Chapter 55: Fire Spirit Pearl Excavated Completely

"It looks like someone has been here before."

Jiang Fan's eyes flashed, and he tapped the stone wall. When he tapped the center, a hollow sound echoed.

"It's not solid inside!" Jiang Fan no longer hesitated. He channeled his spiritual energy and struck the center of the stone wall with his palm.

With a crash, the stone wall cracked, revealing a half-human-height opening.

The cave was shallow, like a bird's nest. Three glowing red, round pearls, emanating rich spiritual energy, lay nestled together like bird eggs.

"Fire Spirit Orbs!" Jiang Fan was overjoyed. He immediately put all three Fire Spirit Orbs into his bag.

"Still trying to hide them from discovery?" Jiang Fan smiled faintly. The more reluctant the Zhu family was to part with the Fire Spirit Orbs, the less easily he could leave. He glanced at the deeper parts, smiled, and began to explore the bottom using his movement technique, like a dragonfly skimming the water.

Each time his foot touched down, he would lightly spring back up. Several times he accidentally stepped into the magma, but he easily resolved the situation. The more dangerous the place, the fewer Zhu family members visited, and the more Fire Spirit Orbs there were.

He continued harvesting until the end of the fire well, collecting all the Fire Spirit Orbs. Looking at the twelve Fire Spirit Orbs he had collected, Jiang Fan returned the way he came, feeling satisfied.

Soon after, he returned outside the well.

Waiting for a long time, Ye Qingxue asked with concern, "Are you hurt?" She looked closely. Not only was Jiang Fan completely unharmed, but he was also spotless, showing no signs of distress.

Zhang Yuxiu and her son, Zhu Jianshen, secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Which Zhu family member came out from down there without being dusty and dishevelled? At the very least, they would have scalded skin.

Someone like Jiang Fan, who didn't even get a speck of dust on him, probably hadn't gone deep at all, making it impossible for him to have collected any Fire Spirit Orbs.

Zhu Jianshen said sarcastically, "You insisted on going down, and this is the result? It would have been better if our Zhu family had just given you something to send you on your way!"

Zhang Yuxiu's brows relaxed as she said, "Young master, going down the well was your own choice. We stated upfront that whether you could collect anything depended on your own ability. Since you didn't get anything, you can't blame our Zhu family."

Jiang Fan had originally not intended to reveal them, to avoid provoking the mother and son. But since they were so smug, Jiang Fan unceremoniously took out six orbs and said, "My luck wasn't too bad; I found six." Saying this, he separated three and threw them to Ye Qingxue.

"These three are for you, as payment for introducing this business."

Ye Qingxue instinctively caught them, then showed a surprised expression: "You actually found six? How did you do it? The Zhu family members only ever find three each time they go down!"

Meanwhile, Zhang Yuxiu and Zhu Jianshen's expressions changed drastically at the same time.

Zhu Jianshen exclaimed in shock, "Six orbs? You, how could you take so many? Put them down!"

Jiang Fan said with a half-smile, "I obtained them by my own ability. What, now that the illness is cured, your Zhu family wants to go back on your word?"

Zhang Yuxiu's face turned ashen, saying, "Young master, I wouldn't mind if you took one or two, but six is far too many! How about this: you take three and leave three, and we can still be friends in the future!"

Heh heh. They're getting anxious already? If they knew Jiang Fan had completely cleared out the fire well, taking a full twelve orbs, they would probably have attacked him on the spot, wouldn't they?

Jiang Fan said expressionlessly, "Madam Zhu, you said earlier that how many I took depended on my ability. You can't say that if I didn't get any, it was because of my lack of ability, but if I took too many, then you blame me for being too ruthless, can you?"

Ye Qingxue, who had received three Fire Spirit Orbs, also stepped forward to defend him, saying, "Auntie, I invited the divine doctor to help out of consideration for the friendship between our two families. If you go back on your word, how can my Ye family maintain its reputation?"

Zhang Yuxiu felt like a mute who had eaten bitter herbs; she had suffering but couldn't speak of it. She never imagined Jiang Fan could find six. However, she had already made a promise, and with the City Lord's daughter present, it was difficult for her to go back on her word. She could only say angrily, "Fine, take them. My Zhu family will just count it as bad luck!"

After Jiang Fan and Ye Qingxue left, the more Zhu Jianshen thought about it, the angrier he became. Clenching his fists, he said, "That damned fellow, he was so ruthless! However, this also means that there should still be many Fire Spirit Orbs in our fire well. Otherwise, how could an outsider get so many on his first visit?"

Zhang Yuxiu's eyes lit up upon hearing this. She immediately summoned her clansmen to go down and collect. But after a day and a night of busy work, they returned with nothing but injuries, not a single Fire Spirit Orb.

