Chapter 1751: Establishing Authority (3)

Suppressing her disappointment, she looked at her daughters-in-law and said, "I have a small welcoming gift for you."

She took out a bracelet and placed it into Xu Youran's hand. "This is a protective bracelet the Young Emperor's father gave me," she explained. "It can withstand a fatal blow from a Two-Calamity Saint realm expert. I'm giving it to you as a family heirloom."Xu Youran gratefully accepted it, saying, "Thank you, Mother-in-law."

Reverend Lianjing then produced several large pills. "These are sixth-grade spirit pills that can enhance Nascent Soul cultivation, deepen insights into the Soul Transformation realm, and replenish Yin energy," she said. "I came in a hurry and didn't have much time to prepare, so please don't mind these. Just take them for now. I'll give you a proper grand gift another day."She distributed the spirit pills one by one to Fairy Yunshang, Venerable Zhenyan, and the others. She then noticed there was still one extra pill for Nascent Soul cultivation. After a moment's thought, she tossed it to Xia Chaoge, saying, "This is for you."

Xia Chaoge was overwhelmed by the unexpected favor. Reverend Lianjing was giving welcoming gifts to her daughters-in-law; what was she doing receiving one? She quickly waved her hand, saying, "Isn't this inappropriate?"Without further ado, Reverend Lianjing insisted, "Just take it if I tell you to."Helpless, Xia Chaoge cautiously glanced at Jiang Fan's many wives. Seeing no one gave her strange looks, she nervously accepted the pill.

After distributing the gifts, Reverend Lianjing pulled Yue Mingzhu closer, wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, and asked, "Tell your Mother-in-law what happened here?"She had just finished dealing with the post-war matters in Tianzhou and had come to see if Jiang Fan was here. Unexpectedly, upon arriving, she found two Great Reverends from Tianzhou acting arrogantly. What surprised her even more was that her beloved daughter-in-law was injured.

Yue Mingzhu's eyes were filled with gratitude. "Mother-in-law," she began, "I am the disciple of the Old Man of Oblivion. Before he died, he entrusted his belongings to me, but these two Great Reverends from the Medicine God Hall claim I stole them from their hall."

A trace of sadness flickered in Reverend Lianjing's eyes when she heard the name of the Old Man of Oblivion. She had already learned the details of the great battle in Hunyuanzhou. The Old Man of Oblivion had sacrificed his life, activating six Saint Stele monuments to suppress the Giant King's main force, single-handedly turning the tide with his own body and blood. How could she not know of such a magnificent feat? Learning that Yue Mingzhu was his disciple, she felt a surge of compassion. Her gaze then turned to the two Great Reverends from the Medicine God Hall, filled with disdain.

"Tong Xin, Tong Hun, you've really outdone yourselves!" she exclaimed. "During the great war in Tianzhou, you used alchemy as an excuse to avoid fighting. Now that the war has subsided, you jump out to seize the legacy of a sacrifice's descendant! You've completely disgraced your Medicine God Hall!"

Great Reverend Tong Xin's expression stiffened for a moment. "I'm not asking for all her belongings," she said. "I'm just reclaiming the relics of Saint Guxin! Saint Guxin was our Medicine God Hall's former master a thousand years ago, and his relics should rightfully be inherited by our Medicine God Hall. What's wrong with me reclaiming something that belongs to the Medicine God Hall?"

Tong Hun rubbed his sore, beaten arm, an annoyed expression on his face. "Can Young Emperor Mountain just do whatever it wants?" he snarled. "The Young Emperor is gravely injured, and the Saint from Young Emperor Mountain is also wounded. I advise you to stay out of this and not cause more trouble for Young Emperor Mountain."

Reverend Lianjing glared at Tong Hun. He was actually threatening her! Young Emperor Mountain had indeed suffered heavy losses in the recent war, especially the Young Emperor and the Saint, both of whom had sustained injuries of varying degrees. However, she now understood the reason, and scoffed, "Saint Guxin? You have the nerve to bring him up? A thousand years ago, he planned to use the entire sect's resources to create an eighth-grade spirit pill, but he was stopped by three Saints of your Medicine God Hall from that era. In the end, due to disagreements, he was expelled from the Medicine God Hall. Now you have the gall to claim he was your former master? And shamelessly try to seize his relics, claiming to be his descendants?"

