Wait a minute, where is my master?

Outskirts of the small forest.

Two women, one on each side, naturally latched onto Jin Xu's arms.

"Young Master, that white-bearded elder didn't give you any trouble, did he?"

Yu Yaoer had heard from Grandma Yu about Senior Chi's identity and also knew that their appearance in this place was due to the message that inexplicably came from the Upper Realm.

"Don't worry, Senior Chi was very friendly."

The little Taoist chuckled in response, then glanced worriedly back into the small forest behind him.

"That's good to hear."

Yu Yaoer said, blinked, and exchanged glances with Little White on the other side.

"Temple master, do you still have things to take care of? If there's nothing much, can we go hunting now?"

Shiqi said as he pulled out a brand new booklet from his clothes.

It was the "Death Note. Hand-copied edition" that she had specifically brought from the Age Chicken territory.

It roughly listed the traits and habits of various species in the Mountain and Sea Realm, as well as their general locations.

All thanks to having eaten the Age Chicken ∑(°口°๑)❢❢

"Hmm, there are still some odds and ends, but nothing particularly urgent.

"We can have a good wander around this Mountain and Sea Realm for three to five days before departing, and then return to properly say goodbye to Little Hong and the others."

Jin Xu walked forward, musing as he spoke.

"Great! Slurp~"

Shiqi, hearing the little Taoist say this, swallowed hard, lightly rubbing his mouth against the dark-colored Taoist robe.

His amber-colored eyes couldn't help but shine brightly.

Jin Xu ignored the fact that the other party had once again secretly used his Taoist robe to wipe his drool and struggled to withdraw both arms, gesturing respectfully to Grandma Yu who was standing in front of him with a complex expression.

"Grandma Yu."

The Shui Clan Elder watched the little Taoist in silence, and after a long time, she finally spoke.

"The seven pills you left with me, I've already examined two of them for their efficacy. When we return this time, I will clarify the effects of all of them, so remember to come and get them."

Jin Xu's eyes lit up at her words.

As expected of a top alchemist from the Nine Provinces, she had managed to clarify the effect of two of his "Strengthening Pills" in such a short time.

He again gave his thanks with a gesture of respect.

At this moment, the gaunt old man and Yan Chu saw the little Taoist emerge from the woods and approached, one after another.

"Little Taoist."

"Jin Taoist."

"Greetings to the seniors."

The three of them exchanged greetings with each other.

The Old Dean looked over to the area behind Jin Xu, and tentatively asked.

"Little Taoist, has Elder Chi explained everything clearly to you?"

"Senior Chi has explained everything clearly."

"Then what is that old man still doing lingering in the forest?"

Yan Chu said, unable to help himself from glancing again at the little forest behind Jin Xu.

He wasn't worried about Senior Chi's safety; after all, it wasn't as if a fountain or volcano had suddenly appeared in the small forest.

The Old Dean was just curious why, with Jin Xu out, Elder Chi was still in the forest acting so contemplative.

"Cough, Senior Chi, he..."

The little Taoist was at a loss for words for a moment.

How to explain it.

Could he say that after learning that he had achieved such strength in less than a year of cultivation, Senior Chi suddenly bled from the corner of his mouth.

Then, looking utterly defeated, told him he wanted to be alone in the forest to reflect quietly?

That would just make things awkward.

"Cough..."

The little Taoist strategically coughed again, pondering how to help Jin Taoist brush off the subject.

Suddenly, he noticed the sound of raindrops hitting the ground behind him had changed.

Then, a voice full of vigor rose in his ear.

"What's the matter? Haven't seen me in a while and you missed me, old scholar?"

Jin Xu turned his head to look and found Elder Chi standing beside him with a rosy complexion, showing no signs of the blood that had been spilling from the corner of his mouth in the small grove.

"Worthy of being the Ancestor of the greatest Immortal Sect in the Nine Provinces Realm, your healing skills are impressively fast!"

The little Taoist inwardly praised.

"Heh, miss you? After a short absence, Elder Chi, you really do have a bit of Tianxing's... unorthodox appearance..."

The Old Dean subconsciously let out a mocking remark, but when he realized that Tianxing Taoist's disciple was right in front of him, he hurriedly fell silent.

"Cough, little Taoist..."

Seeing this, Jin Xu gave a faint smile, made a gesture as if to say, "I didn't hear anything, please continue," and planned to turn away and leave.

But the Old Dean seemed to remember something and called out to him.

"Little Taoist, did Elder Chi ask you anything in the woods just now?"

The little Taoist, hearing this, paused in his departure and glanced subconsciously at Elder Chi of the Kunlun Immortal Palace with his ruddy complexion.

Then he replied warmly, "Senior Chi and I had quite a chat in the woods; what exactly are you referring to, Old Dean?"

Elder Chi, who had temporarily suppressed his injuries, felt a sudden suspicion in his heart upon hearing the Old Dean speak so suddenly.

"Could the old scholar have seen the moment where, due to my damaged spiritual state, blood was flowing from the corner of my mouth?

"Hiss, that shouldn't be possible, though; with his Spiritual Sense cultivation, he shouldn't be able to penetrate the prohibition I set up."

The expression on the face of the Elder of the Kunlun Immortal Palace slightly changed at that moment.

All of which was noticed by the Old Dean standing beside him.

Believing that the other party had anticipated what he was about to say, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly, and he spoke in a relaxed tone.

"Elder Chi, take out that thing. While the little Taoist is here, let's see if that item is related to breaking the Fire Prison Pillar at all."

Item? Breaking? Fire Prison Pillar?

The bewildered Jin Xu turned back, first looking at the Old Dean and then turning his gaze to the ruddy-faced Elder Chi.

From the Old Dean's words, it seemed like Elder Chi had found something that could break the Fire Pillar Prison?

As the little Taoist wondered, he then saw the Immortal Palace Ancestor reluctantly take out half a piece of crispy pork belly from his storage artifact.

"This thing can break my Fire •᷄ࡇ•᷅ Pillar?"

The moment Jin Xu saw this object, his brows knotted with confusion.

Curiously inspecting it further, he suddenly realized.

"Wait, the more I look at this, the more familiar it seems.

"Hiss~ Isn't this the leftover piece from Little Hong, complete with his signature claw marks?!"

The little Taoist recognized the origin of the item.

Utterly baffled, he looked towards the Old Dean, whose smile was growing thicker, hoping to get an explanation from him.

And indeed, Yan Chu did not let him down.

"Little Taoist, you might not be aware, but after several of us were trapped across realms inside that Fire Prison Pillar, Elder Chi picked up this item from the ground and insisted it was a clue you left for those who came after us, claiming such a thing couldn't possibly be there otherwise.

"As for the rest of us, we unanimously believed it was just an ordinary piece of cooked meat.

"Now that we're all here, how about you clear up the confusion for us?"

After finishing his words, the Old Dean looked at the blushing Elder Chi with a smile that was not quite a smile.

At this moment, Elder Chi felt his blood boiling with anger, and his briefly subdued injury showed signs of resurfacing.

He had made the wrong judgment at the start, not stupidity.

When Jin Xu appeared and with just a flick of his fingers dispersed the Fire Pillar Prison, Elder Chi realized.

That the crispy pork belly he previously considered the key to the situation was, in all likelihood, accidentally dropped there.

But what Elder Chi never expected was that even though he deliberately didn't mention it in the grove, he still couldn't escape this utter social embarrassment.

Now, the Elder of the Immortal Palace could only hope that the half piece of crispy pork belly in his hand did have some connection with Jin Xu's Fire Pillar Prison.

Otherwise, his lifetime of reputation might well be completely ruined today.