"I told you to come in, so just come in!"
Jiang Fan grabbed her like a little chick and brought her back to the secret chamber.
Bam—
As the door of the secret chamber closed, Xia Chaoge’s heart pounded uncontrollably, her mind too flustered to think straight.
She knelt obediently on the ground, her head slightly bowed:
"Martial Uncle, what are your instructions?"
Jiang Fan sat on the stone stool, eyes calm and powerful as he watched her, fingers tapping lightly on the stone table.
"Chaoge, this is the second time you’ve given me a Holy Angel Feather. Do you plan to continue hiding your identity as from the Angel Clan?"
Xia Chaoge’s body tensed suddenly, and she involuntarily took a deep breath, her heart nearly stopping.
In her clear and pure eyes, a complex emotion shimmered.
She knew this day would come, that as Jiang Fan continued to interact with the alien races, he would eventually discover what a golden feather meant.
It just came sooner than she expected.
She lowered her head, not daring to meet Jiang Fan’s eyes, and said, "Martial Uncle... please let me keep calling you Martial Uncle."
"Chaoge is from the Angel Clan, but I’ve never harmed the people of Central Earth, nor have I intended to deceive you, Martial Uncle. It’s just... I didn’t know how to tell you."
"I’m scared..."
Jiang Fan’s treatment of alien races had already been answered by the fate of the Half-Giants in Heavenly Heritage City.
No distinction between male, female, young, or old—complete extermination!
How would she dare to reveal her identity?
Jiang Fan remained silent, scenes of his interactions with Xia Chaoge flashing through his mind like a carousel.
The beautiful girl who studied medicine to heal the world under Shangguan Sheng.
The calm and serene girl who only smiled brightly when she saw him.
The disciple-niece who shielded him from a deadly blow with her body on Boundary Mountain.
...
Scene after scene, like it all happened yesterday.
But he never imagined she would be an Angel Clan hidden by his side.
He suddenly didn’t dare to ask Xia Chaoge about her reason for hiding in Central Earth.
For fear the truth would create a racial conflict, following the path of Red Sleeves.
The conflict with Red Sleeves already weighed heavily on Jiang Fan’s heart; how could it be any less with Chaoge?
If he really had to stand against Xia Chaoge, Jiang Fan doubted whether he’d have the courage to strike her with his sword.
Without hearing Jiang Fan’s voice, Xia Chaoge grew more fearful.
But it wasn’t death she feared, rather that Jiang Fan would abandon her from then on.
She buried her head deep, tears glistening in her eyes, voice trembling lightly: "Chaoge... did I disappoint you, Martial Uncle?"
Jiang Fan let out a long sigh and said, "Why... did you come to Central Earth?"
Xia Chaoge’s body shivered, head buried deep in her chest, feeling like a thief caught by the person she cared about most.
That exposure of ugliness, the revealing of filth, filled her with a sense of utter embarrassment.
Her usually calm heart was, for the first time, filled with a bitter taste, even her mouth seemed to taste it.
"Speak!" Jiang Fan’s tone was heavy.
Xia Chaoge closed her eyes in pain and said, "I was ordered to come to Central Earth to search for the Void Ancient Tree."
Void Ancient Tree?
A flash of astonishment crossed Jiang Fan’s face, followed by relief, and then a slight smile at the corner of his mouth.
He was astonished that the Void Ancient Tree within him was coveted by the Angel Clan.
Relieved that only this tree would warrant the Angel Clan sending someone to infiltrate Central Earth specifically to find it.
And he smiled because Xia Chaoge’s objectives didn’t harm Central Earth’s interests, thus avoiding conflict.
He mentally exhaled in relief.
But Xia Chaoge, feeling increasingly humiliated, lowered her head, tears welling as she choked out:
"Martial Uncle, I’m sorry, I’m not a good person... I came to Central Earth with a purpose..."
"I disappointed you."
She could imagine the look in Jiang Fan’s eyes as he regarded her right now.
Must be a look of disdain, right?
In his eyes, her image had certainly collapsed, right?