Wait a minute, where is my master?

"Ha ha ha ha, right you are, let's have tea, let's have tea."

The Old Dean and his companion picked up their teacups with smiling faces and clinked them together.

They then heard the sound of Grandma Yu's footsteps outside the reception hall.

"Jin Taoist, haven't you been holed up in the Alchemy Room these past few days, immersed in researching the Pill left to you by little Jin Xu? What brings you out to look at us two old geezers today?"

The gaunt elder stood up with curiosity at the entry of the Shui Clan Elder.

"Eh, Elder Geda, there's nothing worth seeing in two old-timers like us with our creaky arms and legs. Jin Taoist is known throughout the Nine Provinces for her talent in the Alchemy Dao. Coming out like this, she must have made some research progress, I'm sure."

The Old Dean first retorted the elder's comment, and then rose to his feet to praise Grandma Yu.

As they were now hiding out on someone else's turf, even though they had already paid a "protection fee," flattery was free, so naturally, they offered as much as they could.

But Grandma Yu merely gave them a glance and didn't join the conversation, walking straight to the central seat in the hall and sitting down.

The two men observed her demeanor, exchanged a silent look, and communicated telepathically.

"Old scholar, what's going on? With Jin Taoist looking like that, could it be that Elder Chi got in touch with her and found out that you and I are here?"

The gaunt elder felt a bit uneasy.

"Don't worry. Jin Taoist surely wouldn't expose our whereabouts willingly. As for Elder Chi, he definitely wouldn't think to contact Jin Taoist to inquire about us either."

"In the books, this is called 'darkness under the light of the lamp.'"

"And her attitude?"

"No wonder, Elder Geda, you've never found yourself a daoist companion in your whole life – do you even need to ask? She surely didn't make any breakthroughs with that Pill. Of course, it could also be due to some other trivial matter."

"After all, even if her cultivation has succeeded..."

The Old Dean's telepathic message was cut off mid-sentence by the sound of Grandma Yu's cough.

"Cough!"

The two immediately ceased their telepathic conversation and both sat down to drink tea.

Silence fell in the reception hall.

A little while later.

Having received a message from her granddaughter about their arrival at the gate, Grandma Yu stood up and walked out of the reception hall.

"Jin Taoist, you..."

"The little Taoist has arrived. I'm heading out to the gate to welcome them."

That statement lingered in the air while the Shui Clan Elder's figure had already vanished from the reception hall.

Upon hearing that little Jin Xu, the Taoist, had arrived, the Old Dean and the gaunt elder exchanged glances before they too left the reception hall.

...

...

On the white sandy path leading to the reception hall,

Little Jin Xu and his party of four were leisurely walking, guided by an Octopus Spirit.

Along the way,

The little Taoist was busily fending off the pestering from Mr. Chi at his side, while admiring the uniquely arranged surroundings of the Shui Clan.

Upon entering the Shui Clan's settlement in the deep sea, he had seen iron pillars so thick they required ten people to encircle them, and he had also seen the various marine life coming and going from the uniquely shaped wreckage of sunken ships.

Now, Jin Xu pointed curiously at a large object by the wayside that was covered by a curtain of water, with an upper part green and lower part yellow.

"Little Yu, why does this thing look so much like a fruit?"

"Fruit?"

Yu Yaoer followed the little Taoist's finger and then shook her head.

"Young master, this thing is indeed the result of some plant's fruiting, but it's inedible. Grandma came across it in a small Shui Clan settlement called Bijini while traveling in the West Sea. She found it amusing, so she brought one back.

"I've heard that some of the Shui Clan there hollow it out and live inside it as a home."

Upon hearing this, Jin Xu looked at the object with a complicated expression, and an inexplicable desire to visit that Bijini settlement surfaced in his heart.

"Perhaps I might even come across a sentient starfish?"

While he entertained this whimsical thought, he suddenly noticed a subtle disturbance in the space ahead.

The little Taoist hadn't lifted his head when Yu Yaoer at his side, with a face full of excitement, pounced over.

"Grandma!"

The two women, peerless both in appearance and figure, embraced each other; anyone unaware of the circumstances would take them for sisters.

"Alright, you're such a big fish now, quickly get down. Besides, it hasn't been long since we last met."

Although Grandma Yu complained verbally, her hands were extremely gentle as they reached down to pick up Yu Yaoer.

"Hehe."

The Little Fish Demon chuckled foolishly, then whispered in Grandma Yu's ear.

"Grandma, I've researched a new recipe this time. Once you and the young master finish discussing important matters, I'll cook it for you."

The Shui Clan Elder instinctively wanted to refuse, but after recalling the taste of the grilled bird egg Yu Yaoer had given her in the Mountain and Sea Realm, she hesitated for a moment.

And then she nodded gently.

"Yay!"

Yu Yaoer cheered silently in her heart, hugged her grandma's arm, and stood by her side.

"Grandma."

"Mr. Jin."

Jin Xu and Mr. Chi greeted her one after another.

The Shui Clan Elder returned the greetings one by one, then looked at Mr. Chi with some surprise.

Although she didn't know exactly what the Old Dean and the gaunt elder had done in the outside world, she was aware that they were hiding within the Shui Clan's territory to avoid the Kunlun Immortal Palace Ancestor.

Grandma Yu opened her mouth, hesitating whether to say something.

Behind her, two faint ripples of space emerged, and the Old Dean and the gaunt elder arrived side by side.

"Junior Taoist, long time no... What the heck, Elder Chi, where did you pop out from!"

The moment Yan Chu appeared, he was just about to greet when his eyes landed on Mr. Chi by Jin Xu's side.

He lifted his leg, wanting to activate "Within Inches" to leave, but at such a close distance, if the Immortal Palace Ancestor couldn't take them down, it would be a waste of his True World Immortal Realm cultivation.

"You two come on in!"

Mr. Chi flipped his wrist, and the mountain and river scroll whooshed out, suddenly expanding and covering both the Old Dean, who was activating his Escape Technique, and the gaunt elder who was running away without even speaking.

"Elder Chi... Mr. Chi... Chi..."

The Old Dean didn't have time to say anything. His figure in mid-air shook and was then rolled into the mountain and river scroll.

The gaunt elder fared a bit better.

But he only managed to run three more paces before he was taken into the scroll with a look of grief and indignation on his face.

"Hmph!"

The Immortal Palace Ancestor scoffed coldly, raising his arm as the scroll in mid-air instantly reverted to its normal size and was firmly grasped in his hand.

The moment the scroll entered his palm, a thick layer of clear light covered it tightly.

In no time at all, the curses and struggles coming from inside the scroll disappeared without a trace.

"Junior Taoist, Mr. Jin, you go on with your business; I have some private matters to attend to outside."

Mr. Chi ground his teeth and took his leave, then made to depart.

Jin Xu's face wore a Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ expression.

"Senior Chi..."

"Don't worry, Mr. Jin, I won't hurt their lives. No matter what, we've been acquainted for so many years!"

Perhaps understanding the junior Taoist's concerns, the Immortal Palace Ancestor volunteered to clarify.

Upon hearing this from the other party,

Jin Xu immediately gestured towards Mr. Chi to do as he pleased.

After all, considering the actions of those two,

Receiving a beating seemed not at all unjust!