Wait a minute, where is my master?

"The earliest was atop the West Pole Peak.

"After that, it was within our clan's territory, by the ancient well on the Flowing Cloud Prairie, inside the perilous caves of the Night Bat Clan, and under the ancient trees of the Xuanyue Pine Forest... But the most recent one was in that broken-down temple."

The Black Phoenix honestly reported more than a dozen specific locations.

It seemed that its collusion with the Origin of the Demon Realm had begun a very, very long time ago.

"What was the content of your last communication with It?"

After listening, Jin Xu thought for a moment before speaking again.

"I reported to It that we had already sent an envoy to the Purple Spirit Elephant Clan and, because of a personal grudge, I exaggerated the Snow Wolf Clan's actions within the West Pole Peak, asking It to bestow a magical treasure so that I could secretly eradicate the Snow Wolf Clan completely in advance.

"It also agreed with me and instructed me to return the next night at midnight."

Having spoken these words, Wu Mingyuan, Jin Xu hadn't made any moves yet, but the expressions of some of the Snow Wolf Clan members among the spectating demon cultivators instantly turned to both shock and fury.

Mr. Bai, tasked with holding the prisoner down, though he remained silent, not wanting to interrupt the Taoist's questioning, also subtly increased the strength of his claws.

"Eradicating the Snow Wolf Clan in advance? Asking you to return the next midnight?"

The young Taoist's attention was first caught by these two points.

Then, he lifted his head and tenderly suggested to Snow Po, whose face clearly showed anger.

"Uncle, if you are angry, you can lash out with the claws on your feet. The pain won't affect the efficacy of my magic."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Bai was taken aback, but then, with permission, four sharpened, hefty claws instantly shot out from his feet and viciously stabbed under the Black Phoenix's wings.

Seeing this, Jin Xu simply shrugged, his expression unchanged, as he pondered internally.

"I'm fortunate to have arrived in time. Otherwise, the Snow Wolf Clan really would have been in danger. Since that Origin said to return the next night at midnight, should I wait... Wait a minute!"

He suddenly remembered something and asked again.

"What exactly do you mean by sending an envoy to the Purple Spirit Elephant Clan? Be more specific."

"It found me and told me that a mysterious space rift had suddenly appeared in the Purple Spirit Elephant Clan's burial ground and ordered me to send people with items to mend it.

"Later, the Clan Leader of the Purple Spirit Elephant Clan came to me, saying he had received a message from his clan that a space rift had inexplicably appeared in their burial ground. He feared it might be an omen of some great disaster about to befall and specifically came to report it.

"Moreover, he hoped that I would take care of their clan during the final selection because of it."

Feeling the icy pricking sensation of the claws on his neck, the Black Phoenix truthfully answered Jin Xu's question.

Meanwhile, the various demon cultivators of the Demon Realm that surrounded them, upon hearing this reply, immediately turned their gazes toward a few Elephant Head Cultivators within the crowd.

"Old Elephant, who would have thought that with such a long trunk and big ears, even you would stoop to such shady dealings with the Little Golden Crow Clan."

"Right, Old Elephant, you...."

Someone in the demon cultivators spoke out in jest.

The Elephant Head Cultivator with the longest nose swayed his trunk, his face turning somewhat red as he retorted.

"Cough... cough, for the sake of the clan, how can it be considered underhanded?"

He then muttered something to himself about "Those who would achieve great things..." and "means..." among other abstruse and difficult to understand comments.

Those among the demon cultivators who couldn't hold back quietly let out a few snickers.

Jin Xu paid no attention to the crowd's comments.

After hearing Wu Mingyuan's detailed answer, his brows furrowed instantly.

"When we broke through the boundary, the Origin of the Demon Realm was already aware. In that case, wasn't our entire journey lain bare before It?!

"And since It can discern our tracks, even possibly watching us step by step until we got here, It might as well know about us going to Wu Mingyuan's place of hidden cultivation to wait for It.

"Then why didn't It warn this personally chosen agent?

"Even when he was captured by me, there was no reaction at all, as if It didn't exist.

"Could it be that..."

Jin Xu rapidly analyzed the situation in his mind, then suddenly lowered his head towards the Black Phoenix before him.

"You seem to have become a discarded pawn of the Demon Realm's Origin."

Ever since the Black Phoenix had been hit by the "Truth-Telling Skill," it was the first time he had heard such a statement that wasn't a question.

Confused by these words, he paused for a moment, then tried his best to lift his head to look at Little Taoist. However, his neck was pressed down by Mr. Bai's sharp claws, making it impossible for him to move even slightly.

"What do you mean?!"

Unable to lift his head, Wu Mingyuan asked in a deep voice.

"Nothing much, I just have another question. Do you like eating beef?"

Black Phoenix found this question utterly baffling.

Yet, due to the effect of the magic, he could only answer truthfully.

"I don't like eating beef."

After answering, Wu Mingyuan intended to further inquire about what Little Taoist had meant, but before he could speak, he heard a sigh from above his head.

Then, Wu Mingyuan felt the sharp claws on his head being released.

"Your words just now..."

He instinctively began to raise his head to question Jin Xu.

But the next moment, a mass of Golden Thunderbolt pressed down on his head!

"Boom!"

The Little Taoist decisively used "Hand Palm Thunder" to turn Black Phoenix into a headless Black Phoenix.

And as a result of the terrifying power of his "Hand Palm Thunder," a small but perfectly round and deep hole appeared in the ground.

"Little Taoist, shouldn't you ask him..."

Mr. Bai, who had been signaled to release his claws earlier, spoke with a hint of confusion.

In his view, although Wu Mingyuan deserved to die, he was still a source of clues; why did they have to strike him down with thunder that easily?

"Uncle, he probably was treated as a pawn. Also, I think I might know where the Origin of the Demon Realm is right now."

Jin Xu waved his hand, explaining to Xue Po.

"Uncle, I'll leave this place to you to handle. I have important matters to attend to. Little White, are you staying here or...?"

Because of the commotion they had caused, Little White's mother had also come down from the platform on the mountain top.

So at the moment, mother and daughter were nonchalantly catching up.

"Temple Master, I'm coming with you!"

Little White eagerly replied, then turned her head towards the young female Cultivator dressed in animal skin at the age of budding beauty beside her.

"Mother, wait for me to come back, and I'll tell you how I collected my first batch of underlings in the Nine Provinces!"

Seeing this, the female Cultivator smiled and agreed, with a look that was both helpless and indulgent towards her daughter.

She watched her daughter jog to the Little Taoist's side.

"Temple Master, I'm coming with you!"

Little White repeated as she reached Jin Xu's side. Yu Yaoer also silently stepped forward. However, when the two women waited a few moments without seeing Little Taoist make a move, they were about to open their mouths in confusion to ask.

Then, they saw a fountain suddenly bursting high out of the hole that the Little Taoist had split open!

Immediately after.

Jin Xu nodded satisfactorily and activated his Golden Spiritual Power to envelop the two of them.

They made their Flying Escape into the sky.