Chapter 316: Qin Caihe's Scolding

Ling Jinghu was stunned. She looked at the medicinal pill in her hand and asked, "It's just a healing pill. How valuable can it be?"

Ji Ruyue showed a look of envy, staring at the green pill. "A healing pill worth two hundred thousand crystals? Isn't that valuable enough?"

"How much?"

Ling Jinghu, who had just sat down, sprang to her feet in surprise. "Two hundred thousand crystals? How can it be that expensive... Wait, could this be the legendary Rejuvenation Pill? The ancient pill that can heal all internal and external injuries within half an hour?"

Ji Ruyue nodded, her eyes burning with intensity. "What else could it be?"

Ling Jinghu gasped.

Jiang Fan had actually given her such a life-saving elixir.

After a moment, she carefully put it away, a wry smile on her face. "I really can't repay this favor..."

***

At the foot of Mount Myriad Swords Sect.

Xu Yining stopped and said, "I'll wait for you here."

Shadow Guard One needed to meet with the Grand Elder of Myriad Swords Sect. Her presence would undoubtedly be a burden.

Jiang Fan nodded and stepped through the mountain gate.

The moment he entered, he almost thought he had walked into a marketplace. He saw lines of carriages and dozens of disciples clustered at the gate, waiting to hand in their missions. Several Myriad Swords Sect disciples responsible for mission handover were overwhelmed with work.

Jiang Fan's mouth twitched. It turned out everyone was the same: relying on being escorted by elders, they took on some missions to get free contribution points. As a result, the sheer number of people had almost paralyzed the Myriad Swords Sect's mission handover point.

Just then, Jiang Fan heard a familiar voice, full of complaints.

"Why are you all pushing and shoving? Can't you form a proper line?"

Jiang Fan turned his head and couldn't help but feel speechless. It was Qin Caihe! She was tidying up the chaotic scene, complaining loudly, with a very impatient expression. She had just returned to Myriad Swords Sect, and her seat wasn't even warm yet. She was forced to come and assist at the mountain gate due to the pile-up of disciples handing in missions. Who could be in a good mood after that?

The junior sister next to her cautiously said, "Senior Sister Qin, don't talk like that. It's easy to offend people." Those who came today were elite disciples from various sects; it wasn't like usual times. A single sentence like that could offend many powerful disciples. If a vengeful person remembered it, there would be trouble.

Qin Caihe, however, continued as before. "Who cares about them! They're all elite disciples, yet they have no manners!"

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose. This person was quite reasonable when she was with him. Why did she revert to her sharp-tongued and critical nature the moment she left him?

He patiently waited at the end of the line. Not long after, it was his turn.

Qin Caihe, beads of sweat on her forehead, finished registering the previous disciple's information. She was still complaining incessantly.

"Every single one of them just knows how to take advantage. And they call themselves elite disciples, just freeloading."

The junior sister next to her was speechless. She quickly glanced around at everyone's expressions and pleaded, "Senior Sister, please say less." Qin Caihe wasn't afraid of offending people, but she was afraid of being implicated.

Qin Caihe scoffed, "I said what I said! Am I supposed to be afraid of them? Next!"

Jiang Fan sheepishly stepped forward. He was also one of the "freeloaders." He hadn't expected that after only a few days apart, he would be included in Qin Caihe's scolding.

He placed his jade slip, identity token, and a letter of contact on the table. The letter was his mission item this time.

Qin Caihe casually glanced at Jiang Fan, noticed he was wearing a mask, and frowned slightly. She picked up the letter and began inspecting it carefully. At the same time, she instructed the junior sister next to her, "Thoroughly check his identity token and jade slip." With the Sword Forest event approaching, no suspicious individuals could be allowed to infiltrate.

Soon, the junior sister confirmed everything was in order. "The identity token and mission jade slip are fine," she said.

Qin Caihe also finished inspecting the letter. "Everything's fine here too," she said. But she didn't just let him pass the check. With her arms crossed, she stared at Jiang Fan and warned, "Sir, during this special period, it's best not to be secretive. It might lead to misunderstandings."

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose. He was lectured by her again. He nodded and said, "Thank you for the guidance, Senior Sister."

Seeing that Jiang Fan was receptive to advice and his attitude was acceptable, Qin Caihe instructed the junior sister next to her, "Register him!"

The junior sister let out a slight breath. Senior Sister Qin truly wasn't afraid of offending people! She dared to lecture someone face-to-face like that. If the other person were narrow-minded, a grudge would have been formed. Fortunately, Senior Sister Qin didn't make things difficult further. She quickly opened the registration book and began registering him, cross-referencing with the identity token. Her small mouth softly mumbled, "Jiang Fan."

Qin Caihe froze, then suddenly shrieked, "What did you say his name was?"

The junior sister trembled in fright, thinking she had made a mistake in registration. She quickly looked at the identity token. After checking, she couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Senior Sister, I didn't make a mistake in registration. It's Jiang Fan, disciple Jiang Fan of Qingyun Sect."

Qin Caihe looked at the masked person in front of her in disbelief. When she noticed the masked person's half-smile, she couldn't help but shiver. It really was Jiang Fan!

She was overjoyed and immediately jumped over the desk. Excitedly gripping Jiang Fan's arms, she babbled incoherently, "Junior Brother Jiang! Why are you here? How did you come to Myriad Swords Sect? I thought I'd never see you again!"

Jiang Fan said irritably, "I didn't expect your temper to grow so much in just a few days. It's a good thing we were only apart for a short time. If it had been longer, it wouldn't have been just a simple scolding."

Qin Caihe's beautiful face immediately flushed crimson. Thinking of all her previous words, she couldn't help but cover her face in shame. She had actually been scolding Jiang Fan! Heavens! How embarrassing!

She stammered, "I'm sorry, Junior Brother Jiang, I didn't know it was you. If I had known, I wouldn't have dared even with ten times the courage."

Uh— The junior sister nearby stared in astonishment. In her impression, Senior Sister Qin never displayed such girlish behavior. Who was this masked person? He actually made her so shy. Noticing the strange looks from all around, she quietly reminded her, "Senior Sister, Senior Sister, let's take care of business first."

Qin Caihe came to her senses, her face flushing even more. She had truly lost her composure in front of everyone. She awkwardly returned to the desk, snatched the registration book, and personally and meticulously wrote Jiang Fan's name, stroke by stroke.

After registering him, her face was filled with concern. "Junior Brother Jiang, you must have had a tough journey, right?"

Jiang Fan replied, "It was fine. I came with the Grand Elder of the Acacia Sect for the Sword Forest event. With her protection, there wasn't much danger."

Qin Caihe said shamefully, "Junior Brother Jiang is so powerful and still so diligent, not forgetting to complete a mission even while attending the Sword Forest. Senior Sister feels truly inadequate."

The junior sister next to her had three big question marks hovering over her forehead. She mumbled, "Senior Sister, didn't you just say this was freeloading, taking advantage? How is it that when it's Junior Brother Jiang, it's diligence, and you feel inadequate... *sob, sob, sob!*"

Qin Caihe clapped her hand over her mouth. Her posture suggested she wished she could suffocate her on the spot. Her face flushed crimson again, and she said sheepishly, "Junior Brother Jiang, don't listen to this girl's nonsense. I never said that. Absolutely not!" At that moment, she was so embarrassed her toes could dig out a three-bedroom apartment on the floor.

Jiang Fan found it amusing. But he didn't dwell on it. Instead, he said seriously, "Senior Sister Qin, I want to ask about something." Handing in the mission was secondary. The most important thing was to meet Grand Elder Zhou Qidan!