Chapter 424: Mysterious Abyss

It was no wonder he asked that.

Jiang Fan’s performance just now was simply astonishing! Defeating Wang Chengjian so effortlessly was one thing. But how did he effortlessly dispel the terrifying ice wind with a mere raise of his hand? And now he claims to have slain the Blood Dragon?

Liu Qingxian was also a bit bewildered. She felt that Jiang Fan had become a different person after more than a month apart. She couldn't comprehend his strength at all. After a while, she regained her composure and said, "Since Xiao Fan told us to come up, it should be safe."

"There's no doubt about that."

Suddenly, she noticed a gaze fixed on her. Glancing over, she saw a beautiful girl of about eighteen, whose expressions could easily shift between anger and joy.

Liu Qingxian asked in surprise, "Are you Jiang Fan's friend?"

Yue Mingzhu gazed deeply at her, her eyes holding an inscrutable meaning: "No wonder Jiang Fan traveled so far to save his senior sister. So he saved you, the most beautiful disciple of the Nine Sects."

Sensing a hint of hostility in her words, Liu Qingxian's brows furrowed slightly: "Who are you?"

Yue Mingzhu withdrew her gaze, looked at the sky, and sighed deeply: "Someone who envies you." With that, she chased after Jiang Fan's retreating figure.

Hai Mei pondered for a moment, then followed closely behind. She glanced sideways at Yue Mingzhu and said gloatingly, "Feeling heartbroken, aren't you? The person you risked your life to protect saved the one he loves." She still remembered her grudge against Yue Mingzhu and would seize any opportunity to strike mercilessly.

Yue Mingzhu, however, remained calm and said lightly, "What do you demons know about feelings? When you love someone, you don't consider whether it's worth it or not. What I envy is... Some words, she can say. But I... can never express them."

Regardless of her age, she was still the Sect Master of Hehuan. The gap between them was so vast that even she, who pursued freedom, found it insurmountable.

Hai Mei sneered, "I never thought the Hehuan Sect Master, who treats life as a game, would fall in love genuinely."

Yue Mingzhu wasn't angry. Instead, she looked at Hai Mei with a half-smile. "I heard that when your mermaid race falls in love with a human, your fishtail transforms into human legs. From then on, you become just like human women. I'm rather looking forward to the day you turn into a human woman."

Hai Mei covered her mouth and laughed incessantly, "Are you saying I'll fall in love with Jiang Fan?" Her expression suddenly turned serious: "That day will never come! Aside from his enslavement of me, I've cultivated for hundreds of years. The mortal world can no longer disturb my heart. Moreover, he's human!"

Yue Mingzhu smiled, her beautiful eyes curving into crescent moons: "I bet you will. You'll definitely fall in love with him! We'll see!"

Hai Mei let out an angry huff. "How could I possibly fall in love with a human? It's impossible!"

Not long after, the two caught up with Jiang Fan. He stood on an ice pillar, looking down at the fathomless abyss beneath his feet, his expression grave.

Yue Mingzhu arrived, a hint of shock in her eyes. "Such a wonder exists deep within the glacier?"

They saw that beneath them was a circular abyss, bottomless. It seemed to lead directly into the depths of the earth. Countless ice winds mixed with chilling toxins blew up from it. After only a short while, both Yue Mingzhu and Hai Mei found themselves unable to resist the oppressive cold toxins, their bodies gradually freezing. Although Jiang Fan was protected by the poison pellet, even he found it hard to endure for too long.

"You're not planning to go down and explore, are you?" Yue Mingzhu asked, backing off.

Jiang Fan shook his head: "Of course not. I observe the flow of the ice winds here; they seem to be predominantly heading towards the northern region."

Hai Mei's beautiful eyes widened in surprise: "Sir, are you saying that the source of the northern region's ice and snow... is this abyss?" She found it hard to believe.

Yue Mingzhu also thought Jiang Fan's conjecture was a bit far-fetched and asked, "What makes you say that?"

