Chapter 425 - 425 425 The Scapegoat Hero

Chapter 425: Chapter 425: The Scapegoat Hero Chapter 425: Chapter 425: The Scapegoat Hero Rumble—

As over a dozen spirit beasts arrived.

A group of renowned and powerful individuals stopped before a colossal handprint, as if it were a heavenly crater.

Staring at the Blood Flood Dragon’s corpse, smashed into a bloody pulp.

Their pupils contracted sharply.

Kong Yuanba, both furious and excited, exclaimed, “That’s right! That’s right!”

“This is the attack caused by a Nascent Soul Strike Jade Token!”

“Who used this token?”

Whoever possessed this token was undoubtedly the one who killed the Great Elder of the Giant Sect!

Soon enough.

They spotted Bai and the others in the distance.

“It’s that patrol team that went missing!”

“And the Green Cloud Sect disciple who rescued them, Jiang Fan!”

Jiang Fan?

Kong Yuanba’s lips twitched before he shouted, “What are you doing here?”

“If something were to happen to you, what would I do?”

Yue Mingzhu, who was about to step forward, froze in astonishment.

Hold on, isn’t he the Giant Sect Master? Why does he care about Jiang Fan’s well-being more than the elders of the Green Cloud Sect?

Everyone exchanged puzzled glances.

If they remembered correctly, the relationship between the Giant Sect and Green Cloud Sect wasn’t exactly friendly, right?

Hearing these words from Kong Yuanba’s mouth felt… peculiar.

Kong Yuanba didn’t have the face to admit that he had been coerced by two Vice Pavilion Masters.

He could only keep a sullen expression and ask, “Are you hurt?”

Jiang Fan cupped his hands. “Thank you for your concern, Senior Kong. I’m fine.”

One had to admit, the words of the two Vice Pavilion Masters carried real weight.

The person who feared for Jiang Fan’s safety the most turned out to be Kong Yuanba.

Only then did Kong Yuanba nod slightly before asking, “While you were on your mission here, did you see who used the Nascent Soul Strike Jade Token?”

Jiang Fan rubbed his nose.

Wasn’t this like asking a mouse who stole the rice from your house?

After hesitating for a moment, he replied, “I didn’t get a clear look.”

Kong Yuanba frowned, “It’s either you saw it or you didn’t. What do you mean you didn’t get a clear look?”

Jiang Fan replied, “Because the person who used the Nascent Soul Jade Token alarmed a deadly creature lurking beneath the lake.”

“I didn’t have time to get a good look at them before the creature obliterated them without leaving even their shadow behind.”

“Anyone capable of killing my sect’s Great Elder certainly wouldn’t be a simple character.”

“What sort of monstrous creature could leave them without a trace?”

Kong Yuanba grew instantly suspicious.

Moreover.

What kind of creature could withstand an attack from a Nascent Soul expert?

Wasn’t the Blood Flood Dragon turned into a bloody pulp?

At that moment, a Supreme Elder stared solemnly at the dried-up immense pit that was once Tai Lake.

There was a trace of terror in his voice.

“Could a Divinity Transformation Realm Demon Monarch have emerged within the Demon Race?”

“To evaporate Tai Lake so utterly!”

“A Nascent Soul Realm cultivator wouldn’t have this kind of power!”

Only now did the group realize.

Once a shimmering, unfathomably deep Tai Lake was now nothing but a desiccated void.

“There’s a palace over there!”

Someone spotted it and instantly dashed toward the dilapidated palace at the bottom of the lake.

From the partially preserved inscriptions, they managed to piece together its origin.

“These are Demon Race inscriptions—Li Fire Heavenly Palace!”

“It seems that something truly extraordinary was being nurtured here once!”

“If a Demon Emperor’s War General showed up here, it would make sense. It must have been safeguarding the emergence of this object.”

Jiang Fan silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank heavens for the Sky-Burning Clam Pearl as the perfect scapegoat.

Otherwise, today would’ve been incredibly hard to explain.

Kong Yuanba gasped audibly, “A Divinity Transformation-level creature?”

“This… this… Jiang Fan, did you manage to see what it was?”

