Wait a minute, where is my master?

Jiang Xiulian did not believe that Jin Xu was just a minor Taoist from Shangjing City.

So, Jin Xu had to prove it to him.

As for how he proved it, well.

As soon as the Golden Thunderbolt appeared, Chef Jiang watched the little Taoist, who seemed to have no fluctuations of Spiritual Power, instantly turn into a formidable Great Cultivator.

He immediately believed it.

Jiang Xiulian had previously felt a sense of shared misfortune with the little Taoist!

Back then, he had practiced for over nine months but was merely a third-level Qi Cultivator of the lowest order. If he hadn't later made a detour into studying culinary arts, he estimated he would never have reached the Nascent Soul Realm before he died, let alone have reached the Low-level God Transformation he was at now.

"Well, what do you think, esteemed Chef? Do you now believe our temple master is powerful enough?"

Shiqi was jubilant, as if the power were her own.

Jin Xu walked forward, gently patted Little White's head, signaling her to keep a low profile, then courteously said to Jiang Xiulian, "Senior, the 'Body Purification Skill' I practice can indeed purify some impurities inside a cultivator's body. If you don't mind, I can try it on your beloved daughter, as a token of my gratitude for taking me to meet my master's friend."

"If you can cure my daughter, let alone take me to meet your master's friend, I'd even make ten meals for you free of charge.

You used the unique scent of the Age Chicken in front of the valley to draw out the common people, right? Although I don't know how you made the scent so intense to draw out a hundred thousand people, I am skilled in cooking this bird and can guarantee to restore its most delicious flavor."

At this moment, seeing the true strength of the little Taoist, Jiang Xiulian began to make serious promises.

When he watched the broadcasted Formation of Tingfeng Building that day, he recognized what spirit fowl Jin Xu had, speaking out now to ensure the other party understood that he, the premier chef of the Nine Provinces, was not without merit.

The little Taoist was slightly startled; his actions in the Shangjing Valley had never been revealed, yet this prominent Chef before him could see through the Formation, which was quite impressive. At the very least, this person's knowledge about various ingredients was definitely profound.

"Senior, I'm not absolutely sure either, so let me first take a look at your beloved daughter. Regarding that spirit fowl, I have already promised to release it, so..."

Before he could finish, Jin Xu was interrupted by the other party.

"You needn't call me senior anymore. In the Cultivation World, strength is the most respected. Since my cultivation is lower than yours, just call me by my name." Chef Jiang, having been unaware of the little Taoist's strength before, now understood that the other party treated Crossing the Tribulation Realm like beating mere grandchildren, and did not dare to have him address him as senior anymore.

"Call you by name? ...Xiulian?"

Jin Xu thought about the scene of him calling this person Xiulian, then quickly extinguished this idea in his mind.

In the end, after a round of humility between the two, Jin Xu chose to call him Brother Jiang, and Jiang Xiulian referred to Jin Xu as Little Taoist Jin Xu.

...

In the backyard, beside a stone table.

Chef Jiang carefully placed the fridge from his back onto the table.

Before opening it, he solemnly said, "Little Taoist, the Gu poison afflicting my daughter is contained in this fridge made of Ten-thousand-year-old Mystic Ice, which serves to suppress the Gu Worm. So, once opened, we can only keep it open for a quarter of an hour at most. I hope, if you have any treatment methods, that you act quickly."

Jiang Xiulian was not very hopeful deep down. As the premier chef of the Nine Provinces with quite a network in the higher echelons of the Cultivation World, he had consulted many Cultivators skilled in medical arts, yet everyone had said that saving his daughter required the Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart Fruit from the Qingmu Secret Realm.

That was why he had arrived in Qingmu County a month early, waiting for the opening of the Qingmu Secret Realm in September, hoping to place a high bounty for someone to retrieve a Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart Fruit from the Secret Realm.

Agreeing to let Jin Xu treat her was merely not wanting to miss any chance.

"Alright, don't worry, Brother Jiang."

Given the matter concerned a human life, Jin Xu dared not take it lightly. He activated his Spiritual Eyes' insight effect in advance before asking Jiang Xiulan to move the lid of the freezer.

As the lid was removed, a burst of cold air emerged from inside the freezer. Once the chill had dissipated, it revealed a little girl lying inside, her face frosted over, looking delicate like a porcelain doll.

Standing aside, the two women who had not dared to come closer were craning their necks to look. They glanced at the little girl in the freezer and then at Jiang Xiulan, who was burly and had a face full of flesh. A question rose in their hearts.

"Is this really his biological daughter? They don't look alike at all."

Jin Xu also harbored this doubt at this moment, but he was busy using his insight to examine the girl's internal condition and did not distract himself with mental complaints.

The Taoist stared at the little girl in the box from head to toe, scrutinizing her for a full minute.

The more he looked, the uglier his expression became, his attractive eyebrows also tightly furrowed together.

This was no mere case of Gu poison; it was as if a person had grown on top of the Gu poison. It was a miracle that the little girl was still alive. He could not fathom who would be so cruel as to administer such a poison to such a small child.

In the girl's bloodstream throughout her body floated countless Gu worms, dormant due to the low temperature, slowly flowing with her blood.

If it had only been this, Jin Xu would actually have dared to try the Body Purification Skill, as these things were considered foreign substances to the girl's body, and purifying them wouldn't be a problem.

But at the location of her heart, the original heart was no longer there; instead, a giant mother worm had taken its place, now performing the function of her heart.

If the Taoist were to administer the Body Purification Skill, removing this creature might mean the girl would die immediately.

Moreover, he had just checked her Dantian area; she was merely a mortal and couldn't withstand such turmoil.

Jiang Xiulan saw the increasingly grave expression on Jin Xu's face. Though he had initially hoped for the best, he couldn't help but feel dispirited. He had cultivated to such a level, and to have a daughter was truly not easy. Now, despite bearing the title of the best chef in the Nine Provinces, it was really distressing for him to see his own daughter suffer.

"Brother Jiang, you better close the freezer for now,"

Jin Xu said to Jiang Xiulan with a furrowed brow and a gentle tone.

Chef Jiang closed the box as instructed.

"I'm sorry, Brother Jiang. I just checked, and her bloodstream is full of Gu worms. These I could try to eliminate with the Body Purification Skill, but if the Gu worm at her heart were to disappear as well..."

Jin Xu's face carried a trace of anger arising from the tragic state of the little girl, but he did not continue his words.

With a bitter smile, Jiang Xiulan responded to the Taoist, instead comforting Jin Xu, "Taoist, it's okay. I've traveled to many places and sought out numerous medics over these twenty years. But everyone said there was no way; only the Seven-orifice Exquisite Heart Fruit from the Qingmu Secret Realm could cure my daughter's Gu poison."

Yaoer, who knew her young master lacked knowledge in this area, timely added, "Is that the rumored fruit that can replace the human heart with a Benevolent Heart?"

"Exactly, that one. I was in Qingmu County waiting for the Qingmu Secret Realm to open before being... lured here by this young lady."

Chef Jiang hoisted the freezer onto his back again and pointed at Little White as he spoke.

The husky responded with an apologetic expression. She had also seen the little girl's condition and felt pity for her.

"No worries, the Secret Realm opening is nearly a month away; we have enough time to go back,"

Jiang Xiulan said casually, indicating to Little White not to worry.

"Brother Jiang, who could be so cruel as to inflict such poison on your beloved daughter?"

The Taoist remained silent for a moment before suddenly speaking.