Wait a minute, where is my master?

"Miss Yunzhao is indeed thoughtful—this trip to Qing State has indeed provided some clues about my master."

"As for the Che Liang Wood sap needed for Xu Qian's healing, Little Yu."

The Taoist politely smiled and thanked her, then called out to Yu Yaoer.

"Eh, sir."

Little Fish Demon trotted over, pulled out a jade bottle from the storage bracelet, which contained the sap given by Elder Che.

"Sister Yunzhao, look."

Yu Yaoer shook the jade bottle in front of the Empress.

"Is this the sap of the Che Liang Wood? Taoist, did you actually get it? Could it be that the Qingmu Secret Realm opened early..."

Xia Yunzhao's mind spun a few times after seeing this item.

She had suspected that the early opening of the Qingmu Secret Realm might be related to the Taoist. Now, seeing the sap of the Che Liang Wood right before her eyes, she was almost certain of it.

"Yes, Sister Yunzhao. The Secret Realm was so sensible! It opened right when sir visited. And let me tell you, we encountered quite a few fun things there. Things like a chest with mushrooms growing on its head, a talking cactus, and various strange and bizarre illusions."

Yu Yaoer handed the jade bottle back into the bracelet, then took the Empress's right hand and started whispering to her.

"Exactly, and the temple master even fought women and children in Qingmu City!"

Little White also rushed over from the side and took Xia Yunzhao's left hand.

"Mr. Jin, he fought women and children!?"

The Empress of Great Xia, while being led into the palace by the two women, turned her head in surprise and looked back at the Taoist who no longer smiled but still stood in his original spot.

"Yes, that child even had a cat, and sir hit the cat too. Let me tell you…"

The three of them walked on, their voices getting softer, and soon they entered the main hall of Taiji Palace.

Meanwhile, Jin Xu stood in place, watching as the trio disappeared into the distance, his forehead lined with black lines.

"I see how rumors start now! With Little White describing it like that, isn't this just the profile of a total freak?"

The Taoist muttered to himself, biting his back teeth. After a moment, he couldn't help but laugh softly.

"Sir, what are you doing? Come in fast—"

A sweet, naive voice called out from the main hall's door.

Yu Yaoer, supporting herself on the vermilion doorpost, poked her little head out. Her eyes blinked rapidly, urging the Taoist still muttering outside.

"Alright, I'm coming in now."

Jin Xu responded, tipped his toes, and in a flash, he was inside the main hall of the Taiji Palace.

Inside the palace.

When the Taoist entered, Little White was sitting cross-legged on the Dragon Bookcase, explaining to the Empress of Great Xia why Jin Xu had hit the child.

Xia Yunzhao, busy learning what Jin Xu had experienced on his trip to Qing State, saw him enter but didn't call him over.

She merely said casually, "Sit wherever."

The Taoist wasn't much bothered by this; they were all well acquainted, and formalities weren't necessary.

However...

Where was there to sit!

He turned his head around, and in this whole grand main hall, apart from the ornately carved pillars and various expensive decorative screens, there was only the chair behind the Dragon Bookcase.

No wonder Husky was sitting atop the table.

He certainly couldn't hop onto the table like Little White. Or squeeze onto the Dragon Chair with Xia Yunzhao like Yu Yaoer, could he?

The Taoist stayed silent for a while, then pulled the miniaturized Xuanxu Temple from his bosom, reaching inside to take out an age-worn but still hard-working meditation cushion.

He then found a corner, sat down cross-legged, and silently began his cultivation.

On the other side,

Yu Yaoer had started to explain to the Empress of Great Xia how she had saved Jin Xu a thousand times in the first level's illusion of the Qingmu Secret Realm.

This narrative made Xia Yunzhao exclaim in surprise repeatedly, deeply immersed. Whenever she heard about a demon coveting Jin Xu's beauty, she couldn't help but clench her teeth in anger, and when she heard that Jin Xu was eventually rescued, spared from violation, she would beam with joy.

When Yu Yaoer finished her narration, the Empress of Great Xia began urging her to tell more tales about other events that occurred in the Secret Realm.

Actually, according to Xia Yunzhao's normal life trajectory, she should have attended this Qingmu Secret Realm herself. Although she was only in the Nascent Soul Realm before, taking a few attendants from the Void Refinement Realm with her wouldn't have been a problem.

But life is full of surprises.

She, a well-regarded Seventh Princess of Great Xia, suddenly succeeded to the throne of the Great Xia Dynasty.

Her cultivation leapt directly from the Nascent Soul Realm to the top of God Transformation.

Just like that, she no longer met the entry standards for the Qingmu Secret Realm.

Therefore, having a chance to hear about the experiences within the Qingmu Secret Realm, Xia Yunzhao naturally wanted to listen more.

Of course, the main reason was that the stories involved the Taoist priest.

...

When Jin Xu opened his eyes again, an hour had passed, and the three women were still chattering about something unrelated to their trip to Qing State at the Dragon Bookcase.

He saw a flash of confusion in his eyes, and his heart was filled with wonder.

"Can female friendships be this strange? When did these three become so close?"

As the Taoist pondered,

suddenly, a vortex of spiritual energy formed in the center of the hall, and a woman dressed in a night patrol uniform, radiating a heroic aura, stepped out from the vortex.

"Your Majesty, your servant...!?"

Kui Lei had come to report on the interrogation, but seeing Little White sitting cross-legged on the Dragon Bookcase and Yu Yaoer squeezed onto the Emperor's throne beside the Empress, she froze.

Having watched Xia Yunzhao grow up since childhood, Kui Lei had the privilege to enter the hall without being announced.

Today, like usual, she exercised her right, but she doubted if she had entered the wrong place!

"Ah, Sister Kui, you've arrived. How many times have I told you, when there are no outsiders, just call me Yunzhao, there's no need for all that formality between us,"

Xia Yunzhao sensed Kui Lei's arrival and stood up, walking around from behind the Dragon Bookcase.

"Your Majesty, the protocol must not be negated. Cough, these two are...?"

Kui Lei bowed her head, then hesitantly looked towards the husky on the table and the Little Fish Demon sitting alone on the throne.

"Sister Kui, have you forgotten? This is Miss Yu, and this is Miss Little White,"

Xia Yunzhao said smilingly, aware of her sister's sentiments, but seeing nothing improper with it—in her eyes, those were just a larger chair and table.

The position of Emperor of Great Xia wasn't decided by who sat behind a table.

Besides, there were no outsiders present.

"Miss Yu? Miss Little White?! I remember now, these are the two who follow that prince consort, right?"

Kui Lei was initially puzzled, but then quickly recalled their identities.

Unavoidably, she also remembered how she had been treated in that small room.

"Miss Lei, please, just call me Jin Xu,"

At Kui Lei's arrival, the Taoist had risen, allowing his own cushion to be "off-duty."

Now hearing her address him formally, he spoke up to gently correct her.

"Ah, Mister... Jin Xu,"

The sudden voice from behind startled the Second-rank patrol officer, who turned and bowed, still exuding a valiant demeanor, though her ears inevitably flushed slightly red.

Jin Xu raised his hand in return and softly asked, "Miss Lei, have you come here because the assassin has confessed?"