NOVEL NEXT Chapter 516, Master, you have wronged me!
Bai Jin nodded and said, "Yes, if Master knew that Mother was coming, he would surely be as happy and jumpy as a child."
Li Er jumped with joy, and as Tu Shan Xiyu pictured that scene in her mind, she found it unbearable to watch! She couldn't help but reveal a smile.
Tu Shan Xiyu then reined in her smile and said with a cold huff, "I think he's more likely to hide away in fear. If he really still thought of me, how could he not have sent a single message in all these years?"
Bai Jin said earnestly, "Mother, Master has his compelling reasons."
Tu Shan Xiyu's expression shifted slightly and she asked, "What compelling reasons?"
"It's better for Master to explain it to you himself! It won't sound sincere coming from me."
"Then I'll give him a chance to explain!"
Tu Shan Xiyu walked towards the entrance, placed her hand on the door, and with a gentle push, the grand doors of the Doushuai Temple burst open, revealing a vista of divine flowers vying for beauty and immortal trees providing shade; truly a dwelling fit for immortals.
Bai Jin and Tu Shan Xiyu walked inside, entering through a long corridor that led to a Taiji plaza at its center, from where three different paths diverged.
"Mother, walking straight ahead will take us to the main hall where Master must surely be right now."
"Then let's go to the main hall first!"
As they approached the main hall, Tu Shan Xiyu took a deep breath and slowly pushed open the massive doors, only to find no one inside.
Tu Shan Xiyu's face instantly turned cold, thinking, Li Er, you're indeed hiding from me. A sourness welled up in her heart. You don't even want to see me once? Today, you must explain yourself to me.
Bai Jin peeked inside and said with a forced chuckle, "Mother, Master must be in the Alchemy Room now, why don't we go check there?"
Bai Jin immediately took Tu Shan Xiyu to the Alchemy Room, only to find it empty as well.
Bai Jin complained inwardly, Master, how long do you plan to hide? Even if you want to be a jerk, you should have some integrity!
Tu Shan Xiyu entered the deserted Alchemy Room, glancing around; she paid no heed to the elixirs of any grade, focusing solely on the surroundings of the Alchemy Room.
"Is this where Li Er does his alchemy?"
"Yes, Master often concocts elixirs here."
Tu Shan Xiyu walked to the main seat and took a glittering copper hairpin from the divine position, unable to resist smiling as she said, "This was his gift to me back then. He even fooled me saying it was a golden hairpin; did he really think I couldn't tell gold from copper?"
"Master probably just wanted to make you happy!"
"Afterward, this hairpin somehow disappeared, and he confidently claimed that I lost it, blaming me for not keeping my things safe. Now it seems he had been the one to hide it all along."
"As for the copper hairpin, maybe Master felt ashamed knowing it was copper. When he said it was gold, perhaps in his heart, he wished the hairpin to be of gold; blame should be placed on those crafty merchants for their convincing counterfeits," Bai Jin earnestly interjected from the side.
Tu Shan Xiyu nodded thoughtfully, knowing that Li Er was once mortal, perhaps he truly hadn't been able to tell the difference.
Bai Jin whispered, "You see, Mother? Master truly does care about you."
Tu Shan Xiyu removed the jade hairpin from her hair and replaced it with the copper hairpin, smiling as she said, "Take me to him."
"Alright~"
Bai Jin led Tu Shan Xiyu from palace to palace, searching the library, the Cultivation Room, the Array Formation Room, the game room...
They found no trace of Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad in any of the rooms, but they discovered more of Tu Shan Xiyu's belongings.
As they stepped out of a palace, Golden Horned Child emerged from the back courtyard with a friendly laugh, "Senior Brother, how come you have the time to visit the Doushuai Temple today?"
Tu Shan Xiyu looked at Golden Horned Child, a thought flashing through her mind; isn't this the child who visited Gouchen Emperor Palace before? Could he be Li Er's Child?
Bai Jin immediately inquired, "Junior Brother Jin Jiao, I have urgent business with Master; do you know where he is?"
