Chapter 1723: Ancient Saint's Favoritism

Jiang Fan then understood why an Asura Empress would descend.

It was because the mother of Tian Jian and Tian Qin had come looking for them.

The Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar was on the verge of collapse. If they weren't found and brought back soon, the two would never be able to return to the Celestial Realm.

This was what forced their mother to descend to the lower realm in search of her children.

Jiang Fan's heart sank slightly. The Asura Empress's arrival was too sudden; he was completely unprepared.

It was too late to retrieve the Nine-Colored Crystal or the Nine-Dragon Demonic Cauldron now.

Any slight movement from him would result in the Empress immediately killing him.

Yet, even if he handed over Tian Qin and Tian Jian, she would still kill him instantly!

Death was inevitable either way!

His heart sank further. Out of the corner of his eye, he glimpsed the continent's coastline, only a few miles away. He had to try one more time.

He scoffed, "You're talking about Tian Jian and Tian Qin, aren't you?"

"They were indeed captured by me, and they're right here on this island."

"I can take you to them."

The Asura Empress withdrew her hand, but an immense power of karma bound Jiang Fan, rendering him unable to move.

She observed the continent behind Jiang Fan with interest. Deep apprehension surfaced on her exceedingly beautiful face as she slowly spoke:

"Divine Transformation cultivators are forbidden entry; Sages must halt."

"Defy the ancient prohibition, and even a Buddha cannot pass through."

Jiang Fan's face stiffened.

The Dark Asura Clan knew about this continent's ancient legends?

Even few people in the Central Lands knew of them.

The Asura Empress's phoenix eyes slowly shifted to Jiang Fan. She said, "Trying to trick us into going onto the continent?"

Jiang Fan awkwardly mumbled, "That ancient prohibition was lifted long ago. If you don't believe me, I'll go up there and show you."

The Asura Empress watched Jiang Fan intently.

She felt a bit strange herself. Just moments ago, Jiang Fan had plunged headfirst towards the continent without a second thought.

If she hadn't stopped him in time, Jiang Fan would have already entered the continent.

As far as she knew, the continent's prohibition applied to God-Transformation cultivators of all races, including humans.

The Jiang Fan before her was already at the God-Transformation stage, so how dared he run towards the continent?

Could it be that the continent's restrictions had truly been lifted?

Deep in thought, she gently waved her sleeve.

A four-crowned Asura King puppet was flung onto the continent.

Barely crossing the coastline, it instantly exploded into a mist of blood, which then disintegrated into nothingness, vanishing without a trace.

The Asura Empress took a step back, her phoenix eyes narrowed as she glared at Jiang Fan:

"The restriction hasn't been lifted. Why did you try to enter directly just now?"

"Could it be that the restriction makes an exception for you?"

"That's highly unlikely. This restriction was established by the Ancient Sage Yun Huang. She would not show any special leniency to anyone."

Jiang Fan did not reply.

He dared to enter directly because he was certain this prohibition was ineffective against him.

Because when he was still at the Nascent Soul stage, he had brought Empress Zi Jiang, who was then a Giant King, to the continent once before.

And during that time, Empress Zi Jiang had entered and exited unharmed!

Therefore, he was certain that old hag, the Ancient Sage, had made an exception for him.

Allowing him and anyone he carried on his person to freely enter and exit the continent.

Receiving no answer, the Asura Empress lost her patience. She said, "Never mind if you won't speak."

"The Heaven-Connecting Black Pillar is on the verge of collapsing, and I don't have time to deal with you."

She reached into Jiang Fan's robes, fumbled for a moment, and directly grasped the spatial mirror.

The reason she could pinpoint Jiang Fan's location so precisely and intercept him in advance was because of this very mirror.

Because Tian Qin was trapped inside it!

Her aura was like a giant beacon to the Asura Empress, detectable even from across a great province.

She glanced into the mirror and found Tian Qin unharmed.

This eased her worried heart slightly.

As she continued to scan, she said with some surprise, "How are there two five-crowned Asura Kings of my clan in here as well?"

"Weren't they in the Celestial Realm?"

She shot a glance at Jiang Fan and scoffed, "You've captured my children and imprisoned strong cultivators of my clan."