Great Reverend Tong Xin's expression shifted. Not many in the Medicine God Hall knew about this secret from a thousand years ago. How did Reverend Lianjing know? She gritted her teeth and stubbornly retorted, "I don't care! She stole my things, and she must pay the price!"

Playing tough, eh? A cold glint appeared in Reverend Lianjing's eyes. The Lord of Jiangshan Yipin Tower also showed a fiery gaze and stood beside Reverend Lianjing. Tong Xin didn't truly care about the relics. A thousand years had passed; how many useful things could Saint Guxin have left behind? She was here merely to stir up trouble and undermine the prestige of Taicang Great State.

Seeing the two Great Reverends opposite preparing to act, she remained fearless. "So, thieves from Taicang Great State are this rampant?" she challenged. "Good, I'd like to see for myself!" The divine halo behind her flickered erratically, and her domain was poised for action.

Just then, a Soul Transformation realm aura teleported in, accompanied by a cold rebuke: "Are you accusing thieves of being from my Taicang Great State?"Immediately afterward, Jiang Fan, clad in black, appeared beside Reverend Lianjing.

Reverend Lianjing's face lit up. "Son!" she exclaimed. She grabbed Jiang Fan's shoulder, her face beaming with joy. The last time she left the stone spire of the Ten Thousand Tribulations Sacred Hall, she had thought Jiang Fan was buried within. She never expected to suddenly hear the ancient saint declare Jiang Fan's ascension to the Soul Transformation realm during the great battle. What surprised her even more was that Jiang Fan was now radiating the cultivation of a Heavenly Human Second Decay! In just a few days, he had broken through another realm!

Jiang Fan also looked pleased. "Foster Mother," he said, "it's been a while." In truth, not much time had passed since their last parting, but after the battle against the ancient giants, there was a sense of distant separation, as if they had been through life and death apart.

Reverend Lianjing's eyes were full of delight, and a thousand words welled up in her heart, but now was not the time for reminiscing. "Son, step back," she urged. "Your foster mother will first deal with these two scoundrels who bullied my daughter-in-law!"Bullied his daughter-in-law? Jiang Fan's gaze swept over, and he noticed for the first time that Yue Mingzhu was injured. His expression darkened. "Mingzhu, who did this?"Yue Mingzhu pointed at Tong Xin. "She tried to seize the relics my master left me."

Jiang Fan's face turned cold. The Old Man of Oblivion's body was barely cold, and already someone was trying to steal his relics and injure his disciple? Was this the world the Old Man of Oblivion had saved by sacrificing himself? A chilling glint appeared in Jiang Fan's eyes. "Foster Mother," he said, "you and Senior Wu Ming deal with the other one. I'll personally take care of this woman!"

Reverend Lianjing looked surprised. Could Jiang Fan now single-handedly challenge a Great Reverend? The Lord of Jiangshan Yipin Tower chuckled softly. "Let him handle it. He's much stronger now than when you last saw him."Reverend Lianjing said anxiously, "Then be careful. A Heavenly Human Fifth Decay isn't easy to deal with." Although Jiang Fan possessed many abilities, there was still a huge gap between Heavenly Human Fifth Decay and Second Decay, and it wouldn't be easy to overcome.

Tong Xin felt humiliated. A dignified Heavenly Human Fifth Decay, being pointed at and told she would be "personally dealt with" by a mere Heavenly Human Second Decay? How much contempt was this? Her face grim, she said, "Tong Hun, you hold them off for a moment. I'll come to your aid immediately!"She then fixed her gaze on Jiang Fan. "So you're that 'Spark Venerable'?" she sneered. "I don't care why the ancient saint personally announced your name to the world, or how you brought back the Truce Stele from the Primeval Hunt. But in front of me, Tong Xin, you are nothing! If you've got the guts, come out and face me!" The temporary palace was protected by the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and she wasn't quite daring enough to fight full-out here.

Tong Hun followed suit, scoffing, "Reverend Lianjing and the Great Reverend of Taicang Great State, get out here and fight!" He deliberately infused his voice with the suppressive power of a Heavenly Human Fifth Decay, letting it spread in all directions, causing a sensation. Solidified gazes from Young Emperor Mountain, the Buddhist Kingdom, the Moon Palace, and the Divine Sects all turned towards them.