Chapter 2320: Chapter 2368: Complaining

Xia Chaoge hesitated for a moment before saying, "You can’t get angry when you see him."

Linglong looked baffled. "I don’t even have enough time to thank him, so why would I be angry?"

As she spoke, she gently pushed Xia Chaoge aside and proactively headed outside the hall. A figure of such stature deserved to be welcomed in person. She smoothed her hair and looked down to adjust her clothes before stepping out of the hall with a warm, spring-like smile on her face.

Greeting her eyes was the figure of a man in a long, dark-colored robe. He stood tall and straight, with broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and ink-black hair cascading down like a waterfall.

For a split second, she thought she saw Jiang Fan’s shadow, and her expression froze.

Once she got a clear look at his face and realized it was an unfamiliar young man, she let out a self-deprecating smile. "I’ve been poisoned too deeply by that bastard; now everyone looks like him to me.

"Even if he had a hundred times the courage, would he dare to show up in front of me?"

Huh? Xia Chaoge sensed something was wrong—her mother should have been flying into a thunderous rage right about now. She leaned in for a closer look and was instantly stunned.

It turned out Jiang Fan had used some unknown method to alter his appearance, so flawlessly that even her mother, an Eight-winged Archangel, didn’t notice a thing. However, this was for the best. Jiang Fan had changed his face, and her mother had reverted to her true appearance. Neither of them recognized each other.

Jiang Fan sized up the fair-skinned, middle-aged woman in front of him. Her facial features were breathtakingly beautiful, as if meticulously traced by a painter’s brush. Even at her middle age, she still gave off an aura of profound, stunning elegance. If she were to return to her youth, she would probably be a presence on par with Spirit Sound.

"No wonder she could give birth to Chaoge," Jiang Fan praised inwardly. He cupped his hands and greeted, "A pleasure to meet you, Madam. Forgive me for the presumptuous intrusion."

Linglong was equally modest and polite, her voice melodious as she replied, "It should be Xuan Ji thanking you, sir, for your great kindness in guiding my daughter. Please allow Xuan Ji to host you properly."

She really was a reasonable and understanding woman. Compared to that bitch named Linglong, the difference was like heaven and earth!

As he entered the great hall, boxes of eye-catching betrothal gifts came into view. Sealed inside one of the chests was a drop of Angel Holy Blood—something that would drive all Angels mad with desire.

Jiang Fan narrowed his eyes and remarked, "The East Emperor is dead set on marrying your daughter, it seems."

If he remembered correctly, that Eight-winged Archangel named Linglong once mentioned that the East Emperor rigorously guarded against Eight-winged Archangels. For ten thousand years, a third Nine-winged Great Angel had never been born. Yet, in order to marry Xia Chaoge, the East Emperor didn’t hesitate to present a drop of Holy Blood that could help someone break through to become a Nine-winged Great Angel.

The smile faded from Linglong’s face, sorrow creeping into her eyes.

Jiang Fan asked, "You don’t want Chaoge to marry him?"

Linglong smiled bitterly. "How could I be willing? The East Emperor only values my daughter’s bloodline; he just wants to turn her into a tool to carry on his lineage."

A look of understanding flashed across Jiang Fan’s eyes. Such tactics were not unfamiliar among top-level experts. Ten thousand years ago, didn’t that Tongyuan Realm Master forcibly take countless beauties from the Hell Realm just to bear his offspring?

Jiang Fan’s gaze turned slightly cold. This East Emperor! He glanced at Xia Chaoge and asked in confusion, "Then what exactly does your daughter owe the East Emperor for her to agree to this marriage?"

Anger immediately flared in Linglong’s eyes, a mix of fury and helplessness. "There is a member of the Human Clan from Central Earth. Not long ago, he was hunted down by the Chaotic Ancient Blood Marquis. My daughter begged the East Emperor to intervene and help, and her promise in exchange was that she would marry him."

What? It was for him?

Jiang Fan’s heart violently trembled once more. No wonder Xia Chaoge stubbornly refused to state the reason! She was afraid that if Jiang Fan ever found out the truth in the future, he would blame himself for it!

However, Xia Chaoge had been deceived by the East Emperor! When he rode the paper crane back to Central Earth, the East Emperor did indeed show up. But he was reeking of murderous intent—how did that look like he was there to save Jiang Fan? He clearly intended to use the chaos to kill Jiang Fan and eliminate the root of the problem forever, preventing him from ever pestering Xia Chaoge again!