Jiang Fan said, "If I hadn't witnessed the horror of the Scorching Clam Pearl, I would also find it hard to believe that there exists a wondrous item in this world whose temperature rivals the sun. So, what's impossible about this icy abyss, not far from the Scorching Clam Pearl, containing a similar, extremely Yin wonder?"

The two women thought about it carefully. They genuinely felt it was highly possible! Perhaps, at the bottom of this abyss, there was also a similar palace, nurturing a great horror similar to the Scorching Clam Pearl. Thinking of this, both women decisively moved away from the abyss, not daring to go a step closer. Jiang Fan also felt his scalp tingle and promptly left. He certainly didn't want to encounter anything like the Scorching Clam Pearl again.

Back on the ground, Liu Qingxian and the others were waiting by Little White. Jiang Fan looked at Hai Mei. She shrank her neck: "Sir, do you... have any instructions?"

Jiang Fan mused, "Taking you back to the human race would cause more trouble than benefit. In fact, your life or death might not even be up to me. So, return to the demon race. When I need you, I will find you."

Hai Mei felt as if she had received a great pardon. She had been worrying about this very issue. As a general of the Demon Emperor, being taken back as a captive would inevitably lead to high-ranking humans wanting to imprison or even execute her. Jiang Fan was just a minor disciple; he couldn't possibly influence the decisions of those powerful figures. Hearing Jiang Fan voluntarily express concern for her safety, a trace of gratitude welled up in her heart.

"Also," Jiang Fan took out a lump of clam meat and threw it to her: "Take this."

Hai Mei said in surprise, "But I haven't done anything meritorious. Didn't you say that one shouldn't accept rewards without merit?"

Jiang Fan said, "Among us humans, there's a custom of giving farewell gifts when parting ways. Just get used to it. Go on!"

Hai Mei held the clam meat, her emotions a swirl of mixed feelings. In her heart, there was still resentment for Jiang Fan enslaving her. Yet, it was hard not to be moved by Jiang Fan's tolerance. He didn't seem to treat her as a slave. Instead, he gave her a farewell gift, like friends among humans would.

"Jiang Fan... looking beyond our respective stances, he's actually not bad. As for the grudge of my enslavement... it's mainly the Hehuan Sect Master's fault. Yes, blame the Hehuan Sect Master! This matter has very little to do with Jiang Fan!"

Understanding this, she expressed her gratitude generously: "Thank you, Sir. From now on, whenever you need Hai Mei, please don't hesitate to command."

Jiang Fan nodded and waved his hand. Hai Mei then merged into the ice and snow, disappearing with successive flashes.

Yue Mingzhu watched this. She covered her mouth, giggling uncontrollably: "And she claimed to have cultivated for hundreds of years, that the mortal world couldn't disturb her heart. If you hadn't left so quickly, that fishtail might not have been safe."

"What are you laughing at?" Jiang Fan asked, looking bewildered.

Yue Mingzhu playfully chided, "Of course, I'm laughing at your extraordinary luck with women! Wherever you go, there are peerless beauties throwing themselves at you!"

Just as she was about to make another sarcastic remark, she suddenly noticed something, staring at the snowfield beneath her feet. Jiang Fan, right behind her, also sensed something. He looked down. The broken ice beneath their feet gradually began to tremble, and the movement grew increasingly violent.

Yue Mingzhu looked up at the sky. She saw a dense horde of spirit beasts hurtling towards their location. Their aura was powerful; they were either elders from various sects or at the sect master level. Some Supreme Elder-level auras were even intermittently detectable.

"The attack from the Nascent Soul Jade Talisman truly has a great impact. Even the powerful cultivators from Sunset City, far away, sensed it."

Suddenly, Yue Mingzhu spotted one particularly burly and imposing man among them. Her expression subtly changed. The Giant Sect Master?

Yue Mingzhu said in a low voice, "Jiang Fan, don't say anything later. Leave everything to me!"

The Nascent Soul Jade Talisman was, after all, exposed. The users of it were undoubtedly the few people present. Jiang Fan would easily be implicated. His big trouble was still unavoidable.