Chapter 746: The Heart of Salvation Never Dies

Thinking, he shook his head slightly.

How could it be such a coincidence that everyone was looking for Jiang Fan?

"Whom is Master Fayin looking for?" asked the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret.

Fayin Vajra looked around, his gaze lingering briefly on Mu Ying and the others before he said, "Let's talk somewhere else."

The person he was looking for was none other than Jiang Fan, whom he had missed last time. Since he had returned to this continent, he naturally wanted to search for Jiang Fan again. However, it was best to do so secretly. Otherwise, if the divine sects of Taicang Continent discovered his updated list of those to be saved, it was hard to say they wouldn't try to intercept him.

The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret nodded slightly.

Thump-thump— At this moment, two spirit beasts arrived one after another. It was Xia Chaoge and Liang Feiyan.

"Martial Uncle!""Junior Brother Jiang."The two quickly ran over, their faces beaming with joy.

Jiang Fan said, "Quickly, pay your respects to the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret."

Xia Chaoge quickly composed herself, bowing to the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret. "Xia Chaoge of the Taishang Sect greets the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret," she said. She was neither humble nor arrogant, exuding a calm and tranquil demeanor.

Liang Feiyan, however, was beaming with excitement: "Liang Feiyan of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect pays her respects to the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret."

The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret nodded slightly, a smile playing on his lips.

"You arrived earlier than I expected.""In that case, I will summon the four Deputy Pavilion Masters and the stewards."He clapped his hands.

From the various halls scattered across the first floor, sounds soon emerged. They were on their way.

The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret turned to Fayin Vajra. "Would you mind if I finish assigning the disciples first, and then we can discuss the matter of finding someone in detail?" he asked.

Fayin Vajra nodded. "No problem," he replied. "It will also be interesting to see where those three highly fortunate ladies will end up."

The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret was surprised. Could Fayin Vajra truly think so highly of the three women? He had naturally heard the rumors that Fayin Vajra was a true judge of prodigies. For him to evaluate the three women in such a manner showed that they were absolutely extraordinary. Jiang Fan was truly blessed. Not only were the three women stunningly beautiful, but they also possessed extraordinary destinies.

He beckoned, saying, "All of you, come over here. I'll explain the rules to you first."

The group immediately grew serious and approached the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret.

"In my Heavenly Secret Pavilion, whether you are a Deputy Pavilion Master, a steward, a specialist, or a regular disciple, there is only one way to acquire resources: through merit. Your primary objective upon joining the Heavenly Secret Pavilion is to earn merit. The disciples from the Nine Sects should have already understood the importance of merit from the war between humans and demons."

Jiang Fan and the others nodded slightly.

They had invested almost all their energy into earning merit. It was not only arduous but often perilous. However, the rewards were proportional to the effort. This method was the fairest, providing a shortcut for disciples without background or connections to change their fate. Jiang Fan particularly favored this approach.

The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret continued, "Merit in the Heavenly Secret Pavilion is broadly divided into two categories. First, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion regularly issues external missions. These are similar to what our specialists do: traveling among the Nine Sects to complete various assignments." Everyone nodded.

"The second category involves our Heavenly Secret Pavilion's underground world. By exploring unknown areas within it, you'll earn corresponding merit based on the danger of the region, new discoveries, and so on. The underground world opens only once a month. This is the sole opportunity to accumulate a significant amount of merit in a short period."

After explaining, the Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret added, "Finally, there's the matter of choosing a master."

"I know that some of you have already been singled out by certain elders of my Heavenly Secret Pavilion to become their disciples. However, you may not necessarily end up with your desired master. If you are exceptional enough, others will compete for you. Our Heavenly Secret Pavilion's rule is that whoever claims you first, you will be assigned to their tutelage. So, be mentally prepared."

Jiang Fan frowned.

He understood the intention behind this rule: to protect the disciples. Every disciple admitted to the Heavenly Secret Pavilion was already top-tier. If multiple powerful individuals simultaneously vied for a single disciple, the disciple choosing one would undoubtedly displease the others. Therefore, the decision was passed to the powerful individuals themselves. Whoever claimed a disciple first, that disciple would belong to them. This way, no one could fault the disciple.

