Chapter 315: Encounter with the Demon Emperor's Daughter

"I'm asking you! What's your name?" The girl in the red dress was none other than the Demon Emperor's daughter, who had just arrived at the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, ready to wreak havoc.

She had originally been standing quietly in line when she suddenly caught a whiff of her subordinates' demon cores. Among them, she surprisingly detected Coldbone's!

This both shocked and angered her. One of her father's generals had actually fallen! What made her unable to suppress her hostility was that the demon cores were right there on the masked man in front of her.

Moreover, he carried the demon cores of not only Coldbone but also Copper-Scaled Black Centipede, Black Eagle, and Silver-Winged Thunderbird! This scoundrel held four demon beast kings' cores!

Although it was unlikely he had killed them himself, it was still unbearable for her. This led to the scene that had just unfolded.

Jiang Fan retorted impatiently, "Why don't you guess?" This girl must have something wrong with her head, he thought. Why would she inexplicably show hostility towards him and then ask his name?

He'd be damned if he told her. The girl in the red dress gritted her teeth and spat, "You'd better pray you don't enter the Sword Forest!"

If they met in the Sword Forest, he would be the first one she targeted.

With that, she pushed Jiang Fan aside and stormed up to the inspecting martial artist, tossing an identity token at him.

Jiang Fan's expression subtly changed as he saw it. It was actually an identity token from the Righteous Thunder Sect!

He looked at Xu Yining with a questioning gaze. Was this girl part of the Righteous Thunder Sect's contingent on this trip? Why did he have no recollection of her?

Xu Yining also noticed something amiss and shook her head, responding to Jiang Fan's unspoken query. She had spent several days with the Righteous Thunder Sect's group, and there had certainly been no such girl among them. Jiang Fan frowned. Was this girl impersonating a Righteous Thunder Sect disciple, or was she a genuine disciple who had just arrived?

Without evidence, Jiang Fan didn't feel it was appropriate to expose her. Besides, he didn't want to get involved in the Righteous Thunder Sect's affairs.

His eyes flashed. While Xu Yining's attention was drawn to the girl in red, he discreetly took out his own identity token and handed it to another inspecting martial artist. The martial artist simply registered it and returned the token to Jiang Fan.

By the time Xu Yining noticed, Jiang Fan had already put away his token. "Let's go in," he said. "Let's see if we can rendezvous with Elder Ling and the others."

Xu Yining pouted and lightly stamped her foot. "How stingy! You wouldn't even let me see your token!" She had finally had a chance to glimpse the true identity of Shadow Guard Number One, but it had been missed due to the girl in red's interruption.

The two entered the city. Not far from the city gate, at a tea stall, they immediately spotted Ling Jinghu, Ji Ruyue, and their group.

Ling Jinghu's arm was injured; it was bandaged and in a sling, likely a broken bone. Of the five disciples, only four remained. It wasn't hard to guess the fate of the one who hadn't returned. They were probably an unlucky soul, much like Jiang Fan, who happened to be discovered and pursued by a demon beast. However, Jiang Fan, with his formidable strength and endless stratagems, managed to save his life. The other person wasn't so fortunate.

"Oh! It's Jiang... Junior Sister Xu and the others!" Ji Ruyue, sharp-eyed, immediately spotted Jiang Fan. She nearly blurted out Jiang Fan's identity but managed to correct herself in time.

Hearing this, Ling Jinghu quickly looked over. Seeing Jiang Fan and Xu Yining completely unharmed, a deep sense of relief washed over her weary face. She hurried forward, sighing in relief. "It's good that you're safe, so good!" "I thought you might have encountered danger too. Now I can finally account to the Sect Leader." She had been entrusted by the Sect Leader to escort this savior to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect. If anything had happened to him, she wouldn't have been able to fulfill her duty.

Jiang Fan greatly admired this Elder, who had sacrificed herself to lure away the beast king and create an escape route for the disciples. Glancing at her arm injury, he immediately took out a Rejuvenation Pill. "Elder Ling, thank you for escorting us all this way," he said. "Please take this healing pill as soon as possible."

