Chapter 526: Merit Ranking Reappears

Jiang Fan's chest ached with pain. Was Liu Qingxian truly disregarding her own life out of concern for his safety?

"Later, we encountered disciples from various sects returning with casualties," Nangong Xiaoyun continued. "When she learned of the heavy casualties at Jieshan, she didn't even have the strength to stand. Upon hearing you were safe, she knelt on the ground in surprise and gratitude, thanking all the deities in heaven. But then you ran off into the heart of the demon territory, your fate unknown, which plunged her into hell! Clinging to her last shred of hope, she forced herself to come to Jieshan!"

As she said this, Nangong Xiaoyun couldn't help but feel indignant for Liu Qingxian. She glared at Jiang Fan, her eyes full of resentment. "A perfectly good girl, tortured by you until she was half dead! If you hadn't been alive, the remaining half of her life would have vanished with you! You've got a girl who loves you this much in this lifetime; you should cherish her well. No one will ever care more about you than she does! Hmph!"

She had never been keen on romantic relationships, having seen too much pretense and insincerity. But Liu Qingxian's arduous journey, her constant emotional upheaval where she lost herself in both sorrow and joy, made her realize that there truly were people capable of such deep affection in the world. As a woman, Nangong Xiaoyun couldn't help but envy Jiang Fan. With such a wife, what more could a man desire?

Jiang Fan's heart trembled. Only then did he understand what Liu Qingxian had gone through these past few days. Only then did he understand what she meant by 'one moment in heaven, the next in hell'.

"Qingxian…" Jiang Fan whispered, his voice trembling, as he pulled her into a deep embrace. Liu Qingxian was too weak to hit him anymore. She collapsed into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why are you in my heart?" she cried. "Get out, don't make me act like a madwoman, don't make me so miserable."

She used to be a dazzling, radiant, proud, and free-spirited young woman. Yet, simply because Jiang Fan's image had entered her heart, she had become like this.

Jiang Fan felt a dull ache in his heart and said, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He never feared hardships; his only fear was betraying deep affection.

Liu Qingxian cried for a long time. When she finally stopped, she had fallen asleep in his arms.

"She hasn't closed her eyes for days," Nangong Xiaoyun said. "Let her sleep for a while."

Jiang Fan carefully tried to lay her down, wanting her to lie comfortably and sleep. But he found that both her hands were tightly gripping his clothes, as if afraid that when she opened her eyes again, Jiang Fan would vanish before her like a dream.

Jiang Fan's face was filled with tenderness. He sat against the Great Wall, holding her as she slept soundly. Gazing at her haggard face, his heart was full of self-reproach.

"Once she wakes up, quickly meet us at the peak of Jieshan," Nangong Xiaoyun continued. "The human command center has been moved to Jieshan. Powerful figures from Sunset City are arriving one after another. The Supreme Elders, Sect Masters, and Elders from various sects will also arrive here in succession. We will have a decisive battle with the demon race here!"

Only then did Jiang Fan regain his composure. He looked puzzled and asked, "Why did you arrive so quickly? By my calculations, those two disciples who reported the battle should have only just reached Sunset City by now. It should have taken you at least another seven days to get here." No matter how he calculated, the timeline didn't match up.

Nangong Xiaoyun stroked her chin and asked, "Do you know Senior Sister Wu Manyue?"

"Of course I do," Jiang Fan replied. "What about her?"

"Senior Sister Wu used several luxurious spatial secret treasures," Nangong Xiaoyun explained. "That's how she shortened a journey that should have taken seven days to just half a day. Even Deputy Pavilion Master Ye, such a rigid person, was so astonished by her expenditure that his jaw dropped. Spatial secret treasures are incredibly expensive life-saving items, yet she used them just to transmit information. You probably won't find another person in the world willing to use them so readily."

Jiang Fan looked bewildered. Wu Manyue? That selfish, self-serving, cunning, and vicious woman? She actually used up a bunch of life-saving artifacts just to transmit information? Self-sacrifice for others—is that something she'd do?

"Don't underestimate Senior Sister Wu," Nangong Xiaoyun said. "Although she has a bad reputation and poor interpersonal skills in the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, most rumors about her are about her selfishness and unscrupulous methods. But when it comes to major matters of right and wrong, she has never hesitated."

"Is that so?" Jiang Fan gained a new understanding of this venomous woman. "At least she's not entirely beyond redemption," Jiang Fan nodded and said.

Nangong Xiaoyun looked at Jiang Fan with a strange expression and said, "What's your relationship with Senior Sister Wu?"

"Uh—" Jiang Fan's gaze flickered, but he said without batting an eyelid, "Our relationship is… quite good. We're old acquaintances."

Nangong Xiaoyun looked perplexed. "Is that so? Then why, when Deputy Pavilion Master Ye was rewarding her for her great service, did she refuse a partial move from a Mid-Rank Earth-tier cultivation technique and specifically request that you serve her for a day?"

"What the hell! Serve as a subordinate? She clearly intends to torment him, doesn't she? That vicious woman! He certainly shouldn't have given her the benefit of the doubt."

Jiang Fan nervously asked, "Deputy Pavilion Master Ye agreed?"

Nangong Xiaoyun shook her head. "Of course not. Deputy Pavilion Master Ye would never agree to such an unreasonable request. So, Senior Sister Wu asked for a different reward: to be your superior. Deputy Pavilion Master Ye agreed and rewarded her with the position of captain of a special operations squad. And Senior Sister Wu immediately named you as the first member of her squad."

Jiang Fan slapped his forehead. This was Wu Manyue's true demand all along. She deliberately made an excessive request so that Ye Cangyuan would refuse it. That way, Ye Cangyuan would feel inclined to compensate her. So, when she proposed a somewhat difficult request, Ye Cangyuan wouldn't outright refuse it so strongly. That venomous woman, every fiber of her being is full of schemes! Her becoming Jiang Fan's superior definitely bodes no good!

"So, she's also coming to Jieshan?" Jiang Fan thought about making a quick escape.

Nangong Xiaoyun shook her head. "Not yet. However, the special operations squad has already received its mission. She should arrive at Jieshan soon and gather her squad members. Be mentally prepared." Even she, naive as she was, could see that Wu Manyue and Jiang Fan didn't get along well. Considering Wu Manyue's various tactics, Nangong Xiaoyun couldn't help but feel a pang of worry for Jiang Fan. At that point, Jiang Fan might very well be played for a fool by Wu Manyue.

"A mission?" Jiang Fan looked thoughtful. What kind of mission would require a Heavenly Mystery Pavilion disciple at the fifth level of Core Formation to lead it? A mission of this level should be enough for the Elders to be dispatched, shouldn't it?

Shaking his head, he composed himself and said, "Thank you, Senior Sister Nangong, for informing me. I'll be wary of her. That woman had better not provoke him. Otherwise, who knows who will end up suffering then."

Clang, clang, clang—

Just then, a gong sounded. Nangong Xiaoyun's eyes lit up. "The Merit Ranking is about to be announced again. It's going to be lively again. The Battle of Jieshan was so intense, and disciples from various sects showed their great capabilities. It's really hard to say whose merits will be highest this time. If you want to claim first place again, I'm afraid it won't be easy."