"Reporting, Madam, the Fire Spirit Orbs from that hidden location were all dug up by that young man. Also, the few Fire Spirit Orbs we previously saw deep inside are also gone."

"What!" Zhu Jianshen flew into a rage: "He dug up all the Fire Spirit Orbs? Didn't leave a single one? That bastard! I'm not done with you!!"

As for Jiang Fan and Ye Qingxue, the two rushed back to the Xu family together.

Ye Qingxue held the three Fire Spirit Orbs, unable to put them down. When she noticed the orbs' color beginning to dim, she quickly reminded him, "I almost forgot! Fire Spirit Orbs continuously lose their efficacy once they leave the underground magma; they must be used quickly!"

Jiang Fan was surprised. He quickly returned to the Xu family. He called Xu Youran and handed her three Fire Spirit Orbs: "Take them quickly and cultivate diligently!" Xu Youran was puzzled but immediately did as instructed.

Ye Qingxue, however, was astonished: "How do you still have three?" Jiang Fan blinked and took out three more.

"Gasp! Twelve orbs! Did you completely clear out the fire well?" Ye Qingxue gasped, then said, "Quick, give them to Xu Yining. She just broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm, so they'll still have some effect on her."

Jiang Fan pouted slightly. He invited Xu Zhengyan over, handed him three Fire Spirit Orbs, and wrote: "Uncle, swallow these quickly." Xu Zhengyan didn't recognize what they were, but sensing they were natural treasures, he swallowed them without a word.

By the time Xu Yining heard the news and rushed over, all twelve Fire Spirit Orbs already had owners.

"Fire Spirit Orbs?" Looking at the three Fire Spirit Orbs in Ye Qingxue's hand, Xu Yining asked in surprise, "Qingxue, aren't these from the Zhu family? Where did you get them?"

Ye Qingxue gestured towards Jiang Fan with her chin: "How could I have gotten them? He did."

Jiang Fan got them? To her surprise, her father Xu Zhengyan and elder sister Xu Youran had already taken them and were digesting their medicinal effects. Everyone else got some, but she didn't? Xu Yining couldn't help but look at Jiang Fan, her meaning clear: 'What are you going to do about this?'

Jiang Fan couldn't be bothered with her. He swallowed the last three Fire Spirit Orbs in one go, then sat cross-legged on the spot and began to digest them.

"You!" Xu Yining stamped her foot. Giving the Fire Spirit Orbs to Xu Youran was fine. Giving them to her father Xu Zhengyan was also understandable. One was Jiang Fan's fiancée, and the other was an elder. But he would rather give them to Ye Qingxue than to her? Was she less important than an outsider?

Ye Qingxue also felt that holding the Fire Spirit Orbs was somewhat inappropriate for her, so she handed the three orbs over, saying, "Yining, these three are for you after all."

Tears welled up in Xu Yining's eyes, and she glared at Jiang Fan resentfully, saying, "I don't want them! It's just Fire Spirit Orbs! I don't care for them!" After saying that, she ran out with reddened eyes.

Ye Qingxue sighed faintly with helplessness: "Why bother with this? Originally, these three Fire Spirit Orbs were certainly meant for you."

Half a day later, the group of four successively opened their eyes.

Xu Zhengyan said excitedly, "I've made significant progress! It won't be long before I break through to the second level of Foundation Establishment!" There was a huge difference between the first and second levels of Foundation Establishment. The former could hold their own; the latter could be considered a high-level expert in Solitary Boat City. The future status of the Xu family would rise accordingly.

Xu Youran said joyfully, "I've broken through to the seventh level of Qi Refinement." Since Jiang Fan gave her the strange liquid and the cultivation method without a cover, in less than a month, she had broken through from the second level of Qi Refinement to the seventh. It was truly magical to think about.

Jiang Fan and Ye Qingxue were both at the ninth level of Qi Refinement. Under the effect of the Fire Spirit Orbs, they both broke through to the Great Perfection of the ninth level of Qi Refinement.

"My spiritual power increased by fifty percent," Jiang Fan mumbled in slight surprise. So, there was such a significant difference in spiritual power between the ninth level of Qi Refinement and the Great Perfection of the ninth level. He was confident that if he faced the branch master again, he wouldn't be unable to break through their spiritual power. As long as he had a chance to get close, he could unleash his sword arts and the lightning strike effect of his wooden sword.

*Screech—*

Suddenly, a piercing, sharp sound assaulted the air, rising to the sky. A firecracker shot into the air and exploded, releasing a large cloud of smoke.

Jiang Fan's expression changed. "Blood Bat Palace, they're here!"