my disciple Jiang Fan…” “I hope in the next life… we can be master and disciple again…” “This master… is gone.” The last wisp of spiritual light fell, and Venerable Heart Devil completely vanished from the world. Tears streamed from Jiang Fan’s eyes.

He deeply kowtowed. “Your disciple Jiang Fan respectfully bids farewell to Master Heart Devil!” Venerable True Word clasped her hands together and silently bowed. “Brother Heart Devil, may you rest in peace.” A few glistening drops shimmered in her eyes. Venerable Heart Devil might have committed countless acts of slaughter throughout his life.

Yet, he had shown kindness only to Jiang Fan, the sole act of goodwill in his existence. Even at his dying breath, he instructed Jiang Fan to take his storage ring and beware of the Young Emperor, still thinking of him. Such a master was worthy of Jiang Fan’s kowtow.

After a long moment, Venerable True Word gently said, “Jiang Fan, there’s no need to be sad.” “Venerable Heart Devil left with a smile; this is his best ending.” Jiang Fan did not respond.

Venerable True Word crouched down and gently patted his back, but Jiang Fan suddenly slumped, resting his head on her lap. She looked intently and saw that he had fallen unconscious. Venerable True Word carefully held his head, keeping his face from getting dirty. “You’ve truly been through so much; to experience all this in one day must have exhausted you to your limit,” she murmured. A trace of heartache flashed in her eyes.

Upon reflection, Jiang Fan had first endured a great battle with Chen Jing and the Eighteen Sons of Taicang, then fought a life-or-death struggle with Venerable Heart Devil. Just when he thought it was over, he encountered Green Pearl seeking revenge, and finally, an even more terrifying Two-star Giant King appeared. What saddened Jiang Fan most was that Venerable Heart Devil had died for him. Who could possibly endure all that? “Let’s take you back to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion,” she said.

She picked up Jiang Fan. Glancing at Venerable Heart Devil’s remains, then at the unconscious Green Pearl and the dispelled Chen Jing, she summoned a cloud to sweep them all up. Only Jiang Fan was held in her arms. Just then, there was a stir in Jiang Fan’s embrace, and the little Qilin emerged from the spatial mirror.

It instantly teleported across the battlefield and soon returned, clutching three swords. Venerable True Word smiled knowingly. “Are all his spirit beasts so clever?” she mused. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t let your master lose anything.”

She flicked her sleeve, and a few more items flew back. One was her Phoenix Feather Nine-Flame Fan. The other two were an unlit Wishing Paper and the mirror containing Princess Zijiang. Princess Zijiang gazed at Venerable Heart Devil’s remains, her eyes full of bewilderment, and spoke in human tongue:

“I don’t understand. He was clearly Jiang Fan’s mortal enemy, yet he sacrificed himself to save Jiang Fan.” “Your human texts never wrote about such things.” If Venerable Heart Devil hadn’t sacrificed himself to divert the damage from that blow,

Jiang Fan would be dead now. But why did he do that? Venerable True Word looked at Jiang Fan in her arms and gently said, “Some things cannot be described with words.”

“For example, personal charisma.” Hearing this, Princess Zijiang looked at the unconscious Jiang Fan and fell into deep thought. Not long after, at the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, everyone arrived upon hearing the news.

Seeing Jiang Fan return unconscious, their faces were grim. This was the first time Jiang Fan had returned with such severe injuries. Immortal Yunshang took Jiang Fan, her eyes filled with distress. “Venerable One, what happened?” Venerable True Word looked ashamed and placed Chen Jing before them.

“I failed as a teacher, raising a devious and despicable disciple,” she said. She briefly recounted the events, highlighting Chen Jing’s actions. If Chen Jing hadn’t revealed that Jiang Fan was the one who moved the Heaven-Connecting Dark Pillar, none of the subsequent events would have occurred. Everyone looked at Chen Jing, their eyes blazing with fury.

His two betrayals had plunged Jiang Fan into desperate situations! “Let’s wait for Young Master Jiang to wake up and decide his fate,” Immortal Yunshang said, giving Chen Jing a cold look. After all, this person was Venerable True Word’s disciple, so they couldn’t say much. Everything would be decided once Jiang Fan awoke.

“Brother Fan!” Upon hearing the news of Jiang Fan’s severe injuries, Biluo abandoned her secluded cultivation and rushed over in a panic. As the former spirit beast of a great sage, she didn’t hold much reverence for venerable ones. Seeing Jiang Fan gravely injured and unconscious, she felt it was unfair to him. “Does my Brother Fan owe your master and disciple something?” she demanded.

“Your disciple came to kill him, and Brother Fan spared his life, yet he repaid kindness with enmity, constantly trying to kill him.” “His master was rescued by Brother Fan, but instead of gratitude, there was only talk of fighting and killing!” “You are simply going too far!” Venerable True Word lowered her head in shame, not explaining that she and Jiang Fan had already mended their differences.

Nor did she explain that she had agreed to marry Jiang Fan. She simply remained silent, allowing Biluo to vent her dissatisfaction. Chen Jing, however, was not so compliant. He snorted angrily, “Shut up, you wretched demon!”

“That beast Jiang Fan stole my master; he deserves to die!” Immortal Yunshang couldn’t hold back. With a flick of her sleeve, she sent him flying. Usually gentle, her face was now icy cold, and just as she was about to strike again, Biluo said meaningfully, “Yunshang, you should arrange for the Venerable One, Jiang Fan, and Green Pearl to heal.”

“I need to have a private word with this Venerable Chen Jing.” The others nodded and left, taking Jiang Fan with concern. Only Biluo and Chen Jing remained. “It seems you harbor romantic feelings for your master?” Biluo’s eyes glinted. Chen Jing said venomously, “I curse them both to have a terrible end!”

Biluo seized his chin and sneered. “Killing a petty person like you would be too easy.” “I want you to suffer an unbearable agony!” Chen Jing asked warily, “What do you intend to do?” Biluo narrowed her eyes:

“I want you to personally witness the woman you love most uniting with my Brother Fan!” She chuckled darkly.