Ling Jinghu accepted it with surprise. For a moment, she didn't recognize the green-hued pill. Ji Ruyue, however, gasped, clearly recognizing it as the Rejuvenation Pill that had sold for an exorbitant price that day. Jiang Fan had just casually given away such an expensive Rejuvenation Pill!

Ripples of emotion stirred in her eyes. She showed deep admiration. Jiang Fan truly was never stingy with those around him.

Ling Jinghu said shamefacedly, "Young Master, you flatter me. When we truly encountered danger, I couldn't protect you. You were fortunate to escape by relying on yourselves. Where will you go next? I have some friends in the Ten Thousand Swords Sect who can provide you with accommodation and food."

She wanted to do more for Jiang Fan to make amends. But how could Jiang Fan dare to continue staying with Ling Jinghu? If his identity were exposed, there's no telling what she might do to him. "Elder Ling, I appreciate your kindness," Jiang Fan said, finding an excuse. "I'd like to make a trip to the Ten Thousand Swords Sect to visit Grand Elder Zhou Qidan."

Hearing this, Ling Jinghu did not try to keep him. This was a great opportunity for Jiang Fan; how could she hinder him?

"Very well, then we'll see each other again tomorrow in the Sword Forest."

She watched Jiang Fan and Xu Yining depart. Only after they had disappeared into the crowd did the expression on Ling Jinghu's face gradually fade. She instructed, "You may go about your activities. We'll meet at the inn tonight." The disciples acknowledged her and dispersed. During their recent escape, everyone had used up all their spiritual pills, talismans, and other items, so they needed to restock.

Ji Ruyue also prepared to leave but was called back by Ling Jinghu. "Ruyue, stay here."

Ji Ruyue felt a flutter of unease in her heart but obediently remained. Once the other disciples had all dispersed, Ling Jinghu looked at Ji Ruyue with a meaningful gaze, her expression serious. "You have quite some nerve!"

Ji Ruyue's heart seized, and she quickly bowed. "Disciple... Disciple doesn't know where I've erred. Please enlighten me, Grand Elder."

"Hmph!" Ling Jinghu snorted through her nostrils and uttered a sentence that sent Ji Ruyue into a panic. "You recognized long ago that this masked man was Jiang Fan, the one the Sect Leader is hunting, didn't you? And you actually concealed it and didn't report it."

*Thump-thump* Ji Ruyue's face stiffened, and she stammered in panic, "Ah? H-he's Jiang Fan? This disciple truly didn't realize!"

Ling Jinghu said, "Stop pretending! The guqin on his back, the sword wrapped in cloth—you couldn't have failed to recognize them, could you? Those are Jiang Fan's belongings!"

"You saw them just now, yet you didn't show the slightest surprise. That's enough to prove you knew his identity all along." Ji Ruyue's face turned ashen.

With trembling lips, she knelt down and said, "This disciple didn't intend to hide anything. Please forgive me, Grand Elder..." To her surprise, Ling Jinghu raised a hand and helped her up, not allowing her to fully kneel. The authoritative expression she'd worn moments before vanished, replaced by a wry smile. "If you are guilty, wouldn't I, this Elder, also be guilty for letting him go?"

"Uh—" Only then did Ji Ruyue regain her senses. "Right," she thought. "If Elder Ling truly wanted to capture Jiang Fan, why didn't she make a move after recognizing his identity just now?"

She asked uncertainly, "Grand Elder, what do you mean?"

Ling Jinghu smiled faintly and said, "What I mean is... we don't know anything. Letting him go means I've repaid all the favors I owe him."

Hearing the first part, Ji Ruyue's face lit up with pleasure. But the latter part left her feeling torn between laughter and tears. She pointed to the green-hued pill in Ling Jinghu's hand and teasingly said, "This favor, Elder Ling, I'm afraid you'll have to keep repaying."