Chapter 236: 236: Loss of Status

Chapter 236: Chapter 236: Loss of Status

He immediately stepped forward.

But he didn’t rashly search the body.

Instead, he picked up the black curved blade of the Black Lotus.

From a short distance away, he cautiously used the tip of the blade to open the Black Lotus’s clothes.

He narrowly jumped back.

With a hiss!

...

A blood-red venomous snake, the length of an index finger, suddenly lunged out and bit fiercely on the curved blade.

The venom it spewed from its mouth corroded the mid-grade magic artifact, causing black smoke to rise.

Jiang Fan acted quickly.

The black blade shuddered, releasing a strong burst of sword Qi, slicing the small venomous snake into two!

Everyone looked at the intense corrosion on the black blade, causing their scalps to tingle.

The mid-grade magic artifact could corrode to such an extent, showing how potent the venom was!

If they had rashly searched the body just now.

The consequences would have been…

Zhang Xuemou felt a chill down her spine.

Then she looked at Jiang Fan, not hiding her admiration.

Jiang Fan was younger than her, but his vast experience made her feel ashamed.

She somewhat understood why their master held Jiang Fan in such high regard.

She couldn’t help but mimic their master’s tone, turning to educate the group of junior sisters behind her: “Did you see? Learn from this!”

“Be extremely cautious when out in the world from now on.”

“Otherwise, you won’t even know how you died!”

The junior sisters all nodded, looking at Jiang Fan with admiration.

If it were them, they would have been tempted by the amazing relics possibly hidden on the Black Lotus and let down their guard, rashly searching the body.

But despite Jiang Fan’s immense strength, he still remained cautious.

This deeply taught them a valuable lesson.

One that would benefit them for life.

Then.

Jiang Fan made multiple attempts, thoroughly confirming that there were no other hidden weapons on her.

Only then did he remove the items from her body.

Most were some healing spiritual medicine and heavenly materials and earthly treasures unique to the mountains.

Though valuable, they weren’t of much use to him.

Only one item caught his attention.

It was a small wooden box wrapped in oil paper.

Carefully opening it, Jiang Fan was startled.

It was a crystal token with a face value of ten thousand crystals!

“Good heavens! Just how many people did she plunder over the years to amass so many crystals?”

He unceremoniously took it out.

Only then did he notice.

Under the crystal token was a palm-sized piece of cloth.

When touched, it felt cool and silky.

The material seemed like silk but had a metallic luster.

The surface was blank.

Jiang Fan’s eyes showed a thoughtful look.

If it was a useless piece of cloth, Black Lotus would not have placed it together with a ten thousand crystals token, right?

For the time being, he had no leisure to study it, so he simply put it away.

As for the rest…

Jiang Fan looked at Zhang Xuemou and the group of junior sisters, as well as Qin Caihe and Chu Xingmeng.

“The rest of these, you can split them among yourselves.”

Zhang Xuemou was taken aback: “Junior Brother, these spiritual medicines and heavenly materials and earthly treasures are worth thousands of crystals.”

She had no idea that Jiang Fan had just pocketed a token worth ten thousand crystals.

Besides, he already had several of them.

Carrying these around was just a burden for him.

“Just split them, don’t be polite.”

Zhang Xuemou was overjoyed.

She immediately divided them equally among the people present.

Even so, everyone received wealth worth thousands of crystals each!

“Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang! Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang!”

Zhang Xuemou was so delighted she couldn’t close her mouth.

Just after leaving the sect, she earned a thousand crystals for free, higher than the reward for a level-two mission!

She increasingly understood why their master liked Jiang Fan so much.

With a wave of his hand, he could give away a thousand crystals, who wouldn’t like that?

Qin Caihe also had a joyful expression, repeatedly bowing: “Thank you, Senior Brother Jiang.”

Her beautiful eyes stared at Jiang Fan, sparkling with admiration.

Handsome and dashing, and incredibly skilled.

Besides being skilled, he was also very generous.

In comparison to Lu Xinghe, whom she had admired for a long time.

She suddenly felt that her previous admiration for Lu Xinghe was due to her limited perspective.

“You are too kind!” Jiang Fan smiled.

He then turned to Zhang Xuemou: “Senior Sister Zhang, we shall part ways now.”

Zhang Xuemou cupped her hands: “Take care!”

The two convoys walked in opposite directions.

No one knew how long it had been.

Lu Xinghe gradually woke up.

Finding himself alone, he couldn’t help but shiver.

“I’m still alive?”

“Where is Black Lotus?”

After a long time, he calmed his nerves and headed towards the Spirit Beast Sect.

No matter what, the attack on the team needed to be reported to the Spirit Beast Sect.

To avoid being accused of embezzling the three carriageloads of supplies.

But, after walking for a short while, he suddenly spotted a headless corpse.

