Chapter 704: Yunxia Consort's Confession

He pulled out from his bosom a wooden carving the size of a human face.

Carved on it was a Buddha statue holding a flower and smiling.

Its expression was serene, wearing a smile of relief.

It possessed a natural, divine charm.

As if a real Buddha was embedded in the wood.

Concubine Yunxia immediately grew uneasy. "What is this?"

The Sky Demon Emperor chuckled. "Not long ago, Vajra Fayin from White Horse Temple visited our Demon Imperial Court."

"He said he was looking for Jiang Fan, to guide him into Buddhism."

"I refused."

Concubine Yunxia secretly frowned.

Such a thing happened?

Fortunately, Jiang Fan wasn't present at the time; otherwise, White Horse Temple would have taken him away on the spot.

But why did they leave the wooden Buddha?

The Sky Demon Emperor held the wooden Buddha, saying with a strange smile:

"That little spirit beast he has, was the one that stole the Merit Divine Pearl back then, wasn't it?"

Concubine Yunxia's heart suddenly pounded.

She swept her hair back to conceal her inner panic. "Is there such a coincidence?"

The Sky Demon Emperor smiled slightly. "We'll know if we try!"

He tossed the wooden Buddha into the vast ocean.

A faint golden Buddha light radiated from the wooden Buddha, spreading towards the depths of the vast ocean.

At the bottom of the sea.

When Jiang Fan heard this, he already sensed trouble.

He quickly looked towards his bosom.

Under the influence of the wooden Buddha's light, the light emitted by the Merit Divine Pearl actually grew brighter and brighter.

Even the Turtle Breath Cloak struggled to conceal its Buddha light.

His heart sank.

Without hesitation, he took out the Sky-Monitoring Mirror.

*Shreeek—*

Just at this moment.

A terrifying finger force pierced through the ocean, accurately striking towards them.

Jiang Fan quickly activated the Sky-Monitoring Mirror.

As the eyeball on it rotated, just as this finger force was about to land, most of it was reflected back.

Still, a small portion of its power erupted.

*Boom—*

The coral reefs at the bottom of the sea were leveled by the devastating aftermath.

Jiang Fan, who was hiding in a crevice, was not spared either.

The chainmail armor on his body made a tearing, groaning sound, unable to bear the strain.

In the end, it couldn't fully resist.

*Pfft—*

Jiang Fan was severely wounded on the spot, and the large mouthful of blood he spat out dyed a large area of the seawater red.

"Master!" the little qilin said anxiously.

Jiang Fan's heart was heavy. "You've been exposed," he said.

"The Demon Emperor started the war between the two races just to capture you."

"Now that he's finally found you, he won't let you go easily again."

"Go quickly! Escape through the seabed!"

Jiang Fan grabbed the little qilin from his bosom and threw it far away.

He himself swam towards the surface of the sea.

"Master, what about you?"

The little qilin was stunned.

Jiang Fan turned his head and said, "I can no longer escape."

"There's no escaping now."

"I'll buy you some time. Escape as far as you can."

Tears welled up in the little qilin's eyes. It scurried on its short legs and chased after him, leaping into his arms.

"No, I'm not going anywhere."

"I'll stay with Master."

Jiang Fan sighed helplessly, stroking its fluffy head, and said:

"Be obedient."

"Between you and me, if one can escape, that's enough."

"Master's time is up, but you still have a chance."

"Go, don't let Master die in vain."

With a heavy heart, Jiang Fan threw it far away.

He said, "Go quickly!"

"Go to a safe place!"

"Remember not to eat other people's things carelessly. If they find out, they'll hit you, scold you, and even catch you."

"Also, when you look for another master, find a powerful one."

"Don't be like following me anymore, always hiding here and there."

"Go!!!"

Tears blurred the little qilin's vision.

It didn't understand what emotion was.

But it understood that its master was currently using his life to ignite a glimmer of light for it in the darkness.

"Master... *sob*..."

It left.

