Chapter 2263: Chapter 2307: The Return Journey

Jiang Fan’s expression shifted slightly as he thought, "They arrived so quickly?"

Turning around, he saw that the world barrier behind him had opened at some unknown point. The wrinkle-faced Prime Minister led the Sages of Nanqian as they slowly walked out from the barrier.

Bone Struggle Sage stepped forward and anxiously cupped his hands. "Prime Minister, why are you here?"

The Prime Minister’s slit-like eyes lightly swept over him before turning to the other three experts of the Three Calamities Realm. He spoke in a hoarse voice, "Four experts of the Three Calamities Realm trying to intercept and kill a single person in the Divinity Transformation Realm, only to nearly be killed in return.

"You’ve really outdone yourselves!"

Bone Struggle Sage and the other three looked at their riddled, heavily wounded bodies, their old faces burning with shame. It turned out that their petty schemes had been observed by the Prime Minister all along.

Feeling both ashamed and furious, Bone Struggle Sage glared fiercely at Jiang Fan. Since there was no longer any chance to extort Jiang Fan, he had no reason to keep the man’s secrets.

"Prime Minister, this person is named Jiang Fan. He is the one who killed Feng Lingxiao!"

He had expected the Prime Minister to be shocked. However, the Prime Minister merely gave a faint nod. "Understood."

Bone Struggle Sage’s heart skipped a beat in secret alarm. *Did the Prime Minister already know everything?* Not daring to speak further, he hurriedly stepped aside.

The Prime Minister’s old eyes shifted, finally landing on the Fire Bees. He spoke with profound meaning, "These bees share a destiny with you. Do not let them go to waste."

Without him making any visible movement, the Fire Bees that had been frozen in midair were all swept back into the Nine Dragon Demon Tripod.

Jiang Fan was taken aback. He could release the Fire Bees, but he had absolutely no way to recall them. Yet, the Prime Minister actually helped him gather them back. Moreover, the old man clearly seemed to know the truth behind Feng Lingxiao’s fall but pretended to be ignorant.

This Prime Minister didn’t seem to harbor any hostility.

"Prime Minister, he brazenly murdered a Viscount of our Nanqian! His crimes are unforgivable! Please seek justice for the Feng family. An eye for an eye, blood for blood!" an elder of the Feng family cried out in grief and indignation.

The Prime Minister remained expressionless as he replied indifferently, "Has the area beneath your Feng family’s sanatorium been cleaned up?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the indignant Feng clan members fell into a deathly silence, as if a block of solid ice had been tossed into boiling water.

Bone Struggle Sage’s body trembled slightly, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. The Prime Minister knew about that matter as well?

Jiang Fan was surprised. It turned out that this Prime Minister, who had one foot in the grave, knew every single detail of what transpired in Nanqian like the back of his hand. He just hadn’t taken action due to various considerations.

With some hesitation, Jiang Fan cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Prime Minister."

The Prime Minister gave a slight nod. "Before you go, leave behind the item His Majesty asked you to deliver."

Sure enough, this old man even knew that the replica of the Imperial Jade Seal was in his possession. Jiang Fan didn’t think twice. He took out the black Jade Box and tossed it to the Prime Minister. This item had never belonged to him in the first place.

"It is now back in its rightful hands! I have fulfilled the request of His Majesty Nanqian. Farewell!" Jiang Fan cupped his hands again and slowly backed away with his group.

The Prime Minister caught the black Jade Box, a hint of relief surfacing between his brows. The Imperial Jade Seal had finally returned safely.

Seeing that Jiang Fan was about to leave, the Prime Minister asked meaningfully, "Did His Majesty give you any instructions?"

Jiang Fan instantly became vigilant. He had always felt that there was a hidden motive behind His Majesty Nanqian entrusting a black Jade Box to an outsider like him. Was it time to cash in on whatever scheme was plotted?

He probed cautiously, "He only told me to deliver it into your hands personally. Nothing more than that."

A sharp gleam flashed in the Prime Minister’s old eyes as he asked, "He didn’t say anything else besides that?"

Jiang Fan shook his head. "Only that one sentence!"