"Are you deliberately trying to provoke my Dark Asura Clan?"

Having said that, she continued to scan.

She found two small spirit beasts: one was sound asleep and looked quite adorable.

The other was holding a small stick and interrogating Tian Qin, looking truly detestable!

Among the rest, there was a miniaturized Hellish Desolate Beast, two God-Transformation souls, and a sleeping old woman with a Nine-Orifice Nascent Soul.

But Tian Jian was nowhere to be found.

Her phoenix eyes grew cold. "Where is Tian Jian? I don't want to hear that he's dead!"

Jiang Fan's heart slowly sank as well.

It would be one thing if the Asura Empress only rescued Tian Qin, but the spatial mirror also contained the little Kirin and Fan Gu Zai, among others.

If she were to take the spatial mirror, the trouble would be immense.

The biggest problem was that Tian Jian was inside the Primordial Heaven-Imprisoning Gourd. She would only need to ask Tian Qin to learn of the gourd's existence.

At that point, the gourd would undoubtedly fall into her hands, and in turn, become a hidden danger to the Central Lands.

At this point, there was only one course of action.

He tilted his head back, gazing at the sky, and yelled, "Ancient Sage, you old hag!"

That petty Ancient Sage, who wouldn't even tolerate a bad thought about her, certainly wouldn't tolerate Jiang Fan calling her an old woman.

If she were to strike him with lightning, it would break the Asura Empress's suppression over him.

And he would then have a chance to return to the continent.

At that point, he could use Tian Jian as leverage to demand the spatial mirror back.

The Asura Empress saw through Jiang Fan's intention and shook her head, saying, "No need to waste your effort."

"Sages in any world have already transformed into beings like the world's will; they no longer possess personal emotions."

"They wouldn't have emotional fluctuations because of any one person..."

Before the words even left her mouth, to the astonishment of the Asura Empress and the two five-crowned Asura Kings, a white light flashed across the sky.

The Ancient Sage had actually responded to him!

Immediately after, a terrifying bolt of lightning, thicker than even the Giant Emperor, struck down directly.

It not only struck Jiang Fan but also encompassed them.

Wait, Jiang Fan was the one who insulted the Ancient Sage, so if it's striking, it should strike him! Why were they included?

The lightning conjured by the Ancient Sage was inescapable even for the Asura Empress; a feeling of being firmly locked on left her unable to move.

In an instant, the entire group was struck by the enormous lightning bolt.

Fortunately, the lightning's power was calibrated to Jiang Fan's maximum endurance, so it caused them little harm.

It merely left them quite disheveled from the shock.

As for Jiang Fan, the Asura Empress suddenly detected a God-Transformation fluctuation and instantly realized Jiang Fan had broken free.

She had a bad feeling. A vortex, symbolizing a Hell-Asura Emperor, appeared above her head, intending to unleash the power of karma to intercept Jiang Fan.

But despite her readiness, she was still a step too late.

Jiang Fan had already teleported back to the continent, several miles away.

The moment his feet touched the ground, Jiang Fan let out a long breath.

It was indeed as he had anticipated; the Ancient Sage had specially permitted him to exceptionally return to the continent in his God-Transformation body!

It was just that the old hag's attack was too ruthless; that thick bolt of lightning had scorched him inside and out, burning his hair.

It seemed that for an ancient hag like the Ancient Sage, who had lived for tens of thousands of years, no one was permitted to call her old.

Aging truly was a woman's greatest enemy.

The Asura Empress and the two five-crowned Asura Kings darted to the coastline, staring at him with disbelief.

"Empress, he... he's not affected by the continent's rules!"

One of the five-crowned Asura Kings, astonished, once again deployed a puppet to cross the coastline.

The moment its left foot touched the shore, it exploded into nothingness.

The restriction was indeed not lifted!

The Asura Empress's face was filled with shock and doubt. "What in the world is going on with this guy?"

"It's one thing for the Ancient Sage to respond to him, but the continent's restriction also made a special exception for him."

"Then wouldn't he be able to go to that place without any hindrance?"

Her phoenix eyes flickered, and her gaze became unpredictable.