Chapter 1358: White Heart's Way

Zhenyan Venerable, upon hearing this, glanced at him sideways and scoffed, "More than just familiar, the taste was quite good.""After you ate it, did your Nascent Soul realm cultivation increase by a large margin?"Jiang Fan looked surprised, "Huh? How did you know?"

Back when he and Hua Wuying were on their way to Xiyue Lake, having been summoned by Zhenyan Venerable, he had casually cast a fishing rod and caught a spirit fish, which they then roasted and ate.The appearance of that spirit fish...He looked at the spirit fish swimming happily in the pond, his expression freezing.

"I fished out *your* spirit fish?" Jiang Fan asked, astonished.Zhenyan Venerable retorted irritably, "Finally remembered? You little thief!""I was raising that to help me break through to the Heavenly Human Two Declines realm.""And you fished one out right in front of me!"

Jiang Fan chuckled wryly and pulled Zhenyan Venerable back into his embrace."First I fished your spirit fish, then I fished you, my mermaid.""Our fate was sealed by heaven."Zhenyan Venerable struggled free, "Who's your mermaid?"

"Alright, you should go. Don't come looking for me anymore.""I'm serious. We can't be so reckless until we have a proper status."Her face showed a complex expression.Jiang Fan understood her concerns. She wasn't the little-known Fairy Yunshang; she was a renowned Venerable.With everyone in the entire Taicang Grand State watching, how could she act impulsively?

Jiang Fan felt a pang of reluctance.Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed nine Female Source Spirit Fish approaching, curiously observing them.He couldn't help but turn his gaze to them."These fish aren't potent enough yet, are they?"If they were, Zhenyan Venerable would have already used them.

Zhenyan Venerable nodded. "They need another half a year to grow to maturity.""Only then can such fish help me break through the Heavenly Human Two Declines.""It's a shame I can't wait."She looked regretful.She had put immense effort into cultivating these Female Source Spirit Fish.Unexpectedly, the advent of the Ancient Giant Catastrophe had disrupted her plans.

Jiang Fan mused, "Not fully grown?""I have a method we could try. If we're lucky, it might be able to accelerate their growth."Zhenyan Venerable's eyes lit up. "Really?"She had dreamed of quickly breaking through the Heavenly Human Two Declines realm.

Jiang Fan teased, "Then can I come find you later?"Zhenyan Venerable lightly bit her red lip. "You rogue, always trying to manipulate me!"After a few struggles, she finally surrendered."Alright, if you can ripen the spirit fish and help me break through the Heavenly Human Two Declines, then I won't care about gossip or anything else."

Jiang Fan's eyes gleamed with fervor.This meant he could seek out Zhenyan Venerable for *that* anytime he wanted.He was instantly filled with enthusiasm."Close your eyes; I'll give you a surprise!"Zhenyan Venerable's heart swelled with anticipation.Given Jiang Fan's words, he must be quite confident, so she immediately closed her eyes.

Jiang Fan took out a grain of 'Resting Earth,' his eyes showing hope.Back then, Gu Xin'er, by applying Resting Earth to her chest, had transformed from barely anything to impressively endowed.Now, making these spirit fish grow quickly shouldn't be difficult, right?

Looking at the spirit fish gathered before him, Jiang Fan dropped a grain of Resting Earth into the pond.The Female Source Spirit Fish, mistaking it for food, scrambled to grab it.The largest fish among them swallowed the Resting Earth in one gulp.Spirit fish had no cultivation base, unlike Gu Xin'er, a Nascent Soul Fairy whose effects might manifest slowly.The effect of the Resting Earth on the spirit fish was instantaneous!

He watched as the spirit fish rapidly swelled at a visible rate.It quickly grew from chopsticks-length to three feet long, emanating an incredibly powerful spiritual pressure, clearly a mature form!But before Jiang Fan could celebrate, the spirit fish's size continued to surge!After two breaths, it reached ten feet long and was still expanding explosively!Jiang Fan had a bad feeling.