The Prime Minister’s gaze shifted, looking Jiang Fan up and down. When his eyes landed on Jiang Fan’s face, it was as if he could see right through the mask and behold Jiang Fan’s true appearance. A look of sudden realization spread through his eyes.

He slowly nodded. "This old man understands."

Jiang Fan backed away uneasily and asked, "I can leave now, right?"

The Prime Minister replied, "If you wish to stay in Nanqian, this old man has no objections."

The implication was that he would not interfere with whether Jiang Fan stayed or left. Why would Jiang Fan hesitate any longer? Summoning the Void Feather Robe, he swept his sleeves around his companions and soared into the sky. With a few Instantaneous Movements, he vanished from everyone’s line of sight.

Beside the Prime Minister, an elderly expert of the Three Calamities Realm glanced at the black Jade Box and then in the direction Jiang Fan had fled, before asking, "Are we just letting him leave like this?"

The Prime Minister gave a hoarse chuckle. "When it is time for him to return, he will naturally return."

With that said, he turned and stepped back into Nanqian. The others followed in succession, returning home.

Bone Struggle Sage’s face was filled with unwillingness. The searing pain pulsing from the countless fiery holes in his body made him burn with a mix of shame and rage. He had completely shot himself in the foot, ending up thoroughly humiliated!

"Brat, once the great war begins, I will be sure to pay your Central Earth a thorough visit!"

In the distance, Jiang Fan looked back at the gradually receding silhouette of Nanqian, feeling a profound sense of surrealism. "I thought this trip to Nanqian would be the most dangerous, but in the end, it turned out to be even safer than the Martial Vault."

Nanqian was the birthplace of the myriad heavens’ great war—the very source of the turmoil. Yet here in Nanqian, he had killed Feng Lingxiao and taken someone away from the Inferior Sage. And still, his journey had been unexpectedly smooth. It felt as if he had been back in Central Earth.

However, the look the Prime Minister gave him at the very end filled him with a faint, uneasy feeling that this matter was far from over.

"Forget it. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. It’s time to head back to Central Earth." Jiang Fan took a deep breath. Just mentioning Central Earth brought him an inexplicable sense of peace.

He had been away for far too long this time. Yun Shang, Gong Caiyi, Green Pearl, Chen Silin... Their slightly blurred faces flashed across his mind one by one. He hoped they were all doing well.

He took out the Void Map and spotted the coordinates for Central Earth not too far away. At the speed of the Void Feather Robe, they were merely a six-day journey away.

But at that exact moment, the Big Black Dog lowered his head, sniffed the air, and said gravely, "Hey, did you forget someone?"

Jiang Fan’s expression hardened as he replied in a deep voice, "The Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis?"

That relentless bastard! Fortunately, he hadn’t lingered in Nanqian for too long. Otherwise, the enemy would have charged straight into Nanqian to kill him long ago.

"How far away is he?"

The Big Black Dog replied solemnly, "Given the difference in your speeds, he will catch up to us in half a day at most. How confident are you in taking him on?"

Half a day?

Jiang Fan said heavily, "When facing the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis, how many people other than your old master would dare to speak lightly of their chances of winning? The only thing I am certain of is that if he wants to kill me, he will have to pay a steep price in flesh!"

Promptly, Jiang Fan took out a Void Feather Robe and handed it to Qing Jiu. "Take them and leave!"

He couldn’t even confidently guarantee his own survival, let alone protect the people around him. Qing Jiu, Liang Feiyan, and the others hesitated.

The Big Black Dog said seriously, "All of you, go. I will stay behind."

After calmly assessing the situation, Qing Jiu said to Jiang Fan, "Take care. Come back alive." With that, he enveloped the other three and charged into the Void.

Jiang Fan vaulted onto the Big Black Dog’s back and ordered, "Keep moving forward."

He retrieved the Tai Chu Prison Sky Gourd and the Execution Pen in preparation for the worst. Then, he took out Feng Lingxiao’s Hammer of Thunder God.

The Hammer of Thunder God itself was not enough to deal with the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis. However, Feng Lingxiao had somehow managed to infuse a wisp of divine aura into it. As a result, this hammer contained immense power capable of suppressing the souls of those in the Three Calamities Realm!

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