Chapter 404: Apologizing Is Difficult?

Ye Cangyuan's grizzled long eyebrows twitched slightly.

"Using back channels?"

"Are you saying someone used back channels to get onto this battlefield, a place of bloodshed and sacrifice, and even came before me, the Deputy Pavilion Master?" As he spoke the latter part, his voice suddenly sharpened, filled with chilling killing intent.

The entire place immediately fell silent.

Everyone had experienced Ye Cangyuan's iron-willed and ruthless military discipline. No one dared to deceive him, for those who tried to be clever had already paid a bloody price! Some had even lost their lives.

Suddenly hearing Li Shiqian report that someone had used back channels, everyone's hearts trembled. At this point, was there still someone so brazen? And to be reported directly to Ye Cangyuan?

Many people began to whisper. "Jiang Fan used back channels? Does he dare?"

"I don't believe it either, but he and Nangong Xiaoyun are excessively close."

"Perhaps Nangong Xiaoyun, relying on her status as a member of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion and not fearing punishment, gave Jiang Fan some extra benefits."

"I also feel something is off. Jiang Fan is clearly a disciple without a spiritual root. Is his strength really sufficient for a Heaven-tier mission?"

Nangong Xiaoyun paused, then her face darkened as she retorted, "Li Shiqian, what do you mean by that?" To say Jiang Fan used back channels, wasn't that implying she opened them?

Li Shiqian replied neither obsequiously nor arrogantly, "If you don't want anyone to know, don't do it."

"Senior Sister Nangong knows what she did."

"What are you talking about?" she huffed, "Deputy Pavilion Master Ye, she's slandering me!"

Ye Cangyuan said nothing more. Instead, his cold gaze, sharp as lightning, swept across the surroundings. "Who is Jiang Fan?" A soft command made everyone's hearts tremble.

Even Xia Chaoge couldn't help but worry for Jiang Fan. Nangong Xiaoyun didn't really use their good relationship to help Jiang Fan get a spirit beast, did she? If that were true, Jiang Fan would be unable to defend himself.

Jiang Fan, however, remained calm. He cupped his hands and said, "This disciple is here." Although he didn't know the exact tier of his mission, from the very beginning, before Nangong Xiaoyun even recognized him, when she said, "Finally, someone took this mission," he could infer that the mission's tier was not low. Nangong Xiaoyun wouldn't need to go to unnecessary lengths to help him cheat.

Ye Cangyuan observed Jiang Fan, nodding slightly. "He doesn't panic when faced with trouble; his composure is quite good." Uninvolved individuals were all astonished, their faces showing surprise. But Jiang Fan, the one directly involved, remained as calm as a mountain. Such composure was indeed rare.

"If you cheated, I, the Deputy Pavilion Master, will deal with you severely according to the law!"

"If you were wronged, I will seek justice for you!" Ye Cangyuan's voice was resolute.

Jiang Fan, his expression unchanged, cupped his hands and said, "Please, Deputy Pavilion Master Ye, be my judge!"

Ye Cangyuan nodded. He turned his gaze to Li Shiqian and asked, "Why do you believe Jiang Fan used back channels?"

Li Shiqian, her face filled with defiance, replied, "Reporting to Deputy Pavilion Master Ye. I know Jiang Fan's strength; he's at the first stage of Core Formation. However, Heaven-tier missions require strength of at least the second stage of Core Formation to complete. I ask you, how could he dare to take on such a mission? Furthermore, he has a very close personal relationship with Nangong Xiaoyun. Therefore, this disciple has reason to suspect he used back channels to be registered for a Heaven-tier mission, with the goal of acquiring a spirit beast. Please investigate, Deputy Pavilion Master Ye."

Is that so? Ye Cangyuan wasn't too familiar with the elite disciples of the Nine Sects. So this Jiang Fan's strength wasn't at the top tier. His undertaking a Heaven-tier mission was indeed questionable.

"Jiang Fan, present your mission jade slip. I, the Deputy Pavilion Master, will see what mission you are actually undertaking," Ye Cangyuan said.

Li Shiqian showed a hint of coldness. If you dare to cheat, you'll face consequences sooner or later. She couldn't be blamed for this.

