Chapter 543: Murdering One's Own Husband

"What kind of outrageous words were those?"

Gong Caiyi found them unbearable. She stamped her foot, turned, and walked away, exclaiming in shame and indignation, "You scoundrels can enjoy yourselves!"

Yue Mingzhu smiled and said, "Alright."

Then she turned to Jiang Fan and cooed, "My dear Jiang, I've given you the Six Harmonies Immortal, the treasure of our Joyous Union Sect. You won't just give me a few crystals, will you? I want something else too. Like, our baby."

Gong Caiyi, who was just about to leave, felt a vital point struck on the spot. She stomped back in anger. She grabbed Jiang Fan's hand and shoved a jade bottle into it.

"What's the Six Harmonies Immortal worth?" she scoffed. "Is that how you think you can coerce Jiang Fan?"

Uh— Jiang Fan was caught between laughter and tears. Was Gong Caiyi really so naive? Yue Mingzhu had her completely wrapped around her finger with just a few words. He quickly said, "Don't fall for Yue Mingzhu's tricks. She's deliberately trying to provoke you."

As he spoke, he tried to return the jade bottle. Gong Caiyi glanced at the grinning Yue Mingzhu but didn't take the bottle back. She looked deeply at Jiang Fan and said, "Since that vixen has already forced it out of me, there's no point in hiding it anymore. Yes, like Yue Mingzhu, I too have developed inappropriate feelings for you, a junior.

"But the Spirit Beast Sect is not the Joyous Union Sect. No matter how unconventional the Joyous Union Sect is, outsiders will understand. However, the Spirit Beast Sect, since its creation, has been like a monastic temple, strictly adhering to its rules and precepts, without involvement with men.

"As the Sect Master, I must set an example for my disciples. I truly don't dare to take that step. Therefore, let's pretend today's events never happened."

Jiang Fan quickly cupped his hands. "Sect Master Gong, you're overthinking it," he said. "How could a junior like me presume to climb so high?"

This was the outcome Gong Caiyi desired. Yet, when Jiang Fan actually said it, she felt a profound pang of pain.

"You..." she said mournfully.

Yue Mingzhu rolled her eyes. She took Jiang Fan's hand with one hand and Gong Caiyi's hand with the other, then stacked their hands together.

"Such indecisiveness! Gong Caiyi, can the Spirit Beast Sect not function without you? With so many Grand Elders and Elders, one more or one less of you won't make a difference. If you resign as Sect Master, wouldn't all this be resolved?"

"Shut up!" Gong Caiyi utterly detested Yue Mingzhu. The current situation was all thanks to her.

Yue Mingzhu shrugged. "If you really can't bear to give up the Sect Master position, then you can learn from me. You can be the Sect Master as one identity, and be with Jiang Fan as another. Neither would interfere with the other."

Gong Caiyi no longer wanted to deal with her. It wasn't that she coveted the Sect Master position. Rather, she had to live up to her deceased master's nurturing and bear the responsibilities of a Sect Master. She had long grown weary of being the Sect Master. Jiang Fan released his hand.

He said, "Mingzhu, Gong... Caiyi. I appreciate your affection. But I think we know too little about each other. Let's start as friends first."

Yue Mingzhu shrugged. "I don't mind," she said. "I have plenty of time anyway."

Gong Caiyi also let out a small sigh of relief. "Let's leave it at that for now." This gave both of them time to adjust.

As for future fate, that could be decided later. Jiang Fan also felt a sense of relief. Only then did he have a moment to examine the jade bottle Gong Caiyi had given him. Inside was a bottle of blood, as vibrant as if freshly drawn, and he could feel its potent demonic energy even through the bottle.

"Demonic beast blood?" Jiang Fan asked.

Gong Caiyi nodded gently. "Aren't you a body refiner? This bottle contains the blood of the Old Demon Emperor from back then; it's a sacred item for your body refining."

The Old Demon Emperor? The tiger demon in the late Nascent Soul stage, who had glimpsed the God Transformation realm? Its essence blood was definitely a supreme treasure for body refiners. He heard that Kong Yuanba had repeatedly tried to exchange for this item from Gong Caiyi, but she had always refused. Now, it was given to Jiang Fan for free.

"This is too precious," Jiang Fan said, quickly trying to return it.

