Chapter 392: A Fox on a Mountain

Uh—

Gu Huaxi looked puzzled. She had only casually asked Jiang Fan a question. Why did Youyunzi jump in to answer? Was he afraid she would value Jiang Fan's interrogation skills and try to snatch him away?

She chuckled, "Vice-Pavilion Master Youyunzi, if you like this disciple, you can keep him. I wouldn't be so ill-mannered as to snatch away a promising disciple just because I see one." Inwardly, she added a few more thoughts. "As if I'm so lacking in judgment that I'd take just any disciple. He merely possesses some special interrogation skills. I've never even heard his name, which suggests he's quite mediocre. I'd only take such a disciple if I were out of my mind."

Hearing this, Youyunzi felt relieved. Indeed, they were both Vice-Pavilion Masters; it wouldn't be appropriate to shamelessly snatch disciples from each other.

"You've made me laugh, Vice-Pavilion Master Gu," Youyunzi said with an embarrassed smile. "Jiang Fan is the descendant of an old acquaintance, so I want to take good care of him."

Gu Huaxi scoffed. So he's a pre-selected disciple, why bother finding such grand excuses? "We're all foxes from the same hill," she thought, "why tell me ghost stories?"

"Now that everything here is settled, let's return to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion quickly," Gu Huaxi said.

Behind them, Kong Yuanba, the Giant Sect Master, grew anxious. From the two Vice-Pavilion Masters' reactions, the information Jiang Fan had extracted was truly astonishing. The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion Master might even bestow a hefty reward. Such a fortunate opportunity had unexpectedly fallen to a Qingyun Sect disciple—and it was Jiang Fan, the very person who had defeated his nephew and caused him to lose face!

"Vice-Pavilion Master Gu, are we just going to leave it at that?" Kong Yuanba asked.

Gu Huaxi gave him an indifferent look. "What else can be done?" she asked. "You saw me interrogate this demon just now. Even if Jin Zhongming rushed back, he would likely be helpless. Jiang Fan obtained this information through his own ability; no one can object."

Since she had already said so, what could Kong Yuanba do, no matter how unwilling he was? It was hateful that this kid had somehow gained Youyunzi's powerful backing. Otherwise, he would have found a way to snatch this credit for his precious disciple, Jin Zhongming.

The group left the prison and was met by a panting disciple. "Sect Master," the disciple said, "Xue Wanzhong has returned."

Kong Yuanba's slightly irritated mood finally cleared a bit. He said, "He has finally achieved his wish; he now has the opportunity to enhance his Ancient Giant bloodline."

Gu Huaxi's gaze shifted slightly, and she secretly felt a pang of regret. She had actually once considered pre-selecting Xue Wanzhong as a disciple. However, he possessed the Ancient Giant bloodline, which had a rather infamous reputation throughout history. Due to this concern, she hadn't expressed any intention of taking him as a disciple. Now, suddenly hearing that Xue Wanzhong could enhance his Ancient Giant bloodline, she was moved. If his bloodline were enhanced, his physical strength might even surpass Jin Zhongming's.

"Reporting to you, Master," the disciple replied cautiously, "Senior Brother Xue... he's injured."

Kong Yuanba's expression tightened. "Injured? Quickly, take me to see him!" As the Giant Sect's second-ranked disciple, Xue Wanzhong was also a cherished treasure to Kong Yuanba.

Gu Huaxi and Youyunzi exchanged a glance. This was an internal matter of the Giant Sect, and it was inconvenient for them to interfere. Just as they were about to bid farewell, Kong Yuanba said, "Vice-Pavilion Masters, since you're already here, why not meet my disciple? If you can offer any guidance on enhancing his bloodline, this Sect Master would be extremely grateful."

Gu Huaxi couldn't offer any guidance on bloodlines, but she was very interested in the potentially enhanced Xue Wanzhong. Youyunzi had also heard about the Ancient Giant bloodline. Since they were here, seeing him would satisfy their curiosity.

"This junior will take his leave now," Jiang Fan said, being perceptive, as he cupped his hands and bowed out. Although Xue Wanzhong's poison injury had nothing to do with him, from what he knew about the Giant Sect, they would likely blame him. If he couldn't afford to provoke them, he could at least avoid them.

"Hey, you should come see too; it'll be a good experience," Youyunzi said, stopping him. "The Ancient Giant bloodline is very significant; if you miss this chance, you might not get to see it again."

