Chapter 41: Shadow Guard One

"Wait! I—I wasn't ready just now. Let's do it again." Ye Qingxue muttered sheepishly.

She felt it was impossible for her to lose so quickly and decisively. With talent comparable to Xu Yining's, having returned after three years of apprenticeship, to be defeated in a single move by the Xu family's little mute? No one would believe it if she told them, right? It could only be that she was too careless, which allowed Jiang Fan to get the better of her.

Jiang Fan immediately nodded. He also felt that Ye Qingxue had lost a bit too quickly. She seemed even weaker than the projection called Liu Qingxian, who was at the peak of the eighth stage of Qi Condensation. She probably wasn't trying her best.

Determined to redeem herself, Ye Qingxue focused intently: "Be careful!"

"Star Chasing Sword Art!" Her wrist flicked, her sword art dazzling, its power more than double that of before.

Jiang Fan also went all out. "Seven Stars to the North!"

Clang—

The two swords met, and the familiar sensation returned. Ye Qingxue once again failed to grip her sword, and her longsword flew from her hand. Immediately after, the wooden sword was pressed against her throat.

Ye Qingxue's cheeks flushed visibly. One move, just one move again! If she claimed she was careless before, that excuse wouldn't work this time, would it? The result was clear: Jiang Fan's strength far surpassed hers! Her face reddened even more at the thought of her boastful offer to instruct him. She wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground. A novice defeated in a single move, trying to instruct a master whose sword skills far exceeded her own? Good heavens, it couldn't be more humiliating.

Jiang Fan also gradually realized that this was Ye Qingxue's true strength. Sensing Ye Qingxue's embarrassment, he withdrew his sword and wrote: "I am a man, so I have more strength. This match doesn't count." After writing, he quietly went back to help the servants pack.

Hearing Jiang Fan offer her an excuse, Ye Qingxue felt an unexpected warmth in her heart. Recalling Jiang Fan's selfless act of saving the Xu family's child, and looking at his retreating back, she increasingly felt his character differed from Xu Yining's descriptions.

"He's clearly a very kind and thoughtful person. Why does Xu Yining always speak ill of him?" Her impression of Jiang Fan had changed by one hundred and eighty degrees. The real Jiang Fan was a hidden master, undoubtedly one of Lone Boat City's top talents and kings among his peers. His character was also quite good.

Suddenly, she remembered the purpose of her visit to Xu Yining. Her eyes lit up, and she said: "Young Master Jiang, the remnants of the Blood Bat Palace are causing trouble. I came back this time to help my father with his worries. So I plan to form a shadow guard team to deal with any emerging Blood Bat Palace remnants. Would you like to join?"

As soon as she said this, Jiang Fan was intrigued. To kill the Blood Bat Palace's branch leader, besides having sufficient strength, he also needed to know the movements of the Blood Bat Palace remnants. Otherwise, if he couldn't find the branch leader, what could he do? The City Lord's Mansion, clearly, could gather more information about the Blood Bat Palace than an individual.

Seeing Jiang Fan remain silent, Ye Qingxue thought he was considering the pros and cons, and said: "Don't worry, I won't let you help for nothing. As long as you contribute, you can come to my City Lord's Mansion's library and choose books."

Books? Jiang Fan was tempted. Although he had two high-grade Yellow-level offensive and cultivation techniques, he had none in other areas. The City Lord's Mansion was definitely the place with the most extensive collection of books in Lone Boat City. He nodded: "Okay."

Ye Qingxue was overjoyed and said: "You are the first shadow guard I've recruited, so I'll call you Shadow Guard One! Dealing with the Blood Bat Palace remnants makes you susceptible to their retaliation, so wear this mask when you act." She took out a gray mask she had prepared earlier and handed it to Jiang Fan. The mask only revealed the eyes, nose, and mouth. On the forehead, the number "One" was carved. This signified that he was Shadow Guard One.

"Furthermore, your identity as Shadow Guard One will only be known to me. I will absolutely not tell anyone," Ye Qingxue added.