It left, amidst the coral stones Jiang Fan forcefully threw and under his stern command.

It left crying.

Turning back three times with every step.

Until its vision turned dark and it could no longer see its master's figure.

Its tears fell like rain.

It turned its head and plunged into the darkness ahead.

Towards an unknown direction, it ran and ran...

Jiang Fan watched as the Buddha light gradually faded into the distance.

A warm smile appeared on his face.

"Good luck."

"Little one."

He then looked up towards the surface of the sea, a sharp glint in his eyes.

He clenched his palm.

A broken hairpin appeared in his hand.

*Boom—*

Water splashed everywhere.

Jiang Fan burst out of the water and coldly stared at the Sky Demon Emperor.

The latter had a gloomy expression, staring intently at him.

His hair crown had fallen off, and his black hair was disheveled.

Cold murderous intent surged in his eyes:

"To actually be able to reflect the finger force of a Demon Emperor realm."

"You've truly hidden yourself well!"

"It seems I was right to try and kill you after all!"

Who would dare believe that a Core Formation Realm cultivator could actually reflect an attack from a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator!

If he hadn't reacted in time, he would have been injured just now!

This deepened the Sky Demon Emperor's murderous intent.

He raised his palm, murderous intent surging throughout his body, and said:

"Game over!"

"It's time for you to die!"

Concubine Yunxia's face showed determination. She took a step forward, about to block Jiang Fan.

"Don't move!"

Jiang Fan's voice appeared in her mind.

"Pleading is useless."

"He'll still kill me."

"And you, from now on, will be suspected by him."

"Don't do anything foolish."

Concubine Yunxia's heart remained resolute. "Doesn't he always want to possess me?" she thought.

"I'll agree to him,"

"in exchange for your life."

"He will agree!"

What?

Jiang Fan's heart was shaken beyond words.

Concubine Yunxia was going to... serve the Demon Emperor... for his sake?

Is it worth it?

For him, a human, was it worth it?

Concubine Yunxia smiled inwardly. "It's worth it. For you, it's all worth it," she thought.

"Jiang Fan, I like you."

"A liking that promises a lifetime with you, a liking that would stay with you until old age."

"For you, I can do anything."

The moment Jiang Fan drank the potent poison for her, her heart became Jiang Fan's.

From then on, no second person could ever enter her heart.

Jiang Fan's heart thundered like lightning.

He was utterly stunned.

Concubine Yunxia... liked him?

This confession was too sudden.

And too resolute.

He could almost guess Concubine Yunxia's plan.

Once Jiang Fan was free, she would commit suicide, absolutely refusing to let the Demon Emperor touch her.

Deep emotion spread through Jiang Fan's heart.

He wasn't made of iron.

And his heart certainly wasn't.

"Thank you," he thought. "To have someone protect me like this before I die, I can die content."

Jiang Fan smiled faintly in his heart:

"However, don't be foolish."

"The Demon Emperor isn't a fool. He'll possess you first, then kill me."

"You'll lose everything."

Concubine Yunxia's heart wavered.

How could she not know that this was the more likely outcome?

"But, if I don't try..."

Jiang Fan interrupted her. "Don't deceive yourself."

"You live well, and don't let the Demon Emperor suspect you."

"Also, when I die, remember to take the Sky Thunder Stone from my body."

"There's a gift inside for you."

"Alright, it's time to say goodbye."

"I hope for the rest of your life, you are treated gently."

"Just as you treated me gently."

"Goodbye."

"I'll go ahead!"

A mournful cry escaped Concubine Yunxia's heart. "What are you doing?"

"Don't act recklessly, don't..."

The Shut-Mouth Zen Bead had already closed.

Jiang Fan looked at the Demon Emperor, who was fiercely striking with a palm.

A resolute murderous intent also erupted in his eyes.

"Sky Demon Emperor!"

"Let's go on our way together!"

He tightly gripped the hairpin.

His soul began to boil within him, frantically surging into the hairpin.