"You failed to kill me, yet you still tricked Chaoge into marrying you?" Jiang Fan sneered inwardly. "East Emperor, you truly deserve to die!"

He looked at the mother and daughter pair and asked, "Are you two just going to let the East Emperor manipulate you like this?"

Linglong stared deeply at Jiang Fan, hesitating to speak.

Knowing her concerns, Jiang Fan said, "Madam, there’s no harm in speaking freely. Truth be told, I also have a significant grudge against this East Emperor. What you say here will not reach a fourth person’s ears."

Oh? Linglong was exceptionally surprised. Did this person actually have a feud with the East Emperor? Whether it was true or false, this man’s treatment of Xia Chaoge was beyond reproach. He casually gifted her a Quasi-Realm Artifact and didn’t hesitate to use heaven-defying resources to raise Chaoge’s cultivation. If he harbored any malicious intent, he wouldn’t have been this good to her.

With a wave of her sleeve, Linglong set up three barriers to isolate them from any outside prying eyes. Only then did she speak with a serious expression, "Sir, to tell you the truth, I plan to take Chaoge away from the Northern Heavenly State."

"What?" Xia Chaoge exclaimed in shock. "Mother, are you crazy? Ever since the day I returned, the East Emperor has been monitoring our every move. I’m afraid the moment we tear open the world barrier, he’ll be hot on our heels.

"When that happens... Mother, you should just let me marry him. I don’t want to implicate you."

Linglong looked at Xia Chaoge in astonishment. Her daughter rarely ever called her ’Mother,’ always just addressing her as ’you.’ How did spending a short period of time with this teacher make her seem like a completely changed person? A gratified smile graced her lips as she replied, "I will look for a suitable opportunity. I won’t act recklessly. Don’t worry!"

So Chaoge’s mother had been planning this all along. Seeing her opposition to the East Emperor’s marriage proposal put Jiang Fan at ease.

He cupped his hands and said, "Madam, please forgive me for speaking out of turn. Your escape plan carries too much uncertainty. What will you do if the East Emperor pushes for the wedding, but the right opportunity never arises? Even if an opportunity does present itself, is success guaranteed? In the Void, if the East Emperor claims second place in speed, no one across the heavens would dare claim first. If you fail, both you and your daughter will meet a miserable end."

To this, Linglong remained very calm. She sighed softly. "This is already our only option. Otherwise, are we supposed to directly confront the East Emperor?"

What stunned her was Jiang Fan’s half-smiling response. "Why not?"

This question left Linglong stumped. The East Emperor was a Nine-winged Great Angel, an invincible existence in the Northern Heavenly State. She was only an Eight-winged Archangel. Even if she activated her Law and forcibly promoted herself to a Nine-winged Great Angel, she still wouldn’t be his match. Jiang Fan was overestimating her a bit too much.

Jiang Fan didn’t keep her in suspense. "The East Emperor and the West Empress are husband and wife, aren’t they? Could the West Empress really tolerate the East Emperor marrying another woman?"

Hearing this, Linglong gave a bitter smile. She understood what Jiang Fan meant—snitching to the West Empress. Glancing at the betrothal gifts covering the floor, she said, "Do you think the West Empress is completely unaware of these betrothal gifts?"

Jiang Fan pondered for a moment. From his experience, those in the Three Calamities Realm were practically omniscient and omnipotent within a certain range. Not even the slightest rustle of grass in the wind could escape their senses. There was no way the West Empress could be completely oblivious to the East Emperor sending such a massive array of betrothal gifts.

Jiang Fan probed, "The West Empress has given her tacit approval?"

Linglong replied helplessly, "If it were before, complaining to the West Empress might have worked. But ever since the people from the Lost Heavenly Realm brought news of the emergence of the Six Lords of Chaotic Ancient, everything changed.

"The outside world is in turmoil, and the Northern Heavenly State could be annihilated at any moment. The East Emperor and West Empress have no heirs. If either of them were to perish, the Northern Heavenly State would be left without a successor. Under these circumstances, would the West Empress still refuse to let the East Emperor take another concubine? The very fact that these betrothal gifts could be delivered here already shows the West Empress’s stance."

So that was how it was? Jiang Fan stroked his chin, a faint smile still playing on his lips. "If you complain to the West Empress, it might be useless. But if it were me, it would definitely work!"

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