Wait a minute, where is my master?

Zhao Dabao's father finished inquiring with the other party.

He then politely took out a mid-grade spirit stone from his storage treasure and stuffed it into that person's hand.

The Golden Core disciple, seeing that he couldn't fathom the other's cultivation and that he received a spirit stone for only speaking a few words, said politely while caressing the spirit stone in his hand, "The two of you must not have been to the capital for a while. Otherwise, you wouldn't have missed the broadcast formation at Tingfeng Building."

"Indeed, my son and I have been traveling day and night, and it's been several days since we last learned about the outside world. May I ask what the broadcast formation actually conveyed?"

After all, Great Xia was where the Zhao family had established itself, so Zhao's father was concerned about related information.

Meanwhile, Fatty Zhao merely stood behind his father, listening silently.

"The two of you might not know, but this is truly an astonishing matter! Not to brag, but I..."

This Golden Core Realm disciple was eloquent; he recounted in detail everything that happened at the inauguration ceremony of the Great Xia Dynasty. He grew so excited that he gestured animatedly, making the father and son from the Zhao family feel as if they were listening to a storyteller.

"... that Taoist somehow used a technique, and before we knew it, he held up a spiritual bird that resembled a chicken. A flash of light passed over his hand, and the people in the formation really all came running out!"

As Zhao Dabao and his father listened to the Golden Core cultivator recount the entire process, they were astonished, not having expected so many changes to have occurred in Great Xia during the ten-plus days they were traveling.

"Thank you, fellow senior, for dispelling our doubts. I am Zhao Dabao and in the future, will also practice at our Blazing Sun Sword Sect for a time. May I ask for your esteemed name?"

After hearing the man finish speaking, Zhao Dabao stepped forward, all smiles, as he took over the conversation.

If he wanted to cultivate and reach Foundation Establishment in the Blazing Sun Sword Sect, he would surely need some time. Since his father couldn't stay here indefinitely, it was a good idea to chat with a disciple of the sect now that he had the chance.

"No problem at all, my name is Ouyang Sheng, I'm a disciple of the First Peak. We can sure be closer in the future."

Ouyang Sheng answered very casually.

He was naturally sociable and didn't look down on Zhao Dabao, who was an ordinary person.

"Great, Brother Ouyang. My father and I are going to visit our master at the Third Peak, so we must leave now."

Fatty Zhao, grinning broadly, politely clasped his hands in a bow and said farewell.

Then, he saw a look of embarrassment on the Golden Core cultivator's face.

"Ahem, Brother Zhao. My surname is Ou, given name Yang Sheng. It's not Ouyang with Sheng as the name."

At the same time, his father's voice transmission also rang in his ear

"The master of the First Peak has the surname Ou. This person must be a descendant of the fourth generation of the Ou family with the 'Yang' generational name."

"..."

On the journey here, his father did give him a brief introduction to the Blazing Sun Sword Sect.

But he mainly explained the details of the Third Peak they were heading to. The other six peaks were only briefly mentioned.

"No matter, I'm already accustomed to it. We have our Ancestor to thank for choosing our generational word. Of all choices, he had to pick 'Yang' for us."

Before Zhao Dabao could open his mouth to explain, Ouyang Sheng generously glossed over the matter.

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, the Ou surnamed cultivator reminded them, "By the way, our sect's Sundries Hall has recorded the entire process of the broadcast formation on imaging stones. If you're interested, you can buy one there." Then he turned and left.

After the Golden Core Realm cultivator departed, Zhao's father, with his son in tow, made his way to the Third Peak like an old hand.

On the mountain road.

"Dad, do you think that Taoist who Brother Ouyang… no, Brother Ou talked about is Jin Xu?"

Fatty Zhao whispered to his father.

He had seen Xia Yunzhao once in Gusu City but was not aware that she was indeed the Seventh Princess of Great Xia.

"Whether it is him or not, doesn't matter right now. Your priority is to enter the path of immortality earnestly."

Perhaps finding the pace too slow, Zhao's father, after finishing his words, extended a large hand, scooped up his son, and dashed rapidly toward Blazing Sun Sword Sect's Third Peak.

Zhao Dabao, tucked under his father's arm, scrunched up his chubby face, filled with a look of utter dejection.

The two broad silhouettes vanished in a puff of smoke along the mountain path.

...

The second day of August.

The sun was high in the sky, and its rays were scorching.

In Shangjing City, within a vast estate with triple courtyards.

At the moment, there was a large round table in the central courtyard of the house. The table bore many different types of meat and vegetables, and at its center stood a cloisonné brass hot pot. The smoke chimney of the pot held top-quality Snow Wood charcoal, which burnt bright red, boiling the clear and red soup base within.

Yu Yaoer and Jin Xu were sitting at the table, busy placing meat into the pot, while the latter was mixing a secret dipping sauce.

Just then, a shout came from the direction of the courtyard gate, followed by the sight of Little White holding a tall stack of items and running in.

"Temple master, the front gate of the residence is about to be piled high again!"

The items in the Husky's hands were stacked high, yet miraculously did not fall. Upon closer inspection, one could see the items shimmering slightly under the sunlight—she had frozen them together using her ice attribute spiritual power...

The Taoist turned to look at the stack that Little White brought in and waved her over, signaling to place everything on the table.

He then turned to Yaoer, who was still busy with the hot pot, and spoke.

"Little Yu, go and write a notice to post at the gate, telling the commoners to stop sending things. We can't eat all of this."

The items the Husky brought in were ordinary, not precious, mostly vegetables, meats, and local snacks, gifts from the hundred thousand citizens who heard he liked to eat.

