Chapter 1475: Brave Real Man

Gu Xiner blinked. "What? Are five high-grade crystal mines too few?"

"I think so too!"

"Turns out I'm still too kind-hearted; I just don't fit in with the black-market merchant vibe of our Imperial One-Tier Pavilion."

Cough, cough, cough.

The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master coughed heavily a few times and quickly cut Gu Xiner off:

"They say the waves behind push the waves in front."

"It's true I'm a front wave, but you, Vice Pavilion Master Gu, aren't just a back wave; you're a tsunami!"

The other vice pavilion masters were stunned for a long time.

Who had been influencing Vice Pavilion Master Gu these past few days? How had she transformed from the Imperial One-Tier Pavilion's sole conscience into someone utterly unscrupulous?

Gu Xiner remained completely oblivious to any change in herself. Compared to Jiang Fan, that scoundrel who duped everyone, she was practically a paragon of virtue.

Gu Xiner asked curiously, "Pavilion Master, how many fifth-grade spirit pills did you acquire?"

"Share some with me; I'll go extort Jiang Fan."

"That guy is loaded. If I could beat him, I'd have long since put a sack over his head, dragged him into an alley, and thoroughly robbed him."

The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master chuckled, "It's a good thing you held back."

"Otherwise, he would have robbed you clean."

"The news I received is that he unleashed a terrifying display of power in Tianyi City, Guixu State. His battle achievements... are horrifying."

"I had to confirm it from multiple sources before I dared to believe the truth of this information."

The vice pavilion masters perked up their ears. Jiang Fan's formidable reputation was now spreading across the Central Plains, and the strong cultivators of Taicang Great State were naturally even more aware of him. Not long ago, he had slain the Heart Demon Venerable. He had also furiously cut down a two-star giant king in the North Sea and then killed an envoy from Young Emperor Mountain.

Each of these earth-shattering achievements sent shivers down people's spines. Now, hearing news of Jiang Fan again, how could they not be curious?

Gu Xiner perked up her small ears, her eyes sparkling. "What divine power did he display?"

"Isn't Tianyi City the territory of the half-giants?"

"Those guys are not to be trifled with. Did Jiang Fan perhaps fight one of their Dharma-aspect realm experts?"

The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master nodded. "A fight? Something like that."

Everyone's expression remained calm. Previously, they would have been shocked to hear of a Nascent Soul realm cultivator battling a Spirit Transformation realm expert. But after hearing so many of Jiang Fan's accomplishments, him fighting a Dharma-aspect realm half-giant now seemed rather unremarkable. There was even a fleeting thought that it was hardly worth mentioning.

However, the Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master changed the subject, saying, "This time, he killed over half of Tianyi City's Dharma-aspect realm experts."

The large conference room suddenly fell silent. Everyone froze, looking at each other, silently questioning if they had misheard something.

Gu Xiner stared blankly. "Pavilion Master, if I understood you correctly, Jiang Fan killed five Dharma-aspect realm half-giants?"

The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master nodded. "And he did it in front of the Tianyi City Lord, a five-aspect realm half-giant himself."

The entire room fell silent again, pairs of eyes wide with astonishment.

"Oh, and it's said that the Sage protecting Tianyi City appeared. Jiang Fan, right in front of him, crushed their souls, leaving them no chance to seize another body and cultivate again."

The conference room was utterly silent, their breathing the only sound audible.

After a long pause, Gu Xiner's eyes glazed over. "So, all my death notes were written in vain?"

If she couldn't beat Jiang Fan, what good were all those little notebooks?

The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master smiled faintly. "This is a good thing. Our Taicang Great State has gained another formidable warrior."

"If he can successfully reach the Spirit Transformation realm, I can't even imagine what his combat power would be."

He pondered. The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master took out a jade box, flicked it with a finger, and the box slid across the table to Gu Xiner.

"It's for you."

Gu Xiner looked wary. "For me?"

"Pavilion Master, you're the kind of person who charges for answering questions. You'd give me something for free?"

"Are you perhaps plotting something?"

The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master smiled but said nothing.