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose. "Deputy Pavilion Master You, Deputy Pavilion Master Gu," he mused. "You two will have to compete to see who's faster. If you don't pick me, you can't blame it on me." He let out a slight breath.

Both Deputy Pavilion Masters had clearly expressed their desire to recruit him, and neither had any complaints about him. You Yunzi's three copper coins had protected Jiang Fan twice, and Gu Huaxi's Turtle Breath Cloak was even more invaluable. If he truly had to choose between them, it would be a difficult dilemma. Now, it was simpler. He just needed to stand still.

As they spoke, the four Deputy Pavilion Masters and over a dozen stewards arrived. Many familiar faces were among them. Aside from the three Deputy Pavilion Masters—You Yunzi, Gu Huaxi, and Ye Cangyuan—he also recognized the three specialists: Lin Yuheng, Luo Dongcheng, and Wei Ran. However, he wondered why he hadn't seen a single disciple. Nangong Xiaoyun, Wu Manyue, Jian Linyuan, Leng Qingzhu—they were all conspicuously absent.

The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret scanned the group, frowning slightly. "Where is Steward Yun Yang?" he asked. "Why hasn't she arrived?"

Just then, a plump female disciple, clad in a long black mystic robe and adorned with star and moon patterns on her face, came running up, panting.

"Pavilion Master, Master... Master encountered some trouble in the underground world and cannot return for now," she gasped. "She instructed me to rush back and recruit disciples on her behalf."

Upon seeing her, Jiang Fan immediately recognized her. Wasn't this Shang Shiqiu, from Jian Linyuan's seven-person group, in her distinctive attire? From her words, Jiang Fan also gleaned some information. The reason no other disciples were present was that they were all exploring the underground world.

The Pavilion Master of Heavenly Secret shook his head slightly. "Letting a disciple recruit on her behalf?" he murmured. "Only she would be so unconcerned about recruiting disciples." "Alright, you may proceed on your master's behalf. However, there are more monks than porridge; don't complain if you don't manage to claim a disciple later and the Deputy Pavilion Masters or stewards don't prioritize you."

Shang Shiqiu quickly cupped her hands. "Of course not," she replied. She also felt a surge of frustration. A valuable opportunity to explore the underground and earn merit was being wasted on recruiting new members. As for whether she could recruit a disciple... if her master didn't care, why should she? If she managed to recruit one, she would gain a junior brother; if not, it was of no consequence.

As she thought this, she scanned the group of new disciples. Her eyes immediately landed on Jiang Fan, surrounded by three women. Her gaze brightened instantly. "Jiang—" she began to exclaim, but stopped herself.

Not far away, Lin Yuheng was already greeting him with a broad smile. "You're finally here!" she exclaimed.

Hearing this, Jiang Fan looked over and cupped his hands with a smile.

Lin Yuheng pinched Ruan Qingsu's backside beside her. "Go on, greet him!" she whispered. "Are you dressed so beautifully just for the air to see?"

Ruan Qingsu yelped in pain. She stepped forward awkwardly and said, "Junior Brother Jiang, long time no see."

Jiang Fan looked at her, dressed in finery, and it took him a good while to recognize her. "One should look at a scholar with new eyes after three days," he said, somewhat surprised. "Senior Sister Ruan, your beauty has surpassed what it was before."

Ruan Qingsu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she said bashfully, "Junior Brother, Senior Sister has been waiting for you for a long time. You simply must join my master's tutelage later." This mix of seriousness and veiled suggestion made everyone's expressions turn peculiar. They couldn't help but dart glances between the two.

Blushing, Ruan Qingsu retreated behind Lin Yuheng and whispered, "Master, your disciple will never show her face again." Lin Yuheng, however, merely smiled without a word.

This embarrassing line was, of course, her own design. It was a subtle reminder to the other stewards that Jiang Fan was someone she had her eyes on, a request for her colleagues to show her some respect.

However, her smile quickly vanished. Gu Huaxi approached, leaning on her cane, and said, "Steward Lin, if you're selecting a son-in-law, I have no objections. But when recruiting disciples, it's not about how beautiful your female apprentice is. You need to consider your own strength—whether you can truly manage a new disciple, don't you?"