Chapter 39: City Lord's Daughter

Meanwhile,

Jiang Fan placed twenty low-grade Foundation Establishment Pills, which he had refined in one go, in front of Chen Siling. "I kept some; you can sell these."

Chen Siling was overjoyed. Foundation Establishment Pills were more appealing than high-grade Qi Cultivation Liquid. After all, many cultivators spent their whole lives reaching Qi Cultivation Level 9 but then struggled without Foundation Establishment Pills. Now, with a pill in front of them, they would be willing to pay any price, because once they achieved Foundation Establishment, their status would change dramatically. And with a full twenty pills, selling even one a day would entirely maintain the Chen family's reputation.

"How should I give you the money? And the previous Qi Cultivation Liquid has all been sold; you should receive that money too." Chen Siling bent down to retrieve the money.

Jiang Fan waved his hand. "I don't need it for now. Keep it with you."

Feeling he had stayed too long at the Chen family's residence and it wasn't very safe, he quickly took his leave. Chen Siling, however, felt delighted. Her eyes gazed at Jiang Fan's receding figure as she murmured, "So he trusts me this much."

Not long after Jiang Fan left, Chen Zhengdao and Liu Qingxian landed, riding a giant eagle. They no longer concealed their intentions and directly asked, "Where is that three-star Soul Master?"

Chen Siling still answered truthfully, "He just left."

Chen Zhengdao saw the Foundation Establishment Pills next to her, immediately stepped forward, picked up a bottle, and sniffed it. "Foundation Establishment Pills!" His pupils contracted. "Excellent quality! Indeed, they are from a three-star Soul Master!"

Liu Qingxian was about to go crazy, stamping her foot as she said, "How can it be such a coincidence? He arrived just after we left, and he left as soon as we arrived? Who exactly is monitoring whom?"

With that stomp, the giant eagle beneath her winced and turned its head, revealing large, watery, innocent eyes. *You're angry, go find that three-star Soul Master! Why stomp on me? I'm just a passing bird.*

Seeing the incomparably beautiful daughter of the Qingyun Sect Master, looking as if she were about to go crazy with anger, Chen Siling couldn't help but feel worried for Jiang Fan. *Jiang Fan, Jiang Fan, don't let this young miss find you, or she'll give you a good thrashing.*

Chen Zhengdao, too, was exasperated. He said, "I can only say our luck is terrible! We missed the peerless prodigy, and we missed the three-star Soul Master. How about this: I'll stay here, and you guard Ascension Path. We're bound to catch one eventually."

Liu Qingxian felt deep regret. If she had stayed here earlier, she would definitely have caught that three-star Soul Master. So she immediately agreed, and the two once again rode the giant eagle into the sky.

Leaving Chen Siling speechless. *Well, they're monitoring right in front of me, not even bothering to hide it.*

Back at the Xu Residence, Jiang Fan, taking advantage of his spiritual power solidifying after a major battle, quickly swallowed a bottle of top-grade Qi Cultivation Liquid and began meditating cross-legged. Not long after, his body vibrated, and rich spiritual power overflowed from his surface. He had surprisingly reached the ninth level of Qi Cultivation! Feeling his spiritual power, which was more than twice as dense, Jiang Fan was confident he could spar a few rounds with a Foundation Establishment Projection from the eleventh level.

"Young Master Jiang, Young Master Jiang!" The urgent knocking of the butler suddenly resounded from outside the door.

Jiang Fan, puzzled, opened the door and, seeing the panting Butler Zhang, surprisingly wrote, "What happened?"

Butler Zhang, not bothering to catch his breath, said, "The City Lord... the City Lord's daughter, Miss Ye Qingxue, has arrived."

Ye Qingxue? Wasn't that Xu Yining's close friend? She went abroad for further studies three years ago. Her sudden visit to the Xu family now should be to see Xu Yining.

Jiang Fan picked up his pen and wrote, "Hasn't Xu Yining returned yet?"

Butler Zhang anxiously said, "Not only has the Young Mistress not returned, but the Master and Madam, and other family members, have all gone out to inquire about the Blood Bat Palace. No one is home, so we can only ask you to receive her."

No wonder they came to him, Jiang Fan. Jiang Fan felt a little reluctant. In his memory, Ye Qingxue, influenced by Xu Yining, didn't have much liking for him either. She was always cold when they met, never showing him a pleasant expression. But there was truly no one else in the Xu family. Having no choice, he had to brace himself and go to the main hall.

Ye Qingxue wore a long, moon-white silk gown with flowing, wide sleeves embroidered with delicate golden butterflies. Her long, black hair cascaded smoothly down her back. Her slender and graceful figure, beneath the soft gown, revealed a captivating silhouette. Her fair complexion with a hint of blush, exuded a cool and noble aura.

Seeing Jiang Fan approach, a look of unfamiliarity appeared on her face: "You are?" After all, she rarely saw Jiang Fan, and it had been three years since she left. Jiang Fan's appearance had changed somewhat. He picked up his pen and quickly began to write.

Seeing him pick up the pen, Ye Qingxue suddenly realized, "No need to write. You're Jiang Fan, the mute." Although they rarely met, Jiang Fan's name had been mentioned countless times in her presence. Almost every time they met, Xu Yining would complain about Jiang Fan: complaining that he was mute, that he had no spiritual root, and that he shamelessly wanted to marry her. Ye Qingxue had heard it so often her ears were practically calloused. She had thus formed a preconceived negative impression of this person she had never truly interacted with.

Jiang Fan quickly finished writing a line: "Xu Yining is on Ascension Path. Uncle and Aunt Xu are also busy outside. I'll have someone prepare tea for you."

So Xu Yining wasn't home. Ye Qingxue, disappointed, stood up and said, "No need to trouble yourselves. When Xu Yining returns, tell her to find me at the City Lord's manor. I need her help."

Jiang Fan nodded. He subtly let out a breath. He wasn't sure how to entertain Xu Yining's best friend. Being too cold or too enthusiastic both seemed inappropriate.

Just then, Butler Zhang suddenly rushed back in a panic, a gash on his forehead bleeding profusely. "Young Master Jiang, this is bad! The Qin family head has brought his clan members and stormed into our residence! They're hitting people and seizing anything they see! Please, go quickly and see!"

"What?" Jiang Fan was startled. The Qin family head's visit this time was, without a doubt, to demand the 300,000 taels of silver that Lu Zheng owed them. But if he wanted money, why was he hurting people? He grabbed the wooden sword from the table, cupped his hands to Ye Qingxue, and immediately rushed to the front courtyard.

Ye Qingxue shook her head slightly. "Xu Yining was truly right. This Jiang Fan isn't just mute; he's also a blockhead, completely clueless. The Qin family has come with their entire clan. What can an uncultivated person like him do by rushing over? Is he just offering himself up? The urgent matter at hand is to quickly notify the Xu family members to return. Or, if he were smarter, he could have asked me for help." With a sigh, she reluctantly moved her lotus steps. "Never mind. Since I've encountered this, I'll help Xu Yining out this once."

In the front courtyard, the Qin family's young master snatched a three-year-old Xu family child from the arms of an old nanny. Ignoring the child's frightened flailing and cries, he held him by one leg, dangling him upside down in the air, and said with disgust, "All the Xu family's bastards are the same, just looking at them is repulsive." Saying this, he casually tossed the child towards a corner. And that corner happened to be where the servants boiled water! The old nanny and maids gasped and screamed in horror, rushing forward to catch the child, but they were too far away and it was already too late.

When Jiang Fan arrived, he happened to witness this scene. His pupils immediately constricted!