Chapter 1716: Sacrifice

What!

Jiang Fan's heart pounded wildly. He quickly said, "Senior, please stop joking. I'm not a sacrifice; I'm a human being. If it's really necessary, I can find you another sacrifice. For example, my good brother Wang Chongxiao has many heavenly treasures on him."

The Hell Realm Lord's avatar smiled charmingly. "Oh, just now you introduced yourself as Wang Chongxiao, and now your brother is also Wang Chongxiao. There's not a single truthful word coming out of your mouth."

With a gentle grab of her jade-like hand, she seized Jiang Fan's shoulder, then looked up at the sky and said, "This is my sacrifice; I'm taking him. Farewell."

With that, she raised a hand and parted the lava lake, revealing the world barrier beneath.

Jiang Fan's scalp tingled. Was he really going to be taken to the Hell Realm? He quickly said, "Wait, I have a sacrifice that will satisfy you!"

The Hell Realm Lord's avatar, however, proceeded to open the world barrier herself. As a terrifying void energy surged forth, she calmly stated, "No, I want you. A human being can summon an avatar from our Hell Realm. Just for that, I must take you back to understand why. Furthermore, you were able to resist my charm without being affected, so you must possess a valuable treasure."

It turned out her choice of Jiang Fan as a sacrifice was deliberate, not merely impulsive.

Seeing this, Jiang Fan quickly exclaimed, "I have the War-Exemption Stele!"

With a hum, the world barrier closed.

The smile on the Hell Realm Lord's avatar's face froze. She stared intently at Jiang Fan. "What did you just say?" She suspected she had misheard. The War-Exemption Stele? The War-Exemption Stele, granted only to the first-place winner of the Ancient Wilderness Hunt? Could it really be in the hands of this small human, who was merely experiencing the first heavenly tribulation?

Jiang Fan tidied his disheveled collar and slowly said, "Standing before you now is the first-place winner of this Ancient Wilderness Hunt, Jiang Fan of the Central Lands." He suddenly missed the West Sea Crown Prince. It was a pity that he had acquired so many new achievements, but no one was there to announce them for him.

The Hell Realm Lord's avatar was astonished. "You won first place in the Ancient Wilderness Hunt?"

Jiang Fan took out a palm-sized silver stele, on which the crooked character "滚" (Go away / Scram) was carved.

The Hell Realm Lord's avatar's pupils constricted sharply. "It really is the War-Exemption Stele!!!" She reached out to take it, but Jiang Fan pulled it back, saying, "Senior, please calm down. If you dare to touch the War-Exemption Stele, the Ancient Sages will not allow this avatar of yours to return."

The Hell Realm Lord's avatar quickly withdrew her hand as if shocked by electricity. How could such a priceless treasure, which influenced the general trend of a world for a thousand years, be allowed to be taken by an avatar of an alien race? If she even thought about coveting it, the Ancient Sages would destroy her without hesitation.

"How... how did you win first place?" the Hell Realm Lord's avatar asked, biting her red lips. "You must have stolen it, seized it, or cheated to get it, right? This stele must be rotten, sour, isn't it?" She admitted it; she was envious.

The Hell Realm was currently engaged in fierce combat with the Ancient Giants, and the situation was precarious. Yet, the Central Lands above them had not only ended the war with the Ancient Giants but had also successfully obtained the War-Exemption Stele. For the next thousand years, they would no longer suffer the hardships of war. It was hard for her not to be jealous.

Jiang Fan chuckled and said, "I originally intended to give it to you. But since you say it's rotten and sour, then forget about it."

What?

"Give it to me?" The Hell Realm Lord's avatar's eyes flickered for a moment, but quickly returned to calmness. "How could your Ancient Sages possibly allow that?"

Jiang Fan said, "I'll lend it to you for a while. Just send it back to me when you're done. I believe the Ancient Sages wouldn't object."

