Wait a minute, where is my master?

"Reason?"

Jin Xu asked calmly.

After all, having paid for it, they couldn't just let it go.

"He said he knows a secret realm in the Nine Provinces that connects to the small world where his clan resides.

That small world contains many exotic creatures and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures suitable for cooking, even tastier than their Age Chicken clan. He can take us there.

But he insists that when the time comes, we must release him and not harm his people."

The Husky, having suffered a couple of hits on the head, relayed this honestly.

Jin Xu raised his hand to his chin, pondering.

"I thought I had bought a meal, but it seems I've bought an entire hunting ground."

The difference between a feast once and feasts forever made the Taoist willing to take some risks.

Moreover, Yu Yaoer, having heard this, said that the Moro Poison Scorpion and the flying centipede could be stewed with something else.

So, Jin Xu leaned closer to the cage and said in an even tone to the Age Chicken,

"I agree to your terms, but if you lie, I'll make you into 'three meals from one chicken'."

Little Hong inside the cage, although not knowing what 'three meals from one chicken' meant, instinctively felt it was something terrifying.

He hastily crowed in agreement, and upon remembering the other party couldn't understand him, he began nodding incessantly.

"Temple master, he says he definitely won't deceive you."

The Husky dutifully translated.

Jin Xu acknowledged this and then prepared to put him back inside the Mystic Treasure Pearl.

"Cluck-cluck~"

"Hmm?"

Observing the spirit fowl crowing again in the cage, the Taoist looked questioningly at the Husky.

"He says he has one small request, which is that during his time in the Nine Provinces, could we not always keep him inside a storage device."

On hearing this, Jin Xu picked up the cage and scrutinized it closely.

The Age Chicken, seeing the Human Race Cultivator act this way, recoiled in fear to the other side of the cage.

He began to regret why he had spoken up with a request.

"Little White."

"Yes?"

"Can you ask him if this chicken lays eggs?"

"Ahem, temple master, he is a rooster."

"Oh."

If you can't lay eggs, then you might as well stay inside the storage device.

The Taoist placed the Age Chicken back into the Mystic Treasure Pearl, hesitated for a moment, and then passed the pearl to Yu Yaoer, instructing her,

"This Age Chicken, remember to feed him now and then, don't let him starve. Remember, only feed him food bought from outside, not your own cooking."

Jin Xu emphasized this particularly.

Among the three present, only his storage device could contain living things; obviously, the Age Chicken couldn't be carried around in hand every day.

He was too lazy to feed the chicken, so it was better left to the Little Fish Demon.

More so, Yu Yaoer's cooking might be indescribable, but she was much more obedient than Little White.

Not to mention, anything outside of the kitchen she handled quite well. Looking after a spirit fowl presumably wouldn't be a problem either.

"Master, rest assured."

The Little Fish Demon took the Mystic Treasure Pearl, preciously placing it in her bosom.

She now valued this chicken more than the Taoist did.

If the claims about the small world's exotic creatures and Heaven-sent culinary ingredients were true, Yu Yaoer might go to sleep with a smile.

With matters resolved, Jin Xu sent the two women back to their own rooms.

He then sat cross-legged on his bed, diligently cultivating.

Each day, he cultivated at least an hour, which was the latest standard he had set for himself.

As time passed, Yanyu Building's Spirit Gathering Array was once again drained.

And the Taoist's cultivation that had not had a breakthrough for a long while, once again increased.

"Phew, that long-lost sensation of power surging~~~"

Jin Xu comfortably stretched on the bed, then got up and walked to the window.

He planned to enjoy the nighttime view of Shangjing City from this ninth floor building.

But as soon as he opened the window, one of the high-rises in the city immediately caught his attention.

"Wow, do the cultivators of Shangjing City have a custom of burning buildings in the middle of the night?"

...

An hour earlier, at Tianxiang Building.

It was completely chaotic!

People from all directions were utterly confused!

Wu Li, the one who opened the door, was baffled, she had clearly arranged to meet the Taoist, but why did this man she just rejected, a sycophant, show up instead?

Luan Er was also confused, wasn't it you who commissioned Seventh Princess to invite me here? What's that expression? And what was with the 'Taoist' you shouted when you opened the door!

The watchman squad downstairs was even more confused, they had received a message from their superiors to capture a demoness suspected of collusion with the Demon Sect.

Yet, the surveillance formation of Tianxiang Building indicated that Luan family's second son was right outside the suspect's door!

Two miles away, the most puzzled were the assassins on the high walls; they watched as the building where their assassination target was located got surrounded by the violent forces of the Great Xia Dynasty. Should they kill or not?

If they kill, they dare not act, if they don't, they can't explain it to the steward.

As everyone was enveloped in confusion, the Third Elder of the Demon Sect was the first to react.

Seeing that the one who came to the meeting was not the Taoist, she knew there must have been a hitch and instantly activated the Dark Array set inside Tianxiang Building.

This formation was integrated within the building's formation, usually inconspicuous.

However, at a critical moment, it could monitor movements within two miles and also possessed the capabilities to self-destruct and teleport.

Through the formation, she spotted the two squads of cultivators lying in ambush downstairs. She instantly dashed back inside the room, shutting the door.

She didn't know how they were exposed, but they definitely were.

Otherwise, the watchman squad wouldn't have appeared here.

The Third Elder didn't want to lose face, so she planned to send her consciousness out and teleport her doppelganger to a safe place, then have her followers retrieve her doppelganger's head.

Upon her consciousness leaving, her true body would fall into a temporary sleep for a few hours, enough time to sever a head.

Although this face was now exposed, she could simply stop using this identity in Great Xia in the future.

Besides, in a few days, it was uncertain whether the Great Xia Dynasty would still exist or not.

...

Outside the room, a stupefied Luan Baoyi was holding the token, still not having grasped the situation.

The two armored guards behind him exchanged glances and silently retreated.

Usually, under such circumstances, the young master would definitely take his anger out on these two, so it was better to keep their distance.

Then, an unexpected change occurred!

A scorching flame rose from both inside and outside the building, instantly plunging Tianxiang Building into a sea of fire.

The stunned Luan Er could hardly react in time.

Fortunately, the two loyal guards protected Luan Baoyi, one in front and one behind.

Using their bodies to resist the flames while mobilizing their spiritual power, they pushed him towards a side wall.

Downstairs, the watchman squad was also stunned by the sudden burst of flames.

In the ensuing panic, a Fourth Grade watchman in charge of the operation immediately took control of Tianxiang Building's Store Manager.

He then began organizing his watchmen to be on the alert, fighting the fire, and preventing anyone from inside the building from escaping in the chaos.

He also sent for reinforcements.

In the midst of the chaos surrounding Tianxiang Building, Wu Li, the doppelganger of the Third Elder of the Demon Sect, had already been teleported into a deserted alleyway while still asleep.

This place was a prearranged teleportation spot, scarcely frequented, often going ten to fifteen days without human activity.

But then...

On top of the high wall, an assassin dispatched by the duke's steward was somewhat puzzled as he overlooked the alleyway below.

This person, why do they look so much like his target for tonight's assassination?