Jiang Fan dared not reveal the existence of the Sky-Burning Clam Pearl.

He wanted to avoid panic and prevent the information from spreading to more demons.

He smiled wryly, “With an existence this terrifying, how would I dare to take a peek?”

“I barely managed to escape.”

No one doubted this statement.

If something could evaporate an entire lake, what kind of terrifying creature could it be?

If it had been them, they wouldn’t have dared spy on it either.

Kong Yuanba’s expression flickered between rage and resignation for a long moment before he reluctantly huffed, “He was lucky to die at the hands of a deadly creature.”

“If he had fallen into the hands of my Giant Sect, his life would have been worse than death!”

And so.

The group began searching the surroundings.

The massive hole melted through the earth, exposing magma, was also discovered.

It further cemented their belief in the creature’s terrifying strength.

In the ruined palace, the shattered remains of a clam shell were seen as prized treasures and divided among the sect elders as spoils.

Even the Blood Flood Dragon’s corpse was divided equally.

Though the most valuable Demon Core and Spiritual Meat were destroyed.

With so many important figures gathered and so much effort spent, they couldn’t just leave empty-handed.

After cleaning up the scene.

And confirming there were no more clues, the group left reluctantly.

Jiang Fan quickly urged everyone to climb onto Bai’s back, and they left together.

Yue Mingzhu heaved a long sigh of relief.

She had been prepared to take the blame herself and admit to having taken the Jade Token.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Fan had everything figured out in advance, effortlessly deflecting all suspicion.

Recalling how Jiang Fan had used the Mirage Demon Pill to trick the Sky-Burning Clam Pearl.

She couldn’t help but feel a hint of admiration.

“Jiang Fan, your devious ideas are truly endless!” Yue Mingzhu remarked in awe.

Jiang Fan retorted, “Thank you so much for your compliment!”

“Everyone, get some rest.”

“The way back should be safe and sound.”

Liu Qingxian’s taut nerves finally relaxed.

As Bai jostled along, her body swayed gently, and drowsiness quickly overcame her.

Her head tilted, and she ended up falling into Jiang Fan’s arms.

When she awoke again.

She found herself surrounded by noisy, bustling chatter.

Opening her eyes.

She realized they had arrived at the central square of Sunset City.

To her embarrassment, she found she had fallen asleep in Jiang Fan’s arms.

“Did I sleep this long?”

At least an entire day and night.

Yue Mingzhu smirked, “Jiang Fan was dying for you to sleep longer so he could hold you more.”

Ignoring Liu Qingxian’s increasingly flushed cheeks.

Yue Mingzhu stood, her tone laced with mock jealousy, “Alright, I helped you save your sweetheart.”

“Let’s part ways here.”

“Don’t get me involved in matters like this again. It’s suffocating.”

Jiang Fan felt grateful in his heart.

After a moment’s thought, he produced a pair of Communication Jade Scrolls.

Handing one to her, he said, “If you need anything, contact me. Consider this repayment for your help this time.”

“Hehe! I knew you couldn’t bear to let me go!” Yue Mingzhu exclaimed with glee, snatching up the scroll immediately.

With it, no matter how far apart they were, they would always be able to contact each other.

She swayed the scroll proudly in front of Liu Qingxian. “Fairy Liu, you’d better keep a close eye on your man.”

“You wouldn’t want me to steal him away someday.”

With a resonant laugh, she leaped away.

Liu Qingxian stomped her foot and demanded, “Fan, who is that woman?”

She had openly challenged her after all.

Outrageous!

Jiang Fan chuckled, “She’s a friend of mine, a disciple of the Desires Sect named Yue Mingzhu.”

“This time, she nearly sacrificed herself to distract the Blood Flood Dragon and Sea Charm so I could escape.”

Hearing that Yue Mingzhu had risked her life for Jiang Fan.

Liu Qingxian’s anger dissipated. Instead, she felt a twinge of inadequacy.

Because she had never gone that far for Jiang Fan.

“But… you said her name is Yue Mingzhu?”

Liu Qingxian rested her chin on her hand, her brows deeply furrowed.

“Why does that name sound… familiar?”