Jiang Fan was torn between laughter and tears. "I've seen it more than once," he thought, "I've even fought against it." But he couldn't refuse Youyunzi's good intentions, and besides, with Youyunzi present, what could the Giant Sect possibly do to him? So, he reluctantly agreed.

The group arrived at the Sect Master's Hall. Xue Wanzhong stood in front of the hall with his hands behind his back. It had to be said that his Ancient Giant bloodline possessed enviable regenerative abilities. In just five days, the horrific poison injuries all over his body had almost completely healed. His skin, once disfigured by burns, now only had faint scald marks. His hands, which had been corrupted into a bloody mess, exposing the bones, by the eruption of the multicolored poisonous mist, had also almost recovered. Only some patches of skin were still oozing blood.

"Master!" Xue Wanzhong exclaimed, lowering his head in shame upon seeing Kong Yuanba.

Kong Yuanba immediately stepped forward to inspect him. Upon seeing the injuries all over his body, his voice suddenly turned cold: "Who did this?" From his stance, he clearly intended to severely retaliate against whoever was responsible.

Xue Wanzhong did want to find someone to vent his frustration on, but alas, no one was to blame for these poison injuries.

"It happened when I was extracting the multicolored profound ice; I was accidentally affected."

Learning that it was self-inflicted, the sinister look on Kong Yuanba's face receded, but he continued to complain. "What was that Lu Xiunian doing?" he grumbled. "If anything had happened to my disciple, I would have certainly settled the score with him."

Behind the crowd, Jiang Fan rolled his eyes. *You* Xue Wanzhong went there yourself, he thought, so you should bear the risk. Yet, you still have to blame others. The domineering style of the Giant Sect truly was remarkably consistent from top to bottom.

"Where is the multicolored profound ice? Let your Master and the two Vice-Pavilion Masters see it," Kong Yuanba said, his face now full of expectation. Even he had never seen multicolored profound ice before.

"This disciple is incompetent," Xue Wanzhong said shamefully, "I failed to obtain the multicolored profound ice!"

"What?" Kong Yuanba looked surprised. "That shouldn't be right. With your Ancient Giant bloodline, entering ordinary poisonous mists should be as easy as taking something from a bag. How could you have failed?"

Xue Wanzhong defended himself, "This disciple was careless. In that poisonous mist, there was a formidable multicolored poisonous toad and a cunning mist demon. They had placed the liquefied multicolored poisonous mist under the multicolored profound ice. When I was moving the multicolored profound ice, I was accidentally affected. Fortunately, this disciple reacted quickly and escaped the poisonous mist, thus saving my life."

"A multicolored poisonous toad?" Kong Yuanba was slightly startled. "Such a fierce creature actually exists there? Even an ordinary elder would find it extremely dangerous to encounter; it's impressive that you returned alive. Heal your wounds, prepare thoroughly, and your Master will accompany you personally to retrieve the multicolored profound ice."

Gu Huaxi and Youyunzi were also slightly surprised. The multicolored mine, a human territory, actually had multicolored poisonous toads? This fierce creature was indeed something Xue Wanzhong couldn't handle. Surviving was a miracle in itself.

Xue Wanzhong's expression was unnatural as he said, "There's no need to go again. The multicolored profound ice has already... already been dug up by someone else."

But that was what Xue Wanzhong needed to enhance his bloodline! "Didn't you say there was a multicolored poisonous toad inside, and that the poisonous mist erupted again?" Kong Yuanba asked, surprised. "Who else could have gone in? Could it be Xie Liushu from the Joyful Union Sect?"

Within the Nine Sects' territory, there were only two known for their mastery of poisons, making it easy to guess correctly.

Xue Wanzhong clenched his fists and said reluctantly, "If it were Xie Liushu, I would accept it. He's the Chief Disciple of the Joyful Union Sect; losing to him isn't shameful! But the one who took the multicolored profound ice was a junior disciple from the Qingyun Sect!"

"The Qingyun Sect again?" Kong Yuanba laughed in exasperation. Had the Qingyun Sect disciples become addicted to stealing credit from the Giant Sect's disciples? Why were they everywhere?

"Who is he?"

To Kong Yuanba, Gu Huaxi, and Youyunzi's astonishment, Xue Wanzhong gritted his teeth. "Who else could it be?" he spat. "It's that annoying Jiang Fan!"

"Jiang Fan?" The three of them simultaneously turned their heads, looking silently at the seemingly well-behaved Jiang Fan behind them.