Chapter 1498: Heavenly Being's Five Decline

Unsolvable Substitute Marriage: Jiang Fan and Xu Yining

Bingxin Grand Venerable froze for a moment, then realized she was still wearing the Empathic Ring on her hand.

She was startled and quickly took it off, saying, "No, Venerable Lianjing, listen to me explain. Things aren't what you think..."

Venerable Lianjing looked strange and muttered, "Could it be that Jiang Fan forced it onto you? Does it even need explaining?" The Empathic Ring, such a famous supreme treasure for Daoist couples from the Mountain of Stars, how could Bingxin Grand Venerable not recognize it? Since she recognized it, how could she wear it casually? Even if Jiang Fan really had the ability to put it on Bingxin Grand Venerable, with her strength, couldn't she forcibly remove it? She quickly came to her senses, covering her mouth and chuckling, "Young people are so sensitive. Godmother seems to have come at the wrong time. I've disturbed your young people's good thing."

Bingxin Grand Venerable quickly threw the Empathic Ring to Jiang Fan and said, "Jiang Fan and I really have no relationship!" Jiang Fan caught the Empathic Ring and quickly explained as well. "Godmother thinks too highly of me. How could I have the ability to make a Supreme Venerable fall for me? It was a complete misunderstanding between her and me. Here's what happened..."

Realizing it was a misunderstanding, Venerable Lianjing sighed in disappointment, "I even prepared the gift for my daughter-in-law's formal address change, and you tell me it's a misunderstanding? How useless!"

Jiang Fan's mouth twitched. Nothing's even happened yet, and you want someone to call you 'mother'? Isn't that too eager?

Bingxin Grand Venerable lightly frowned, "Venerable Lianjing, aren't you taking this joke too far?"

Venerable Lianjing glanced at her sideways and snorted, "What's wrong with a joke? You almost beat up my godson, and I haven't even settled that score with you yet! Luckily he wasn't hurt, or I'd make you pay!"

Realizing she wasn't her daughter-in-law, Venerable Lianjing's expression changed instantly, and she immediately gave her a cold look. Bingxin Grand Venerable was already simmering with anger; hearing this, her eyebrows arched. "Why are you being unreasonable? Jiang Fan clearly stole my undergarment, and I didn't even pursue it, yet you're still complaining about me!" She felt she had been generous enough. If it were any other Grand Venerable whose undergarment was stolen, how could they let Jiang Fan off so easily? However, what angered her was this.

Venerable Lianjing shielded Jiang Fan, placing her hands on her hips, and said, "What 'your' undergarment? That's a wild undergarment my precious son fished out with his own ability!" Bingxin Grand Venerable could hardly believe her ears, so enraged her words were stumbling: "Wi-wild undergarment? You are simply unreasonable!" Is this Venerable Lianjing overly protective of her cub?

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose. In the past, Jiang Fan had despised those "second-generation rich" who, protected by their overbearing parents, committed all sorts of evil. But after experiencing the feeling of being a "second-generation rich" himself, he finally knew how happy it was to be one. However, he didn't want Venerable Lianjing to conflict with a Grand Venerable of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man for his sake. Venerable Lianjing would suffer.

"Godmother, let's just let it go. We owe nothing to each other."

Venerable Lianjing turned back and gave Jiang Fan a reassuring, confident smile: "From now on, no one can bully you! Not even that dog, the City Lord of Heaven's Legacy!"

As her words fell, the divine halo behind her head flickered with flame markings. But it was no longer four marks. It was a full five marks!

Bingxin Grand Venerable's pupils contracted. "You broke through to the Five Decays of Heaven and Man?" she asked in surprise. How was that possible? Wasn't Venerable Lianjing at the Four Decays of Heaven and Man? The opportunity to break through to the Five Decays was incredibly difficult, rarely seen in the entire Central Land. Otherwise, even with her son being the Young Emperor, the Central Land's foremost Supreme Venerable, she wouldn't have been unable to break through to the Five Decays for so many years.