Gu Xiner opened the jade box suspiciously. What met her eyes was a broken, multi-colored nail, only the bottom half remaining. Only the lower half was present. Judging by the marks, it seemed to have been broken for some time. Her pretty eyes widened, and she gasped, "The Enlightenment Divine Nail?"

"And it's the half that Jiang Fan is missing?"

"Pavilion Master, how did it end up in your hands?"

The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master calmly replied, "In this world, is there anything our Imperial One-Tier Pavilion cannot find?"

"Give it to Jiang Fan. If he can kill a few more enemies, this deal won't be a loss."

Gu Xiner was a little moved. "Pavilion Master, you're finally acting like a human for once."

"I'm so touched!"

The corner of the Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master's mouth twitched.

"If you can't speak properly, then don't speak at all."

"Alright, how many fifth-grade spirit pills do you want?"

Gu Xiner quickly put away the half-Enlightenment Divine Nail and asked, "How many does the Pavilion Master have?"

"A hundred."

"Huh?"

"Pavilion Master, where did you get so much money?"

A hundred fifth-grade healing spirit pills—at this critical juncture, did it even need to be said what that meant? Each one was priceless, a life-saving treasure worth a fortune. Let alone collecting a full hundred of them. Even using all the resources of the Imperial One-Tier Pavilion might not be enough.

The Imperial One-Tier Pavilion Master smiled calmly. "I recently made a big deal."

"I'm rich."

***

Heavenly Secret Pavilion.

Biluo's brows were furrowed in a worried frown as she looked at the dying Palace Master of the Stellar Pavilion on the ground. After nearly a month of Huang Quan's "discipline," the Palace Master of the Stellar Pavilion finally couldn't withstand his "assault." She was at her last gasp, on the brink of death.

Huang Quan stood to the side like a child who had done wrong. His face was pale, his steps unsteady and weak. The once robust and muscular man had become as thin as a stick.

"Biluo, please plead for me in front of Jiang Fan."

"I truly didn't mean to torture the Palace Master of the Stellar Pavilion to death. It's just that she wouldn't comply, so I had to keep going. The more I went, the more she resisted; the more she resisted, the more I had to go."

"And then, well, she was gone."

Biluo trembled with anger, pointing at him. "You... how can I possibly plead for you?"

"I told you to take her as a concubine, and you messed it up!"

"I gave you an opportunity, and you were utterly useless!"

"Are you trying to infuriate me to death?!"

Just as she was fuming, Jiang Fan flew back. He chuckled, "Sister Biluo, Brother Huang, are you two quarreling?"

Everyone else was in seclusion. When Jiang Fan flew back, there was no one outside except the Tiger Demon Emperor and his wife.

Biluo said with surprise, "Brother Fan, you're back?"

"Was your trip safe?"

Jiang Fan chuckled. "Everything's fine. Are you two alright?"

Hearing this, Biluo glared at Huang Quan with a look of exasperated disappointment. Considering their relationship as husband and wife, she still bit the bullet and pleaded, "Huang Quan caused trouble again."

"The Palace Master of the Stellar Pavilion... is beyond help."

Jiang Fan's eyes widened. Only then did he notice the disheveled and barely breathing Palace Master of the Stellar Pavilion lying behind Huang Quan.

Wait, wasn't she a Hellish Desolate Beast? A vanguard emissary of the ancient giants, the one who released the Sky-Connecting Dark Pillars, a ferocious creature from Hell itself. She was actually... worked to death?

Jiang Fan looked at Huang Quan again. His admiration for him had reached an unprecedented level.

"Brother Quan, you're amazing!" Jiang Fan gave him a thumbs-up. He rarely admired people. But Huang Quan had earned his sincere respect. This was truly a courageous man!

Huang Quan carefully observed Jiang Fan's expression, wondering, "You're not blaming me?"

Jiang Fan smiled. "You've eliminated a scourge for the people; I don't have time to blame you, only to reward you."

Reward? Huang Quan looked utterly bewildered. He had just... worked to death the Sect Master of a medium-sized sect. And he was actually fine?

But in the next moment, Huang Quan's lifelong nightmare began.