Chapter 427 - 427 427 Competing for Merit

Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Competing for Merit Chapter 427: Chapter 427 Competing for Merit “Huh?”

The crowd was astonished.

They weren’t surprised that someone dared to challenge Jin Zhongming.

But rather…

Who had the audacity to compare their mission to Jin Zhongming’s?

Jin Zhongming was executing the most dangerous Heaven-level mission.

Not an Earth-level, and certainly not a Profound Level task!

However…

When they saw who it was, everyone was dumbfounded.

“Jiang Fan?”

“Isn’t he the one who executed the Tai Lake rescue mission?”

“Why has he returned?”

Nangong Xiaoyun immediately noticed her familiar Bai.

Then she looked up and saw Jiang Fan standing atop with his arms crossed.

Overjoyed, she dropped her pen and ran over: “Junior Brother Jiang, you’re back!”

“I was so worried about you!”

Jiang Fan jumped down with a smile, jestered: “Were you worried about me, or your Bai?”

Nangong Xiaoyun’s smile faded: “You! Always taking my kindness as ill intentions!”

But seeing Jiang Fan’s persistent smirk, she couldn’t hold back and said sheepishly:

“Alright, I admit, I was really worried about Bai.”

“But I was concerned about you too!”

“Really, I swear!”

Jiang Fan patted her head, smiling: “Don’t worry. Bai is doing very well with me.”

Bai was treated like a family member by Nangong Xiaoyun.

How could she not be concerned?

Nangong Xiaoyun quickly inspected Bai after a few days of not seeing him.

To her surprise, not only was he uninjured, but his realm had also significantly improved, almost breaking through to the Fourth Level of Core Formation.

“What? Bai! You’re… you’re about to break through!” Nangong Xiaoyun exclaimed in astonishment.

Considering Bai’s situation, it should have taken at least another year to reach the breakthrough edge.

Following Jiang Fan on a mission seemed like a golden opportunity, showing immediate signs of breakthrough.

Bai happily pranced around: “Brother Jiang Fan gave me something… something amazing!”

It was clam meat, of course.

However, Bai cleverly remembered Jiang Fan’s words.

Not to tell anyone.

Including his master.

Nangong Xiaoyun was overjoyed, holding Jiang Fan’s hand: “Thank you, Junior Brother Jiang, thank you.”

She rolled her eyes and said: “When are you going on your next mission?”

“Make sure to take Bai with you!”

She used to be very reluctant to lend Bai out.

Now, she wanted to beg Jiang Fan to borrow him more often.

Then the next time he comes back, Bai breaks through to the Fourth Level of Core Formation, then to the Fifth Level next time…

And eventually, to the Nascent Soul Realm.

And she could rely on a Nascent Soul Spirit Beast, living a carefree life thereafter.

Jiang Fan was exasperated: “I just got back, haven’t even sat down, and you’re already sending me off.”

“Hurry up and register my mission.”

Nangong Xiaoyun then remembered the critical matter, expressing concern: “Oh right! How did you do with your mission?”

“Did you fail?”

“Actually, it’s okay if you failed. This mission, just in the few days you were gone, has been escalated for the elders to execute.”

“Failing isn’t disgraceful, returning alive is a blessing.”

Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion must have obtained some intelligence.

They urgently elevated the task to the elders’ level.

This was no longer a task disciples could execute.

Jin Zhongming’s sharp gaze locked onto him, emanating an oppressive aura:

“Do you have a problem with my mission?”

The whole place fell silent.

Many people looked at Jiang Fan with schadenfreude.

“Rescuing people is noble. Who is he to criticize?”

“If he’s capable, he should have succeeded and rescued people from Tai Lake!”

“Even if he managed to save one, I would acknowledge his questioning of Jin Zhongming. Tai Lake’s task is harder, but he didn’t!”

“I don’t get what he’s thinking, openly questioning Jin Zhongming’s merit. Doesn’t that discourage others too?”

…

Nangong Xiaoyun became slightly anxious.

Jiang Fan had indeed offended some people with his words.

Not only had he offended Jin Zhongming, but also many disciples who worked hard on their missions.

Even Ye Cangyuan frowned slightly.

