Chapter 416 - 176: Fierce Battle, Retreating in Defeat

Chapter 416: Chapter 176: Fierce Battle, Retreating in Defeat

Fang Xing was very satisfied with Hong Luan, his Demon Suppression Steward.

She was sensible and obedient.

By now, she was one of the few people he truly trusted.

"Sir, you’ve recovered?" Seeing Fang Xing emerge, Hong Luan’s face lit up with joy.

"Yes, I’ve recovered." Fang Xing nodded. His gaze fell upon a box in Hong Luan’s hands, and he was somewhat surprised.

"What is this?"

"This is the Elixir Lord Hong provided to help you recover, Sir."

Hong Luan offered the box to him.

Fang Xing glanced at it. Inside was a top-grade recovery Spirit Pill.

Naturally, anything from Hong Miaojin would be of excellent quality.

However, he no longer needed it.

"You keep it. I don’t need it anymore," Fang Xing said.

"Sir, how could I? This is a Treasure Pill bestowed by Lord Hong," Hong Luan said, looking at him.

"I said to keep it, so keep it," Fang Xing said, looking at her.

Sensing the irresistible authority in his voice, Hong Luan gave a small nod and finally put the Treasure Pill away.

"Anything to report?" Fang Xing asked.

"Sir, over the past few days, several Marshals have come by, as well as a few Vice Marshals. But when they learned you were recovering, they all offered their well-wishes, left some gifts, and departed." As she spoke, Hong Luan took out a Storage Pouch and handed it to Fang Xing.

"Sir, their gifts are all inside."

Hong Luan’s expression was full of respect.

Fang Xing opened the Storage Pouch and took a look. Inside were various Treasure Medicines, Elixirs, and other such items.

They were quite valuable, but with his current wealth, they were nothing special.

The fortune he had amassed from slaying fiends and exorcising demons was no small sum.

"Here, this is for you. Focus on raising your Cultivation level."

After a cursory glance, Fang Xing saw nothing that particularly caught his interest and handed the Storage Pouch directly to Hong Luan.

"Thank you, Sir! Hong Luan will redouble her efforts in her Cultivation and will not辜负 your expectations."

Hong Luan accepted the Storage Pouch, her expression earnest.

"Is there anything else?" Fang Xing asked.

Hong Luan thought for a moment, looked at Fang Xing, and nodded. "Yes, Sir. You’ve been the headline on the Jianghu Daily these past few days."

With that, she took out a copy of the Jianghu Daily and handed it to him.

Fang Xing took the paper.

The headline was printed in a large, eye-catching font.

Qing Province Demon Suppression Envoy Fang Xing Duels Demon Path Grandmaster Xuan Yin!

The headline was huge and impossible to miss.

As Fang Xing stared at the headline, reading it carefully, he couldn’t help but cringe internally.

’He wondered if the Jianghu Daily was deliberately trying to suck up to him, a Court Minister.’

’Good grief. The article made it sound like I’d thrashed Xuan Yin, beating him mercilessly while he was down. It said I’d destroyed his Flesh Body, forced him to his knees to beg for mercy, and left him to flee, grievously wounded.’

’If I hadn’t been there myself, I might have actually believed it.’

’It was true I’d given him a beating, and true that I’d wounded him.’

’But since when had I beaten Xuan Yin like a helpless dog?’

’And Xuan Yin knelt to beg for mercy? Seriously?’

’The two of us had nearly taken each other out.’

’I may have grievously wounded Xuan Yin, but I’d paid a heavy price for it myself.’

’Damn it, are they trying to paint a target on my back on purpose?!’

’It made me look impressive, sure, but didn’t this just pit me directly against the Jiuyou Demon Sect?’

’We were already enemies, of course, but once this report circulated, I would become a major thorn in the Jiuyou Demon Sect’s side.’

’This Jianghu Daily was really an expert at making enemies for me.’

’I wasn’t afraid of Xuan Yin alone, but the Jiuyou Demon Sect behind him... the number one Demon Sect in all of Great Wei.’

’Even if I became a Grandmaster, I’d be no match for a behemoth like that.’

"Sir, you’re so amazing! To be able to beat a Demon Sect Grandmaster like that, it’s incredible," Hong Luan said with a beaming smile.

Fang Xing’s face darkened.

’Easy for her to say.’

’The fight was brutal, sure, but the brutality went both ways.’

’I hadn’t exactly come out of it unscathed!’

’If I hadn’t mastered the Prison-Suppression Golden Body, my own Flesh Body might have been destroyed.’

"They’re just Jianghu rumors. You can’t take them as fact," Fang Xing said dismissively.

"Mm, I know," Hong Luan said, her gaze firm. "You’re surely even more incredible than the article claims, Sir."

Fang Xing: "..."

’You really overestimate me, and you seriously underestimate Grandmasters.’

Fang Xing was at a loss for words.

He didn’t bother dwelling on the issue.

’It wasn’t worth the effort to explain.’

’The damn story is already out there. What’s done is done. Explaining would be pointless.’

’From now on, I will absolutely not leave this place until I become a Grandmaster.’

"Make the arrangements. I’m going to take a bath, then go see the Commander," Fang Xing instructed.

Hong Luan nodded and immediately went to make the arrangements.

With the help of a maidservant, Fang Xing bathed and changed into a fresh set of clothes.

Afterward, he headed for the Commander-in-Chief’s Residence.

He stepped out of the Demon Suppression Mansion.

"Good day, Sir."

"Greetings, Lord Fang!"

Along the way, the Captain Commanders he encountered all greeted him, and Fang Xing nodded in acknowledgment.

Soon, he arrived at Hong Miaojin’s residence.

A female Steward welcomed him warmly into the main hall and served him fragrant tea.

"Lord Fang, please wait a moment. The Commander will be here shortly," the female Steward said.

Fang Xing nodded, sipping his tea as he waited.

A short while later, a figure dressed in a sharp, purple uniform appeared at the entrance to the hall.

"Commander." Fang Xing stood and bowed.

Hong Miaojin walked into the hall, looked him up and down, and nodded lightly. "Sit."

Fang Xing sat, and Hong Miaojin took the main seat, her intelligent eyes studying him.

"You’ve recovered?"

Hong Miaojin asked.

Fang Xing nodded. "Yes, I have. Thank you for your concern, Commander."

"How did you run into Xuan Yin?" Hong Miaojin asked.

"It was a chance encounter," Fang Xing replied.

"A chance encounter..." Hong Miaojin gave him a long, meaningful look. "You didn’t deliberately reveal yourself to test your own strength, did you?"

Fang Xing: "..."

’Do I really seem that eager for a fight?’

"Commander, it truly was a chance encounter," Fang Xing said with a look of resignation.

Hong Miaojin smiled. "In any case, that battle has finally come to a close. I believe the impact from this fight will ensure Qing Province remains stable for a long time to come."

’Stable for a long time...’ Fang Xing thought to himself. ’That’s not good news at all.’