Venerable Lianjing put her arm around Jiang Fan's shoulder, a look of unmistakable pride on her face: "Of course, it's because I have a good son!"

Bingxin Grand Venerable paused, then her heart jolted, and she exclaimed in surprise, "You obtained the lotus seed of the Black Lotus of Salvation? And you gave it to Venerable Lianjing?" Only that lotus seed, which even the Black Dragon Grand Venerable coveted, could have such heaven-defying efficacy.

Jiang Fan was also stunned for a moment, then showed a surprised expression and cupped his hands, saying, "Congratulations, Godmother, on entering the realm of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man!" This was the highest cultivation below a Sage. Thinking of this, he took out ten percent of his merit, saying, "A small congratulatory gift, please don't despise it, Godmother."

Venerable Lianjing's pupils contracted: "Merit?" Looking at the thumb-sized merit in Jiang Fan's palm, she had a look of disbelief. She had only obtained a wisp of merit after searching throughout the Central Land, yet what Jiang Fan casually produced was even more than what she had painstakingly sought.

"Where did you get this merit?" Venerable Lianjing asked in surprise. Jiang Fan said, "It was entrusted to me by an elder; this portion is for Godmother. I hope Godmother accumulates enough merit soon and enters the Sage realm." In terms of character, Venerable Lianjing also deserved a portion of the merit. As for whether Venerable Lianjing would give it to her son, the Young Emperor, that was beyond Jiang Fan's control.

Venerable Lianjing's gaze was complex. Jiang Fan knew she was seeking merit for the Young Emperor, yet he still gave it to her. After a moment of thought, she accepted it and said, "Thank you for the congratulatory gift, my son. I will keep it for myself." The implied meaning was that she would not give it to the Young Emperor.

Bingxin Grand Venerable saw this and felt envious in her heart. No wonder Venerable Lianjing was so protective; Jiang Fan was also incredibly good to Venerable Lianjing, to an enviable degree. Merit, the opportunity of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man—which of these wasn't a precious treasure that would shake the Central Land?

Seeing that the two had much to talk about, Bingxin Grand Venerable, understandingly, didn't disturb them and said, "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."

"Wait!" Jiang Fan called out to her, "I have a question I'd like to ask Bingxin Grand Venerable."

"Speak."

Jiang Fan looked puzzled and said, "Grand Venerable, why were you so exceptionally attentive to me when we were on Spirit Snake Mountain?" That attentiveness came extremely suddenly. So much so that both Golden Scale Grand Venerable and Little Kirin had the mistaken impression that Bingxin Grand Venerable was interested in Jiang Fan.

Bingxin Grand Venerable opened her mouth, intending to reveal the identity of "Prosperity Blossom." On second thought, she felt it was meaningless. The catastrophe of the ancient giants would destroy everything; this meeting might be their last. So, the words on the tip of her tongue turned into a perfunctory reply: "You're overthinking it."

Jiang Fan gave a wry smile. Was it his own illusion? Alright. He took out a hundred particles of Spacetime Dust and said, "I'll give these to you instead."

Bingxin Grand Venerable lightly frowned: "I told you, the merit is enough. Keep the Spacetime Dust for yourself to exchange for more valuable resources." Although she also really wanted the Spacetime Dust, she didn't intend to be greedy for more.

Jiang Fan calmly said, "I cultivate the Flawless Domain. To achieve deification, I cannot have any shortcomings. If I owe you a favor, it will hinder my path to deification."

"Flawless Domain?" Bingxin Grand Venerable frowned: "Why would you cultivate such an unusual domain?" After a moment of thought, she accepted it and said, "Alright, you no longer owe me anything. I hope you achieve deification soon. And I hope you can survive the catastrophe of the ancient giants."

Jiang Fan said, "You too, take care."

Bingxin Grand Venerable gazed deeply at Jiang Fan, then teleported away. Soon after, a powerful spatial force surged from the teleportation hall.

Jiang Fan breathed a long sigh of relief; the undergarment matter was finally resolved. However, a rather grave voice sounded in his ear: "Why are you pursuing the Flawless Path? This path makes deification too difficult!"