Wait a minute, where is my master?

In the Council Hall.

Rows of meditation cushions were neatly arranged at the center of the grand hall.

There must have been hundreds, and each one appeared younger than those at Xuanxu Temple.

Qingyun and Lan Junyan were the first to enter the hall, choosing a spot in the first row at random. They flipped their robes and sat down cross-legged.

The other teachers who had received the message also entered the hall in an orderly manner.

And took their seats in the second row, one by one.

Of course, not all seats were filled.

As time ticked by, the surface of the Council Hall was silent and still.

But beneath the silence, the assembly of teachers had formed a group to transmit messages secretly, chatting animatedly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what message do you think the Upper Realm has passed down this time that the Old Dean has summoned all teachers to the Council Hall?

I remember the last time there was such a big commotion, it was when an Ancestor decided to leave home," one remarked.

"What Ancestor leaving home! That was a Master ascending to the Upper Realm and then having a daughter who ran away from home," corrected another.

"Even so, according to seniority, wouldn't we still have to address her as Ancestor?"

"Hiss, that's indeed true. But people from the Upper Realm are just different, huh? That Master's daughter was only in her teens, yet her cultivation had already reached the Divinity Transformation Realm."

"Ha, how can the cultivation environment of the Upper Realm be compared to ours? You all need not be envious—who else but they would know how to be reborn in the right place?"

The group transmission among the teachers gradually veered off topic, as they began to discuss the problem of how to be reborn into a good life.

Just then, a cold and clear voice suddenly resonated within everyone's Sea of Consciousness.

"Silence. The Ancestor's daughter is not someone we should discuss."

"Who added Mr. Lan…"

The questioning voice abruptly stopped, and the group transmission instantly dissolved.

The teachers sitting on their cushions all adopted a posture of eyes on nose, nose on mouth, and mouth on heart.

The owner of the transmission that had quieted everyone was none other than Lan Junyan, the leader of the teachers from Qingmu Academy.

"Who the hell invited Mr. Lan into this?"

A few moments later.

The somewhat bold Mr. Mei started a new group transmission and asked aloud who was responsible.

Sitting to his right, Zhu Chuanren smiled inwardly, his expression one of concealed achievement and honor.

Then...

He added Lan Junyan to this new group transmission.

"Not talking, huh? Got the guts to add someone but not to admit it, eh?!"

Mei Shouyi transmitted again.

"Hmm!?"

A voice, slightly puzzled and cold, responded.

This transmission group, which had not lasted more than ten breaths, dissolved instantly.

And then...

Mr. Mei discreetly cast the Vajra Skill on himself and stretched both hands towards the cunning Zhu Chuanren.

"Elder Zhu, you're being sneaky! I suspected it was you from the start, so in the new group transmission, I only added you and Boss Song.

Given our history, Boss Song definitely wouldn't take the initiative to invite Lan Junyan.

It could only have been you, you old fox!"

Mei Shouyi gripped his throat and transmitted menacingly.

As a Magic Cultivator, his physical strength was ordinary, but now with the boost from the Vajra Skill, he had a clear advantage.

As for Mr. Zhu, he was internally shocked that his old friend had employed such entrapment tactics, and as he rolled his eyes, he reached into his storage treasure for a strength-enhancing talisman.

Being a talismanic cultivator, his physical strength was even more ordinary, leaving him utterly powerless to resist.

Qingyun, sitting in the first row and hearing a commotion behind him, turned back with a puzzled look.

Seeing that it was the "Three Cold Friends" causing trouble again, his brows inevitably furrowed.

Just as he was about to reprimand them, an ancient voice spoke out before he could.

"You are all teachers, yet you engage in such childish squabbles. How unbecoming.

Mei Shouyi, release your grip.

Zhu Chuanren, put away the Blast Flame Talisman in your hand.

"What now, do you also intend to renovate the Council Hall of our academy today?"

The Old Dean appeared before everyone, looking sternly at the two persons making a ruckus below.

Hearing the familiar scolding voice, Mr. Mei and Mr. Zhu immediately separated.

Mr. Zhu was panting heavily and didn't put the Blast Flame Talisman back into his storage magic item but instead placed it in his sleeve where he could easily reach it.

As for Mei Shouyi, his hands remained still.

However, he said something to the others who had just been speaking in the group telepathy.

"Lan Junyan was the one brought in by this old rascal."

"After this matter is over, both of you go to the Haoran Pavilion and copy books for a thousand volumes each, during which you are not allowed to use magic. Only when you finish copying, may you come out!"

The Old Dean, having received that message from the Upper Realm, was already feeling quite troubled. Now, arriving at the Council Hall and seeing his own disciples quarrelling, he directly issued a punishment.

Mr. Mei and Mr. Zhu bowed their heads and accepted the decision.

However, Mr. Zhu, for some reason, felt a chill on his back.

The looks from the fellow disciples around him were somewhat strange.

After dealing with this minor episode.

The Old Dean instinctively took a few steps in front of everyone.

Feeling that something was amiss, he quickly stopped, calmed his mind, and then spoke in a heavy voice.

"Gentlemen, this message from the Upper Realm is quite thorny, as it was personally passed down by Ancestor Ji Ye. Therefore, you must all be cautious in your actions.

Furthermore, Qingyun, you and the other masters must make a divine vow before leaving this room, and you must not reveal the message from the Upper Realm."

As these words were spoken, there was a slight stir among the people below.

Even Lan Junyan and Qingyun, sitting in the front row, had expressions of surprise on their faces.

Ji Ye—the founder disciple of Qingmu Academy and the first person from the Academy to ascend to the Upper Realm.

"I will handle the vow. May I ask, teacher, what is the message from Ancestor Ji Ye?"

Qingyun agreed to the Heavenly Dao oath and, unable to restrain his curiosity, inquired further.

At the same time, the other masters seated behind him eagerly awaited the Old Dean's answer.

They too were curious but had kept silent after the recent scuffle between Mr. Mei and Mr. Zhu.

"Ancestor Ji Ye mentioned that a suspected demon descendant appeared in the Nine Provinces Realm, instructing us to search quietly. If there is any news, do not act rashly, just report back in good time."

The Old Dean stroked his beard and spoke seriously to everyone.

Having heard this, a chill went through the hearts of those present.

For the Ancestor to personally send a message and specify a secretive search without confrontation, the demon descendant must be truly fearsome.

The disciples seated on the cushions wore varying expressions but continued to watch the Old Dean, waiting for him to continue.

However, as time ticked by, the Old Dean remained silent.

Eventually, Lan Junyan could no longer bear it and broke the silence.

"Teacher, what comes next?"

"Next? There is nothing else."

"Ancestor Ji Ye only passed down that single message? Are there no other details or clues about the demon descendant?"

Mr. Lan's face was full of surprise as he pressed for more information.

"There's only that message, no other clues. Qingyun, go and get everyone to make their Heavenly Dao vows now,"

admonished the Old Dean gravely, shaking his head before he stepped away and vanished from the Council Hall.

Lan Junyan, after receiving this reply, exchanged a perplexed look with a fellow disciple beside him.

The remaining masters also looked at each other, their faces a picture of confusion.

...

Inside the Ancestral Hall.

The Old Dean returned there with a serious expression on his face.

He gazed at the information on the Golden Book and Jade Scroll, his brow furrowed as if he could squash several flies in it.

After a long while, he sighed deeply.

He swiped his hand heavily across the Golden Book and Jade Scroll.

The Golden Book, which recorded words on the left and images on the right,

suddenly turned into a blank page.