The Golden Horned Child spread his hands helplessly and said, "Junior brother, you're not in luck, the master has gone out on some errands."
"When will Master return?"
"That's hard to say, the master might be out for a very, very long time. Junior brother, you might as well come back another time!" Golden Horn sneaked a glance at Tu Shan Xiyu.
Tu Shan Xiyu said calmly, "Bai Jin, accompany me to the backyard to have a look."
"My Lady, after you~" Bai Jin immediately gestured with an inviting hand.
Golden Horn's eyes suddenly widened in shock. My Lady? A herd of Divine Beasts ran through his heart; the only ones who could be addressed by junior brother as 'My Lady' were the master's Daoist couple and the Daoist couple of the Primordial Venerable, and considering her presence in the Doushuai Temple, there was no need to guess – she must be the master's Daoist couple. That explained why the Marshal of the Heavenly Canopy was so obsequious back in the Bird's Nest, and why the master fled in such a panic.
But when did the master acquire a Daoist couple? How did I not know about this? Master, you didn't inform me of her identity! Aren't you putting me, your Child, in a difficult position?
Bai Jin led Tu Shan Xiyu toward the backyard.
Golden Horn recovered from his shock and hurriedly followed, giving Tu Shan Xiyu a few more glances before whispering as he walked, "Junior brother, I really didn't lie to you, the master is truly not home.
It seems that there was a matter the Primordial Venerable had to attend to in the Chaos, and the master has gone there."
Bai Jin said with a smile, "It's fine, we're just taking a casual look."
A Big Horned Bull came towards them, chewing on Ganoderma and mooing twice.
Bai Jin waved and called, "Si Niu, come here!"
The Big Horned Bull trotted over, clacking its hooves.
Bai Jin patted the bull's horn and asked, "Si Niu, where is Master?"
Si Niu spoke in a muffled voice, "I reckon the master must have gone out and is not within the Doushuai Temple."
Do you reckon he should have gone out? Bai Jin was speechless, such bad lying.
Bai Jin continued walking around the backcourt of the Doushuai Temple with Tu Shan Xiyu; both Golden Horned Child and Big Horned Bull followed behind. They found no trace of Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad, who was indeed well hidden.
In the end, Tu Shan Xiyu stopped in a pavilion, calming her emotions, and said, "Bai Jin, since he's not here, let's go. We'll return tomorrow."
Bai Jin respectfully responded, "As you say, My Lady."
Behind them, both Golden Horned Child and Big Horned Bull were relieved, glad that they could finally leave, having completed the task given by the master.
In the distance, Silver Horn Child hopped in with a blade of grass in his mouth. Seeing Bai Jin, his eyes lit up, and he cheerfully waved and called, "Junior brother~"
Bai Jin greeted as well, "Junior brother, just got back?"
"Nope, I've been here all along. Are you, junior brother, leaving now?"
Bai Jin casually replied, "Yes! The Eldest Uncle is not home, so we plan to leave now and return tomorrow!"
Behind him, Golden Horned Child frantically waved his hands, and Big Horned Bull shook his head repeatedly.
Silver Horn Child said blankly, "Not home? The master has been here all along!"
It's over~ Golden Horned Child put his hand to his forehead, with his golden horns darkening slightly.
Bai Jin turned to look back, and the Big Horned Bull immediately lowered its head, chewing on the Ganoderma, pretending to know nothing.
Tu Shan Xiyu quickly asked, "Where is Li Er?"
Silver Horn frowned unhappily and said, "Who are you to dare to call the master by his name directly?"
"Silver Horn, do not be disrespectful. This lady is the wife of the Eldest Uncle in the mortal world."
Behind them, Golden Horned Child's heart trembled, indeed, she was the master's Daoist couple. Have I now offended my Master's Wife? Will I still have good days ahead? It's over, Master, you've set me up!
The Golden Horned Child scuffed his foot on the floor as if trying to grind a big hole to hide in.