Speaking of Jiang Fan.
He wore a relaxed smile and used Instantaneous Movement towards the Vast Sea. As he passed the coastline of the Continent, he suddenly stopped.
Involuntarily, he turned back to look in the direction of the Baihua Valley of the Demon Race, furrowing his brows:
"That’s odd. If Spirit Sound has reached the Divinity Transformation Realm of the Heavenly Human Three Decline, why isn’t she affected by the ’Divinity Transformation Forbidden, Sage Halt’ restriction?"
Only then did he suddenly realize something was amiss, and his expression grew slightly solemn.
"Could it be she has an even higher cultivation, beyond the influence of the ban?"
"No, if she truly had such extraordinary power, how could she get drunk on her wine and let me handle her?"
"So, did she break through to Divinity Transformation on the Continent’s soil and thus remain unaffected?"
After pondering for a while without finding an answer, Jiang Fan said:
"I’ll wait for the Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation to show up and then ask about Spirit Sound."
"Speaking of which, the Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation mentioned something about rewarding me when I returned after all my hard work."
"Now that I’m back, she hasn’t shown up at all, pretending to be dead."
Jiang Fan shook his head, crossed the coastline, and headed toward Taicang State.
Unexpectedly, just as he stepped past the coastline.
The sky above him suddenly turned pitch black!
The kind of black where day suddenly turned to night!
Suddenly, he couldn’t even see his hand in front of his face, and everything ahead vanished.
Until thunderbolts, colorful, began to move from all directions, rendering the sky into a mottled palette, illuminating the entire world with a riot of colors.
All kinds of thunderbolts gathered together, forming an endless sea of thunder.
In the sea, a graceful figure, indistinct, flickered in and out of view.
Jiang Fan’s face lit up with joy and he said, "I was just thinking of you, Senior Cloud Desolation. I have a question to report."
The thunderbolts continued to rush in from all directions.
The voice of the Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation remained ethereal, without any discernible emotion:
"Speak."
Jiang Fan said, "Senior, on this continent, there’s a woman called Spirit Sound in the Divinity Transformation Realm, are you aware?"
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation replied, "Yes."
Jiang Fan nodded, "So the Ancient Saint has permitted her to stay on the Continent. That’s fine then."
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation asked, "What do you think of her?"
Oh?
Jiang Fan was taken aback. Was this the first question the Ancient Saint had ever asked?
Previously, he always asked the questions, and the Ancient Saint would answer or ignore them.
He earnestly said, "She is very beautiful, truly an unparalleled beauty, one of a kind in this world, the likes of which I have never seen."
Whether it was a misconception or not, the gathering of thunderbolts seemed to slow down a bit.
Jiang Fan continued, "Also, extremely intelligent— no, intelligent isn’t enough to describe her. I should say she is deeply calculating, expert in scheming, and not someone easy to mess with."
The thunderbolts gathering in the sky all paused, showing signs of dispersal.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Fan continued, "However, she sometimes acts foolishly. Earlier, she tried to intoxicate me but ended up knocking herself out. I gave her nine lashes as a penalty."
"Guess her bottom still hurts now, hahaha."
The thunderbolts from all directions gathered with several times more vigor than before, and the thunder sea boiled as if it were boiling.
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation slightly nodded:
"What color do you like?"
Hmm?
Jiang Fan tilted his head, why ask this suddenly?
After some thought, he said, "Red."
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation nodded lightly, "Do you prefer thick or thin?"
Eh?
What kind of strange question is this?
He replied, "Thick, I guess."
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation asked, "Do you like it more enduring or explosive?"
Jiang Fan looked puzzled, why did the question sound so strange?
He coughed dryly, "Of course, more enduring."
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation nodded slightly, "Good."
With that, she gave a gentle wave of her sleeve.
In the sea of thunder, the red thunderbolts gathered, forming beams of thunder as thick as a hundred zhang.
Jiang Fan faintly sensed trouble, and said, "Senior, what are you going to do? I haven’t offended you, have I?"
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation shook her head, "Not at all, not the slightest."
But, even as she said so, one of the thick red thunderbolts struck hard at Jiang Fan.
Luckily, Jiang Fan was prepared and promptly summoned the Immortal King’s Undying Bell to block the thunderbolt.
"Have you gone mad?" Jiang Fan asked, bewildered. "Why are you striking me out of nowhere?"
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation replied, "Because therefore, naturally makes sense!"
Rumble—
One thick red thunderbolt after another fell down in succession.
Jiang Fan felt like cursing, "You old woman, is this what you called a reward in the Hell Realm?"
He ran while cursing.
And upon hearing Jiang Fan’s curses, the Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation struck even harder.
Thus.
A peculiar scene appeared over the Vast Sea.
A sea of red thunder chasing after a huge bell, striking all the way.
At that moment.
Nine figures materialized, gathered together.
They were the nine Great Wine Sacrifices of Central Earth!
"Hahaha, we sensed his presence. That kid sure is blessed and won’t die!"
The Laughing Great Wine Sacrifice self-deprecated, "We were worrying over nothing after all."
"The Ancient Saint has appeared for Jiang Fan several times. If Jiang Fan was truly in danger, she would have saved him long ago. We wouldn’t need to worry."
Recalling the Ancient Saint’s various shows of favoritism toward Jiang Fan, everyone sighed in amazement.
The Ancient Saint was truly spoiling him too much.
"Here he comes. This time, believe the Ancient Saint will reward him handsomely..." The Weeping Tomb Great Wine Sacrifice laughed heartily.
But the laughter stopped abruptly with Jiang Fan and the Blood Thunder’s arrival.
"Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation, you @#￥%...&*"
Rumble! Crack!!
What the nine Great Wine Sacrifices saw was the Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation commanding the thunder sea, fiercely striking Jiang Fan, while Jiang Fan cursed all the way.
The two fought all the way from the sea to Taicang State!
Finally, fearing it would harm the living creatures of Taicang State, the Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation ceased her actions.
Jiang Fan stood with the Immortal King’s Undying Bell, red-hot, looking furious, "Crazy woman! What’s wrong with you?"
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation said, "Think more about what you did!"
Jiang Fan fumed, "What did I do? Did I touch you, hug you, take advantage of you?"
"You know yourself!"
"How would I know if you don’t say?"
"Even if I don’t say, you should know."
"I’m not a fortune teller! How am I supposed to understand what you’re up to?"
"Now you find me boring?"
"I didn’t mean that boring!"
...
Uh—
The nine Great Wine Sacrifices felt dizzy listening to this, were they having a lover’s quarrel?
The Drunk Great Wine Sacrifice laughed, "Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation, Jiang Fan, can’t you talk it out? No need to argue..."
"Shut up!"
"Shut up!"
Jiang Fan and the Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation yelled simultaneously but thus stopped.
Jiang Fan snorted, "No wonder someone extended an olive branch, saying if I couldn’t stay in Central Earth, I should go to the Hell Realm and join her."
"Turns out she knew you, this Ancient Saint, would make a fuss!"
The Ancient Saint of Cloud Desolation pursed her red lips, "You..."
"Don’t ever appear before me again!"
Jiang Fan said with a stern face, "Mutual feeling!"
"I’ve done enough for Central Earth! I owe no one!"
With that, he turned and instantly moved away.
The nine Great Wine Sacrifices stood stunned, not daring to breathe.
Did they just... break up?