Liang Feiyan murmured with a surprised expression, "It can't be, can it? Is Nangong Xiaoyun really so imprudent as to manipulate something like mission registration? If it's true, Jiang Fan is in deep trouble." Everyone else also discussed animatedly, speculating about the consequences if the cheating was confirmed.

Jiang Fan calmly took out his mission jade slip. "Please, Deputy Pavilion Master Ye, take a look."

Ye Cangyuan snatched it. He glanced at it, and his expression suddenly changed. He said in a deep voice, "Are you truly going to undertake this mission?" This tone... Could the mission really be problematic?

Xia Chaoge's heart immediately sank. Li Shiqian, displaying an "I knew it" expression, sneered: "I said it, how could he be qualified for a Heaven-tier mission! A Earth-tier mission would be his absolute limit."

However, Ye Cangyuan's next sentence instantly froze her expression. "This mission, even among Heaven-tier missions, is considerably dangerous. With your strength, it will be very difficult to complete, and you could easily lose your life."

It really was a Heaven-tier mission! Liang Feiyan stared at Jiang Fan with a look of astonishment. Even he wouldn't lightly touch Heaven-tier missions, as each one posed a huge threat to him. He could easily lose his life. So far, only Xia Chaoge and Jin Zhongming had taken Heaven-tier missions. Xia Chaoge completed hers. Jin Zhongming failed. Jiang Fan was the third person to take a Heaven-tier mission!

Li Shiqian was startled and said incredulously, "Deputy Pavilion Master Ye, he... he really took a Heaven-tier mission?"

Ye Cangyuan tossed the mission jade slip to her. Li Shiqian took it, disbelieving, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise: "Ah? It's actually the mission to rescue the Taihu Patrol Team? This... isn't this mission supposed to be upgraded and given to the elders to complete?" Some extremely difficult missions were simply impossible for disciples to complete. They could only be handed over to more powerful individuals.

At present, no one dared to undertake this rescue mission. Because each member of that five-person team possessed top-tier combat power, capable of completing Heaven-tier missions individually. Yet, they had all gone missing. The horror of it was chilling upon deeper thought. Who would dare to go? Only the elders could be sent. It was utterly unexpected that Jiang Fan had taken precisely this mission!

Ye Cangyuan glanced at her. "Do you still have doubts?"

Li Shiqian's face flushed, and she awkwardly returned the mission jade slip to Ye Cangyuan. "This disciple... this disciple misunderstood Jiang Fan. This disciple takes her leave!"

She was so ashamed she wished the ground would swallow her. She had made such a huge scene, adamantly claiming Jiang Fan cheated. In the end, she had been too presumptuous.

"Wait!" Jiang Fan raised a hand to stop her.

Li Shiqian's almond-shaped eyes widened, and she snapped, "Get out of the way!"

Jiang Fan said expressionlessly, "Senior Sister Li, you slandered me with baseless accusations of cheating, causing me to be criticized, wrongly accusing Nangong Xiaoyun, and further raising doubts about the fairness of acquiring spirit beasts. To put it mildly, you tarnished my personal reputation. To put it strongly, you undermined morale. You think you can just say 'it was a misunderstanding' and walk away?"

The disciples who realized it was a false alarm couldn't help but complain. "She was so confident, I really thought one could use back channels to get spirit beasts."

"Thankfully, Jiang Fan is an upright person; otherwise, my heart would have been chilled."

"Exactly, if you can really use back channels for spirit beasts, who would follow the rules in the future?"

Li Shiqian was mortified and snapped, "You're a man, why are you being so petty? Nothing happened to you!"

The way she said that implied it was Jiang Fan's fault. He didn't bother arguing with her and said to Ye Cangyuan, "Please, Deputy Pavilion Master Ye, issue a fair judgment."

Ye Cangyuan looked indifferently at Li Shiqian. "You have the right to suspect and report others. But you also have the obligation to admit your mistake and apologize. Bow and apologize to Jiang Fan."

"What?" Li Shiqian couldn't accept this. She had to bow and apologize to a man in front of all the elite disciples of the Nine Sects, in public? For such a small matter? Was it really necessary?

She bit her red lip slightly and argued: "Deputy Pavilion Master Ye, Jiang Fan is just making a mountain out of a molehill. If you encourage the arrogance of such petty individuals, what will happen when everyone follows suit?"

Hearing this, everyone's blood pressure soared! You slander others, and then call them petty individuals? This is outrageous!