Originally, he had some appreciation for Jiang Fan’s courage in taking on the Tai Lake mission.

But hearing this, he felt Jiang Fan was too narrow-minded.

He said indifferently: “What do you think should be done?”

It was clear that Ye Cangyuan was somewhat angry.

Jiang Fan had even questioned the Vice Pavilion Master’s suggestion.

Why not let Jiang Fan decide?

Jiang Fan did not look at the chattering disciples nor Jin Zhongming.

Instead, he clasped his hands at Ye Cangyuan and called out to Bai: “Everyone, come down.”

Hmm?

Who else was on Bai’s back?

Wasn’t the mission carried out by Jiang Fan alone?

Clatter——

When five figures jumped down one after another.

Seeing their faces, the whole crowd gasped.

“Liu Qingxian and Wang Chengjian from the Green Cloud Sect!”

“Wang Yan from the Thousand Refinement Sect, Qin Huai from the True Thunder Sect, and Wei Sanqing from the Heavenly Sound Sect!”

“They are the Tai Lake patrol team, aren’t they?”

“They all came back… all rescued!”

…

The arena erupted in intense noise.

Disciples from the Thousand Refinement Sect, True Thunder Sect, and Heavenly Sound Sect surged forward, cheering in delight.

Nangong Xiaoyun’s jaw dropped: “What? You rescued everyone?”

“This was an elder-level task.”

“Didn’t you encounter any danger?”

Jiang Fan nodded: “Faced a bit.”

Then…

He respectfully clasped his hands towards Ye Cangyuan, whose face softened: “Vice Pavilion Master Ye, this junior accomplished the mission, all missing team members have been safely brought back.”

“Please, Vice Pavilion Master, verify.”

Ye Cangyuan also found it hard to believe.

As the Vice Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion, he understood why this mission was urgently elevated to elder-level.

Because the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion had received secret information.

The Demon Emperor dispatched a war general to Tai Lake, which was the reason for the disciples’ disappearance!

For Jiang Fan to retrieve everyone under the eye of a war general!

It was nothing short of a miracle!

He re-evaluated Jiang Fan, a strong sense of joy appearing on his aged face:

“Good! Good! Good!”

“Indeed, a young hero!”

“To bring everyone back unharmed from such danger is beyond my expectations!”

“Xiaoyun, what are you waiting for? Full merit! No dispute, full merit!”

At that moment.

He suddenly realized why Jiang Fan had a problem with Jin Zhongming’s mission rating.

If Jin Zhongming received full merit for an incomplete mission.

Then what should be given to Jiang Fan, who perfectly completed his rescue mission?

Full merit?

That wouldn’t be fair.

Adding some merit on top?

Would that follow the rules?

He then realized that while he seemed to be rewarding Jin Zhongming, he had actually disrupted fairness.

He immediately retracted his decision: “Jiang Fan, full merit, Jin Zhongming, eighty percent merit.”

No one objected.

Because it was the fairest.

“No wonder Jiang Fan questioned Jin Zhongming’s rating. He really had the right; I was too hasty.”

“Me too, in comparison, Jin Zhongming only deserves eighty percent.”

“Same rescue, same number of people, Jiang Fan’s task was harder. If they received the same merit, it wouldn’t be fair.”

Jin Zhongming’s gaze turned icy!

The full merit he had secured was lost because of Jiang Fan!

Eighty percent merit not only meant he could only receive eighty percent of the merit points from the mission!

More importantly…

He had been challenging Xia Chaoge’s Heaven-level mission record.

He finally completed it, but an eighty percent rating severely undermined the credibility of his challenge.

It couldn’t compare to Xia Chaoge’s.

“Brat! You’re good at executing missions.” Jin Zhongming said coldly.

Jiang Fan had no goodwill toward Giant Sect disciples, retorting bluntly: “Better than you.”

Thump——

Jin Zhongming grabbed his Comparable to Heaven Halberd planted in the ground, pointing it at Jiang Fan from a distance:

“Is that so?”

“The Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion merit list will be released tonight!”

“Dare to compete with me?”

Oh?

Jiang Fan’s eyes showed a hint of joy.

He had been waiting for the merit list for a month! Anticipating the exchange of the legendary space storage device and Void Lotus.