Gong Caiyi said softly, "Keep it. I've always wanted to give it to you, but I didn't have a suitable excuse. Now... please accept it. Consider it a gift from an older woman who admires you."

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose. What a thing to say. It made him feel as if he were being kept by two wealthy older women.

But he had to admit. The items they gave him were truly wonderful. Not to mention the Six Harmonies Immortal. This bottle of essence blood before him would allow him to cultivate the final layer of the *Iron Blood True Scripture* to perfection. At that point, he dared not imagine how strong his physique would become.

Given Gong Caiyi's generous gift, Jiang Fan naturally wouldn't be stingy either. He cut off a large piece of clam meat and gave it to her.

"This is... thousand-year spiritual meat?" Gong Caiyi asked in surprise. "It's too precious, I can't take it! How can I accept something from you?"

Jiang Fan said with a half-smile, "Yue Mingzhu broke through to the ninth layer of Core Formation by eating this. Do you intend to always be beneath her?"

So it was this? Gong Caiyi's breathing quickened. She glanced at the smug Yue Mingzhu, then gritted her teeth and accepted it.

"Alright, I owe you a big favor." Breaking through from the eighth to the ninth layer of Core Formation required an astronomical amount of resources. Its value was no less than a bottle of tiger demon essence blood. Jiang Fan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that he had now clearly settled things with both women. As for whether they would have a future connection, that would depend on their respective destinies.

He cupped his hands and said: "Mingzhu, Caiyi. I'm going to cultivate now to prepare for the mission in three days. We'll meet again."

Yue Mingzhu didn't react much. Gong Caiyi, however, looked uncomfortable. It was the first time a young man had called her 'Caiyi.' Watching Jiang Fan's receding figure, her eyes shimmered with a strange brilliance, and she remained lost in thought for a long time.

"Our husband is so handsome," she murmured. "Isn't he, Sister Caiyi?" Yue Mingzhu propped her chin, a playful smile on her face.

Gong Caiyi's face flushed, and she chided, "Who's your sister? Stay away from me in the future. I don't know you!" With that, she leaped onto her flying beast and ascended into the sky as if escaping.

It wasn't until she was high in the distant sky that her taut body finally relaxed. Recalling how she had revealed her feelings to Jiang Fan made her cheeks burn. She actually revealed her feelings to Jiang Fan? Good heavens! "This isn't a nightmare, is it?" she muttered in vexation. "Yue Mingzhu! It's all your fault!" Yet, deep down, a flicker of gratitude arose. If it weren't for Yue Mingzhu, how else would Jiang Fan have known of her feelings?

She looked at the large chunk of spiritual meat in her arms, her expression shifting between happiness, worry, and melancholy, a complex mix of emotions.

In the hidden space.

Jiang Fan took out the tiger demon essence blood and opened the bottle cap. A fierce tiger roar burst out without warning, shaking Jiang Fan's body violently. The jade bottle in his hand almost slipped. At the same time, terrifying demonic energy surged out, condensing in mid-air into a fierce, semi-transparent giant tiger. It was entirely white, with a ferocious face, exuding an unparalleled aura of savagery. It turned its head and immediately spotted Jiang Fan.

With a roar, it pounced fiercely. Jiang Fan's brow twitched. What the hell! How many years had the Tiger Demon Emperor been dead? Yet its essence blood retained such power? The aura of this tiger was, at minimum, at the eighth layer of Core Formation!

As the fierce tiger pounced, Jiang Fan, holding the essence blood, immediately activated the 'Cloud Shadow' technique from the *Six Parts of Heavenly Thunder*. He instantly transformed into lightning and teleported two hundred *zhang* away.

*Boom-CRACK*—

The ground behind him violently trembled. A terrifying shockwave swept across a hundred *zhang* radius, shattering the earth. The entire space shook violently with it.

Jiang Fan clicked his tongue in amazement. Fortunately, he had cultivated the Void Stream Thunder Energy, which doubled the teleportation range of Cloud Shadow. Otherwise, he would have been hit. He turned his head to look at the illusory tiger. To his astonishment, its massive body was automatically absorbing spiritual energy from heaven and earth, continuously solidifying. Its aura also ceaselessly climbed.

Jiang Fan groaned in distress: "Gong Caiyi, you're trying to murder your own husband!"