How could that be? The Hell Realm Lord's avatar secretly shook her head. Once something like that reached the Hell Realm, did he think it could be taken back? He must be dreaming! To avoid a thousand years of war, the Hell Realm would rather risk an all-out war with the Central Lands than return it. How could the Ancient Sages of the Central Lands agree to let this stele go to another world?

To her surprise, the clouds above them suddenly shifted, coalescing into a single character: "可" (Permitted).

The Hell Realm Lord was stunned. The Ancient Sages actually agreed! Was she crazy? Did she not understand that once this divine stele went to the Hell Realm, it would be impossible for it to return? Or was there some hidden meaning? Never mind, if the Ancient Sages had no objections, why should she hesitate? Her true self would surely be delighted if she returned with this stele.

She quickly said, "Alright, lend me the War-Exemption Stele as a sacrifice. I'll send it back once we've driven away the Ancient Giants."

Jiang Fan said, "Senior, you're only intervening once, yet you want to take the War-Exemption Stele as a sacrifice. Wouldn't that make the War-Exemption Stele seem rather... undervalued?"

So, he wanted more benefits. The Hell Realm Lord's avatar was not surprised. With an aerial grab, the Merit Stele, which had fallen into the lava lake, was pulled out. "This stele is my spoils of war. It's yours."

Jiang Fan was speechless. Did that even count? He glanced at the shattered Hellbeast Bronze Vessel on the ground and said, "Give me another sacrificial bronze vessel." Though costly, this item was truly effective.

The Hell Realm Lord's avatar frowned. "Theoretically, I shouldn't give a ritual artifact to an alien, but for the sake of the War-Exemption Stele, I'll make an exception this once." She then raised her hand and, with a grab, tore open another small crack in the world barrier. A Hellbeast Bronze Vessel was delivered across the realms from the Hell Realm itself. Upon seeing this, the Hellbeast in the distance, whose lips were pale from blood loss, blacked out and fainted.

Jiang Fan was amazed. Could this avatar actually retrieve items across realms from the Hell Realm? He then said, "Also give me some of that karma-luring power you use."

The Hell Realm Lord's avatar grew wary. If Jiang Fan used it against beings from the Hell Realm, it would be dangerous. After a brief thought, she once again grabbed a jade pendant from the Hell Realm through the void and infused a thread of karma into it on the spot, saying, "I can only give you a strand of karma capable of affecting a Calamity-One Sage realm expert. Furthermore, I've added my personal restriction to it, so it cannot be used against the Asura race."

Jiang Fan was greatly disappointed; he had wanted to use it against the Asura Saint Son. Nevertheless, this was also a valuable treasure. It was the first artifact Jiang Fan had obtained that could meaningfully and easily kill a Sage. The Nine-Colored Crystal and the bronze vessels were both difficult to use effectively. They were far less safe and side-effect-free than the karma-luring power. He still happily accepted it.

"Is that enough? Give me the War-Exemption Stele," the Hell Realm Lord's avatar said.

Jiang Fan's eyes flickered, and he decided to make one final, big demand. "Enough, that's enough. However, to prevent you from taking the War-Exemption Stele and not returning it, I need you to put up a valuable treasure as collateral. When you return the War-Exemption Stele, your treasure will be returned to you. I think your realm artifact would be suitable."

What? The Hell Realm Lord's avatar laughed in exasperation. "You dare to covet my realm artifact?"

Jiang Fan also laughed in exasperation. "You and I are strangers, Senior. Do you really think I'd trust you to take the War-Exemption Stele based on the meager offerings you've given me? Senior, you're trying to fool me like I'm a fool!"

The Hell Realm Lord gritted her silver teeth. She knew there was no such thing as a free lunch. The Ancient Sages' agreement must have been based on this very consideration. Using her realm artifact as collateral was something she was extremely reluctant to do. Yet, upon careful consideration, even three realm artifacts couldn't compare to the War-Exemption Stele. If she had to abandon the realm artifact, the Hell Realm would still be making a huge profit!