Recognizing it immediately by its attire, he gasped: “Black Lotus… was killed?”

He remembered Black Lotus had come to settle accounts with the person who killed her subordinates.

Instantly realizing: “Who on earth was that expert?”

“Even Black Lotus could be killed?”

Having personally fought Black Lotus, he knew her true realm.

She was genuinely at the Core Formation Realm!

And she was still slain!

Thinking this, he shuddered and quickened his pace towards the Spirit Beast Sect.

Traveling took him less than half a day.

Before nightfall, he saw Jiang Fan’s convoy setting up camp.

Overjoyed instantly.

“Junior Sister Qin, Junior Sister Chu, are you both alright?”

He looked at the two girls with surprise.

Incredulous.

Facing so many of Black Lotus’s pirates, they came out unscathed?

Then, seeing Jiang Fan unscathed as well, he felt deflated: “You are also unharmed? Ha, what luck.”

Chu Xingmeng sighed softly.

Not a hint of joy that he had returned alive.

For the leader who fled during the battle and abandoned them to the bandits, she had no good feelings.

Qin Caihe was also utterly disappointed in him.

Bluntly said: “Senior Brother Lu’s luck is better, escaping from Black Lotus’s pursuit.”

“Impressive, truly impressive.”

Hearing the sarcasm in her words, Lu Xinghe felt embarrassed and defended himself:

“I… I was diverting Black Lotus.”

“Otherwise, no matter how skilled that senior was, he couldn’t have dealt with Black Lotus and all her subordinates at the same time.”

Maybe even he felt this defense was full of loopholes.

He hurriedly changed the topic: “Where is that senior?”

“Where is he?”

“I need to thank him properly for saving you both.”

Qin Caihe and Chu Xingmeng each rolled their eyes but couldn’t bother to respond to him.

Lu Xinghe felt awkward.

At that moment, his stomach growled.

Exhausted for a day without a drop of water, his stomach was already shriveled with hunger.

Seeing Qin Caihe and Chu Xingmeng by the campfire, each roasting a freshly caught rabbit.

The golden-brown roasted rabbits, sizzling with oil, emitted a tempting aroma.

He swallowed and said: “Junior Sisters, could you share a bit with me?”

Chu Xingmeng pretended not to hear, picked up the roasted rabbit, blew on it gently, and handed it to Jiang Fan.

“Senior Brother Jiang, you’ve worked the hardest, this is for you to eat.”

Lu Xinghe then looked at Qin Caihe, smiling: “Junior Sister, give some to Senior Brother, I’m starving.”

Chu Xingmeng had her eyes on Jiang Fan all the time.

Not giving him any was understandable.

Junior Sister had no good impression of Jiang Fan, she wouldn’t give it to Jiang Fan either, right?

To his surprise, as soon as he moved closer, Qin Caihe got up and sat beside Jiang Fan.

With deep affection, she handed the rabbit to Jiang Fan’s mouth: “Junior Brother Jiang, I roasted this for you, have a taste.”

Lu Xinghe couldn’t believe it.

He had only been gone for a day.

How could Junior Sister also be favoring Jiang Fan?

“Junior Sister, why are you siding with an outsider?” Lu Xinghe complained.

Qin Caihe gave him a glance, calmly saying: “Sorry, you are the outsider.”

After speaking, she tore off a piece of rabbit meat.

Gently blowing to cool it, she handed it to Jiang Fan’s mouth, with a slightly coquettish tone: “Junior Brother Jiang, give me some face.”

Lu Xinghe couldn’t believe it, the gentle and coquettish female disciple before him.

Was his once arrogant and snobbish junior sister!

“Jiang Fan! What kind of beguilement did you give them?” Lu Xinghe shouted!

Qin Caihe raised her brow, drew her sword and demanded: “I won’t allow you to speak to Junior Brother Jiang like that!”

“If you are not satisfied, then leave the team!”

“Without you, we would have a smoother journey!”

Although Chu Xingmeng remained silent, she showed the same attitude.

If it weren’t for Lu Xinghe’s self-importance, not heeding Jiang Fan’s advice, and insisting on entering the mountains, they wouldn’t have encountered any danger in the first place.

Now that he had barely survived, he still wanted to act as the leader of the team?

Who would respect him?

Seeing Junior Sister Qin’s aggressive stance towards him, Lu Xinghe felt both angry and furious.

Pointing at Jiang Fan repeatedly, he said:

“Fine! Fine! So you want to play the hero, want to be the leader, right?”

“Let’s see how you explain yourself when we reach the Spirit Beast Sect!”

“I’m telling you, dealing with disciples from the Spirit Beast Sect isn’t easy.”

“Without my acquaintances there to vouch, don’t expect these three carriages of spiritual medicine to be smoothly received!”