Indeed!The spirit fish couldn't withstand the rapid growth and exploded on the spot, its fresh red blood quickly spreading throughout the entire spirit pond.As the blood dispersed, the other spirit fish were inadvertently affected by the Resting Earth.They all began to rapidly increase in size, and before long, anomalies appeared in all of them, causing them to explode one after another!The entire pond of Female Source Spirit Fish was dead!

Jiang Fan was dumbfounded on the spot!Were these spirit fish really that fragile?He had really overdone it this time!"Are they ready?" Zhenyan Venerable couldn't wait to open her eyes.Jiang Fan, feeling guilty, said, "Uh-huh, just count to ten silently, and then you'll see the surprise."

Zhenyan Venerable was overjoyed and quickly began counting down: "Ten, nine, eight..."How dared Jiang Fan stay?He quietly slipped out of the secret chamber, then decisively fled using his Cloud Shadow technique.

Sensing Jiang Fan's unusual movement, Zhenyan Venerable frowned but still dutifully finished her countdown."One!" After speaking the last number, Zhenyan Venerable eagerly opened her eyes and looked at the spirit pond.However, the scene that met her eyes was only a pond full of blood.She stood frozen for a full three breaths before reacting, letting out a frantic scream:"Jiang Fan! Get back here!"She looked at the pond of spirit fish with an aching heart, her chest bleeding figuratively.Years of effort had all been ruined by Jiang Fan!

Just then, in the furthest corner of the spirit pond, water rippled.A three-foot-long spirit fish, belly-up, surfaced.It was barely shaking its tail, on the verge of death!It turned out that because it was furthest from the other spirit fish, it had been minimally affected and spared from self-destruction.

Outside Xiyue Lake, Jiuxiang Chieftain looked at Jiang Fan, who was running in a disheveled state, with a strange expression."Young Master Jiang, did someone just curse at you?"Jiang Fan coughed dryly, "Did they? I didn't hear anything.""You're new to the Central Lands, perhaps you're having hallucinations due to acclimatization?""Come on, let's go take care of business."With that, he took the lead and left.

Jiuxiang Chieftain was speechless. "Me, acclimatization issues?"Just then, a joyous shout came from the White Pagoda:"Jiang Fan, come back quickly!"Jiuxiang Chieftain was stunned."How can it be cursing one moment and affection the next?""Am I really hallucinating?""Are the Central Lands really that strange?"

A short while later, Jiang Fan arrived beside the Sky-Connecting Black Pillar, surrounded by tribesmen from Wanhsiang Stockade.Bai Xin and several members of the Imperial Observatory were organizing them.Those of Nascent Soul Middle Stage and above were sent to the Imperial Observatory, to serve as pillars of strength in the future resistance against the ancient giants.Those below were sent to a designated island, forbidden from freely roaming the Taicang Grand State.

Seeing Jiang Fan's arrival, Bai Xin put down what she was doing and came to him."Long time no see," Bai Xin greeted him proactively, with the Brightheart Sword Jiang Fan had given her strapped to her back.Although her expression remained blank and unchanging, initiating a greeting was unprecedented for her.

Jiang Fan nodded. Suddenly, he noticed that Bai Xin had broken through to Seven-Aperture Nascent Soul!"Have you found your Dao?" Jiang Fan asked.Bai Xin nodded, simply uttering two words: "Justice."

Jiang Fan was surprised.Bai Xin had just broken through to Seven-Aperture Nascent Soul and already found her Dao?Yet, thinking about it, it seemed perfectly logical.Bai Xin's mind was exceptionally pure; she had only ever pursued one thing: eliminating evil.Therefore, her Dao didn't need to be sought; it had always been there.

"Congratulations. With your temperament, attaining Divine Transformation is very promising," Jiang Fan said with a hint of envy.Bai Xin nodded. "What about you? Do you have your Dao?"Jiang Fan gave a bitter smile. "Still looking."

Bai Xin thought for a moment and said, "Go back to where it all began, and ask your own heart."Jiang Fan was stunned.This held a similar meaning to what Heart Sin Venerable had said: "Look back at the path you've traveled; the answer lies within."The path he had traveled?Where it all began?Jiang Fan couldn't help but gaze towards the mainland.