Jiang Fan felt more at ease. He accepted the mask and put it into his pocket. He picked up his pen and wrote: "What exactly should a shadow guard do?"

Ye Qingxue said: "Nothing. Just wait for intelligence. If Blood Bat Palace remnants are discovered, a signal smoke will rise into the sky, and you just need to arrive in time." That was even better. If it were routine patrols, it would delay his cultivation too much.

"Also, my shadow guards only recruit prodigies. The higher the rank, the stronger the ability. And you are my most favored shadow guard. Next is Xu Yining. Since you are Shadow Guard One, please give her this Shadow Guard Two mask for me. Both of you should come to the City Lord's Mansion tomorrow, as I will be recruiting a few more shadow guards, and I'll gather you all to provide some resource support."

Jiang Fan nodded and accepted the Shadow Guard Two mask. With that, Ye Qingxue left, feeling satisfied.

She had barely left when Xu Yining and Xu Youran, supporting each other, returned exhausted.

"Jiang Fan, when did you get back?" Xu Yining, leaning on the stone table, gulped down several cups of tea, not forgetting to scold: "Ascending Dragon Path was such a great opportunity, and you didn't even make good use of it."

Jiang Fan paused. "How did I not make good use of it?" he wrote: "I had already challenged to the point where I couldn't challenge any further, so I had to withdraw." Any higher, and it would be the Foundation Establishment realm. Given his cultivation at the peak of the eighth stage of Qi Condensation, going higher would have been extremely difficult.

Xu Yining couldn't help but purse her lips: "Don't you understand fighting through difficulties?"

Xu Youran couldn't help but join in the scolding: "Yes, didn't little sister also get stuck on the eighth layer for a long time? But through repeated trials, she gradually grew stronger and finally succeeded in passing the challenge. You'd only just gone up, and then you were gone."

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose. Could it be that my strength was too great, and I quickly completed the challenges appropriate for my realm? But there was no need to tell them that.

He took out the Shadow Guard Two mask, handed it to Xu Yining, and wrote: "Miss Ye Qingxue was here and asked me to give this to you."

"Shadow Guard? Is she really forming one? She'd been planning this for three years and even said she'd definitely ask me to be Shadow Guard One." Xu Yining happily took it, but then she saw the number "Two" carved on the forehead and froze. "Why is it Shadow Guard Two? Who did she give number one to? Could there be a prodigy in the city more powerful than me? Impossible!" She repeatedly examined it, her face full of disbelief. When she learned that she would be meeting all the shadow guards tomorrow, her phoenix eyes narrowed slightly: "Fine, I'd like to see why that number one is ranked ahead of me!"

Jiang Fan was speechless. Was there really a need to be so competitive? He shrugged and went back, preparing to continue his cultivation.

Seeing him about to leave, Xu Yining's lips moved, as if she wanted to speak but hesitated. Finally, encouraged by Xu Youran, she said: "Um... Jiang Fan, can I ask to borrow some money from you? I heard the Chen family released a new elixir called Foundation Establishment Pill, used for Foundation Establishment. Only one is auctioned every day, so the price will surely be very expensive. So..."

Without thinking, Jiang Fan simply wrote: "No." Such a straightforward refusal made Xu Yining's face burn. She bit her lips, feeling quite embarrassed.

Xu Youran couldn't help but plead: "Xiao Fan, big sister wants to break through to the Foundation Establishment realm before the Azure Cloud Sect elder arrives, so the elder will think highly of her. Please help her out."

Jiang Fan still didn't hesitate. He directly pulled out all the silver notes from his pocket and wrote: "How much do you need?"

It was the same request for money. Yet, the treatment the two received was poles apart. This made Xu Yining, who had successfully borrowed money, feel no joy at all. Could it be that she was so much worse than Xu Youran in Jiang Fan's eyes?

Stubbornly, she reached deep into her collar and pulled out a thumb-sized jade bead that still held some warmth. Xu Yining bit her red lip, handed it to Jiang Fan, and said: "Take it! I won't borrow your money for free!"