Chapter 1763: Merit Assembly

Under Jiang Fan's gaze, which shifted from initial confusion to sudden realization and finally to intense heat, Fairy Yunshang coiled her dark long hair behind her head. Blushing, she then bent down and lowered her head.

On the roof of the temporary palace, Honored One Zhenyan, dressed in a long yellow gown, sat gazing up at the bright moon, lost in thought. Moonlight cascaded down, enveloping her graceful and delicate figure in a hazy, dreamlike glow.

"What's wrong, Xiaoyan? Is there an unrivaled beauty on the moon?" The Jade Paper Heavenly Book flew out, and the Lustful Sage's small soul emerged. She lay leisurely on the book, looking up at the moon with Honored One Zhenyan.

"I'm missing my father," Honored One Zhenyan said softly. "I don't know where he is right now, or if he's safe." Although Jiang Fan successfully wished to protect a wisp of his remnant soul, if it cannot reach a world from the vast emptiness in time, it will still wither and perish in the void.

The Lustful Sage's small face stiffened; so she was thinking of her father. She sat upright and coughed dryly, "Good fortune favors the virtuous. That Honored One Qianjiao, who was buried with him, has a very significant background. She'll protect your father well."

Honored One Zhenyan lightly nodded her chin, but the sadness on her face did not diminish. The Lustful Sage secretly sighed, hoping to lift Honored One Zhenyan's spirits. However, a glance around revealed no suitable topic of conversation.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she looked towards Jiang Fan's secret chamber, and a mischievous smile played on her lips. "Xiaoyan, you are explicitly the woman Jiang Fan intends to marry, so it's time you educated him."

"He's perfectly fine; why should I educate him?" Honored One Zhenyan asked, puzzled. "Besides, with his current strength, could I even educate him?" The Lustful Sage covered her mouth, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "I'm talking about 'verbal education'."

Honored One Zhenyan gave a wry smile. "Verbal education wouldn't work either. How dare I educate him? What if I anger him, and he educates *me* instead?" The Lustful Sage giggled, then extended a finger and drew a circle in the air before them. Instantly, light gathered within the circle, forming a luminous screen. The scene displayed was of Fairy Yunshang with her hair coiled, her head bobbing up and down. At the same time, the Lustful Sage leaned close to Honored One Zhenyan's ear, drawing out her words: "Verbal education."

Honored One Zhenyan's apricot eyes widened, and in a panic, she shattered the light screen. Her beautiful face quickly flushed from her earlobes, coloring her entire cheeks. "You're shameless!" Honored One Zhenyan exclaimed, throwing the Jade Paper Heavenly Book away in anger, her heart pounding uncontrollably. So this was the "verbal education" the Lustful Sage had referred to! Her face was crimson, and though she desperately told herself not to dwell on it, the recent image was seared into her mind, refusing to fade.

"Hehehe," the Lustful Sage chuckled, clutching the Jade Paper Heavenly Book. "Do you want to give him some 'verbal education'?" Honored One Zhenyan drew her Phoenix Feather Nine Flame Fan and swung it, saying with a mix of shame and indignation, "I'd rather die than..." She stopped herself mid-sentence. As Honored One Zhenyan, she could not retract her words. She could not speak aloud about uncertain matters. What if she actually wanted to do it? The Lustful Sage continued to giggle. "I look forward to you giving Jiang Fan a thorough education."

The next day, at dawn, Jiang Fan felt invigorated, both mind and body refreshed. The fatigue from refining the Small Heavenly Pill had completely vanished. As he pushed open the door, streaks of nine-colored cloud-like light streamed in. Unbeknownst to him, auspicious clouds had blossomed above the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, and ancient rhythms were spreading outwards. Clearly, the Merit Convention was about to begin.

The Master of the Jiangshan Yipin Tower and several other God Transformation stage cultivators were already suspended above the temporary palace, awaiting the ancient sage's rewards. Jiang Fan quickly dressed and soared into the sky. Scanning the surroundings, he then noticed that the area around the Imperial Astronomical Bureau was already densely populated with God Transformation stage experts. There were over seventy from the Six States and over eighty from Tianzhou.

Jiang Fan was secretly astonished. "After such a major war, Tianzhou actually has more surviving God Transformation stage cultivators than the other side. Considering only the God Transformation level, the rumor that Tianzhou is equivalent to eight states is certainly true."

Just then, he noticed a young man in a silver robe, with a handsome face and a crescent moon mark on his forehead. His cultivation had reached the Five Declines of Heaven and Man! He was accompanied by a retinue of attractive God Transformation Honored Ones, both male and female, each bearing moon marks of varying shapes on their foreheads. This person must be from the Moon Palace.

Next, Jiang Fan spotted individuals from Mount Young Emperor, all cultivating powerful lightning energy, numbering over twenty God Transformation cultivators! If their losses were half, wouldn't that mean they had over fifty God Transformation cultivators before the war? Compared to the Grand Continent of Taicang, with its four God Transformations and one Bodhisattva... The strength of Mount Young Emperor was beyond description. However, the Young Emperor himself was not among them; his absence from such an important event suggested he was indeed severely wounded.

Then, a group of monks, their bodies radiating with Buddha light, came into view. Numbering about twenty, the Buddhist Kingdom's strength was also incomparably formidable.

Finally, there were disciples from the various great divine sects and major academies. Among them, the Medicine God Hall had over a dozen God Transformation cultivators, making them quite powerful, second only to the Moon Palace. The other great divine sects and major academies had anywhere from one to nine God Transformation cultivators. In the Grand Continent of Taicang, any of these would surpass the Three Divine Sects. Tianzhou's might once again deeply astonished Jiang Fan.

However, among these divine sects and major academies, one force stood out as particularly unique: the sect boasting nine God Transformation Honored Ones. Their leader was a Great Honored One of the Five Declines of Heaven and Man, remarkably young, only in his early twenties. The rest of their members were all at the Four, Three, or Two Declines of Heaven and Man. Astonishingly, not a single one was at the One Decline of Heaven and Man. Not even Mount Young Emperor, the Buddhist Kingdom, or the Moon Palace were powerful enough to have all their disciples reach above the Two Declines.

He approached the Master of the Tower and asked, "What force is that?" The Master of the Jiangshan Yipin Tower merely glanced before answering without hesitation, "Reincarnation Mountain, a powerful force that rose from obscurity within a century. At its peak, it boasted twenty God Transformation cultivators and two Great Honored Ones. Given enough time, it's not impossible for them to become the foremost power in Tianzhou."

"Twenty God Transformation cultivators? Two Great Honored Ones?" Jiang Fan asked, startled. "What's the background of Reincarnation Mountain? Without the backing of a powerful sage, it would be impossible to establish such a formidable sect in just a century, especially in Tianzhou, a place teeming with experts."

The Master of the Jiangshan Yipin Tower spoke with reverence. "Don't be surprised, for the founder of Reincarnation Mountain is one of the few Three Calamity Sages in our Central Lands. A hundred years ago, he returned from the Source of All Evil and established Reincarnation Mountain. After leaving behind his legacy and resources, he departed."

"What? A Three Calamity Sage?" Jiang Fan was startled. Having witnessed the terror of the Nine Sun Giant Emperor, he deeply understood the formidable power of the Three Calamity Sage realm. No wonder Reincarnation Mountain rose so rapidly within a century. With such a patron, who would dare offend them?

Memorizing the faces of the Reincarnation Mountain members, Jiang Fan looked around again, a slight raise of his eyebrow as he spoke. "Master of the Tower, speaking of which, what about the force founded by the Asura Saint Son? Why haven't I seen them since the war?"