Who knew how the rumor had spread.

"Master, Little White and I can finish them."

Upon hearing Jin Xu's words, Yaoer blinked her innocent and somewhat foolish large eyes and proudly patted her chest, proclaiming confidently.

The Husky at her side hastened to add, "Yeah, temple master. Little Yu and I can definitely finish it all. If we can't, I can still take it back for Big Black and the others to eat; nothing will go to waste!"

...That's not what I meant.

"Hurry up and write the notice. Whatever you want to eat, we can just go buy," he directed.

The little Taoist priest emphasized calmly once more.

"Yes, young master."

Little Fish Demon scurried off to find paper and ink.

As for why Jin Xu did not go himself, it was because he had slain Ye Wuyang in the early morning, and after returning to Shangjing City, he had already experienced a wave of enthusiasm from the citizens of the city.

Thanks to the broadcast by Tingfeng Building, his feats of utterly defeating the Four Elders of the Demon Sect and saving a hundred thousand civilians during the coronation ceremony had spread throughout the Nine Provinces Realm, naturally including Shangjing City.

Since the hundred thousand civilians he saved were from Shangjing City, a large part of the city's population who knew of this incident naturally idolized the little Taoist priest.

After all, he's not an outsider; that is our Great Xia's "Uncle of the Nation."

And even for those who were unaware of the incident, after their neighbors and friends had recounted the details, they too began to regard the little Taoist priest as someone to be admired.

Even, in just one night, storytellers in the city's teahouses had already begun telling tales with Jin Xu as the main character.

One could imagine how popular the little Taoist priest was in Shangjing City now.

Jin Xu was already considering when he would have time to change his Taoist robe and the mask he wore on his face, as this life of being watched wherever he went was really inconvenient.

"Young master, I've finished writing!"

Yu Yaoer came out of the study, holding a sheet of Xuan paper.

The little Taoist priest took it and checked that there were no tricks in this announcement, then nodded, "Okay, post it."

After speaking, he picked up a piece of meat from the sizzling copper pot with chopsticks and passed it into the twenty-four Mystic Treasure Pearls.

Little Red was the chief contributor to this matter, so he must have the first bite of meat.

But since the Age Chicken's exotic fragrance was in a passive state, appearing rashly in the outside world might cause chaos, so it had no choice but to continue staying inside the storage talisman for a while longer.

Jin Xu sent several more pieces of meat into the storage talisman, but perhaps because he found it troublesome or feared people would misunderstand that he was feeding the storage talisman, he soon ladled a bowl of meat, mixed it with sauce, and sent it into the pearl for Little Red to eat slowly.

By this time, Yu Yaoer had also returned after posting the announcement.

The little Taoist priest gave her a look, signaling her to hurry over and eat, or else the freshly cooked meat would be snatched away by Little White.

Little Fish Demon trotted to the round table.

The trio gathered around the copper pot, vying with each other as they ate.

...

August 3rd, a grand estate in Shangjing City.

Jin Xu and his company stayed in Shangjing City for another day. He had specifically asked someone to buy a set of black Taoist robes and a black faceless mask.

He then had Yu Yaoer help him tie a new Taiji bun.

After that, he slipped out quietly.

The little Taoist priest didn't do anything else but went alone to a teahouse to listen to the storytelling about himself. Afterwards, he left a high-grade Spirit Stone for the storyteller.

Well told, it was a reward.

Then, he returned.

...

August 4th, a grand estate in Shangjing City.

Jin Xu bid farewell. Originally, if it had not been for Xia Yunzhao's coronation, they would have already returned to Xuanxu Temple.

Now, having been delayed by a day, it was time to leave.

When the little Taoist priest left, he did not make a fuss and was only seen off by Empress Xia Yunzhao, her daughter, Xia Xuanmin, and Prime Minister Qin.

Before leaving, Jin Xu chatted with Xia Yunzhao for a moment, expressing that if they found any trace of the Demon Sect or encountered any matter of life and death, they could contact him.

The Empress of Great Xia indicated that she would also like to contact the little Taoist priest when there was no trouble.

But Jin Xu did not continue the conversation.

Instead, he entrusted Prime Minister Qin to take good care of Xu Qian, since he was currently blind and deaf, he surely needed someone to take care of him, and staying in Shangjing City was a bit more convenient.

They would come to heal him once people found the Spiritual Medicine and refined the Three Elements Rejuvenation Pill.

The little Taoist priest had discussed this with Xu Qian as well, and the latter readily agreed.

Finally, Jin Xu looked toward Xia Xuanmin. He thought about pleading on Li Mi's behalf, but after pondering for a moment, he decided to drop the idea.

The matter concerning Li Mi probably did not need his intercession.

"My sirs, no need to send me off," the little Taoist priest said to everyone with a bow, and without waiting for a response, he stylishly used golden spiritual power to envelop the two women and soared into the sky with the 'lifting radishes from a dry field' technique.

After briefly discerning the direction, he immediately shot towards the direction of Xuanxu Temple on Little Platform Mountain.

...

On the ground, the onlookers watched the streak of golden light disappear into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

Xia Yunzhao opened her mouth as if to say something, but at this point, whatever she might say would no longer be heard by the departing party.

At this moment, behind her, Prime Minister Qin suddenly spoke up, "Your Majesty, I..."

"Prime Minister, there's no need to console me."

"No, Your Majesty, I wanted to say..."

"Say what?"

Xia Yunzhao turned around.

"It seems that Taoist Jin Xu has once again broken the No-fly Array of Shangjing City..."

"..."