Wait a minute, where is my master?

"This crafty old fox, why did he leave in such a hurry? As if I didn't know he was the former head of Kunlun Immortal Palace, or that his name is Chidao."

"You might as well tell me what exactly happened!"

The white-robed scholar muttered to himself.

He then fixed his gaze on the object flying towards him from the sky.

One of the items was earthy yellow, extremely fluffy, with limbs outstretched and a tail trailing behind; it was the so-called "Little Tiger" the Ancestor of the Immortal Palace had previously held.

The other item was an ordinary-looking Communication Jade Scroll produced by Kunlun Immortal Palace.

The Old Dean gently raised his hand and grasped the Jade Scroll.

The orange cat, on the other hand, crashed heavily into the ground with its tail sticking up and its hind legs twitching unnaturally a couple of times.

Ignoring the "Little Tiger."

The Old Dean stroked the Jade Scroll in his hand, lost in thought.

"Back in July, the head of Kunlun Immortal Palace personally visited Tingfeng Building to announce the crisis of the great calamity in the Nine Provinces, mentioning a gathering at Kunlun in half a year. The old fox just now muttered something under his breath; could it be that something really has happened in the Nine Provinces?

"But the timing doesn't seem right.

"Moreover, if the Nine Provinces were in trouble, the treasure of my Qingmu Academy should have given a warning.

"Was he putting on a show for me, deliberately giving me an excuse to contact Taoist Jin Xu, or..."

If the Ancestor of Kunlun Immortal Palace hadn't mentioned that last sentence in his transmission, the Old Dean would definitely not be overthinking this situation.

But since the other party did mention it, a trace of doubt inevitably rose in his heart.

After all, they were both old foxes of a thousand years; being a bit more cautious was certainly not a bad thing.

The Old Dean found himself entangled in indecision once again.

Meanwhile, the vermilion door behind him suddenly creaked open. Subsequently, a sleazy-looking young man poked his head out.

It was none other than Xu Qian, who hadn't long recovered.

"Brother, was it you who called the door just now?"

Xu Qian's gaze swept over the motionless chubby figure on the ground and the unknown earthy yellow creature half-buried in the soil, before he called out to the figure in the white robe.

Hearing the call, the Old Dean's thoughts were pulled back, and he was just about to ask where Li Mi was.

He then heard a clear dragon's roar over the skies of Shangjing City.

Instantly, his original body in gentle bamboo building sharply became aware.

The treasure of Qingmu Academy raised an alarm to him!

"Hiss, this old fellow is truly a True World Immortal, managing to foresee the future so much earlier than us."

As this thought crossed his mind, the white-faced scholar shouted at Xu Qian, who was looking up towards the source of the dragon's roar.

"Hurry and get Li Mi out here, and have him inform Emperor Zhao that something is amiss in the Nine Provinces."

Before his words even faded, he corrected himself, "No, judging by the warning in the dragon's roar, Emperor Zhao must already be aware. Forget it, I'll go to the Royal Palace myself."

With that, the white-robed scholar stepped forward and vanished from his spot.

"Hiss, Confucian Skill of Immeasurable Distance!?"

Xu Qian, standing at the doorway and somewhat knowledgeable, recognized the skill used by the Old Dean.

After thinking for a moment, he glanced at the chubby figure and the nameless creature at the door and then decisively turned and ran inside the mansion.

——————

In the Imperial Palace of Great Xia, Taiji Hall.

Emperor Xia Yunzhao was originally puzzled about who would be so bold as to shatter the no-fly array of Shangjing City now that Jin Xu was not in the city.

Suddenly, she perceived an extremely strong warning from the dynasty's fate.

Following that, a clear dragon's roar resounded throughout Shangjing.

Emperor Yunzhao's expression changed slightly, and she flashed out of the great hall, ready to summon her ministers to inquire about the situation.

That's when she saw a white-faced scholar suddenly appearing on the plaza before the hall.

"You are..."

Before the Empress could voice her question, the Old Dean pulled out a token that could prove his identity and held it out in front of him.

"Qingmu Academy Dean's token? Are you Dean Qingyun?"

Emperor Yunzhao had never met Qingyun, hence her question.

As she asked, her phoenix robe waved, signaling the surrounding Royal Guards ready to protect her to stand down.

"Qingyun is my disciple, but that's not important right now.

"Emperor Zhao, you must have also noticed the warning from Great Xia's destiny just now. This incident is not only happening to Great Xia, but Qingmu Academy and Kunlun Immortal Palace have also received warnings.

"This means that this warning could potentially affect the entire Nine Provinces.

"I am here specifically to remind you, so please make preparations early.

"Additionally, your uncle should currently be in Shangjing City, though I'm not sure where he is residing. I am an old friend of his, and it would be appropriate to meet him while I am here."

The white-robed scholar briefly explained his identity and then conveyed his reason for visiting to Emperor Yunzhao.

Now that he had confirmed the crisis of the Nine Provinces was real, the Old Dean felt it was indeed time to meet with the Taoist Jin Xu.

"You are... Senior Yan?"

Emperor Zhao, hearing the visitor claim to be Qingyun's master and knowing the token in his hand could not be fake, still asked uncertainly.

"How can a cultivator of my grandfather's generation look so young? Could it be that he used some sort of Youthful Pill?"

When the issue of appearance arose, Emperor Xia Yunzhao's love of beauty caused her thoughts to drift slightly.

However, she quickly regained her focus.

Without waiting for the Old Dean to answer again, Xia Yunzhao spoke, "I am grateful for Senior's special reminder, and I will remember this kindness. As for Jin... my uncle, cough, it seems that he left Shangjing City two hours ago."

Left?

And two hours ago?

The Old Dean was slightly startled when he heard this news, then he asked, "May I inquire where Brother Jin has gone?"

"He seems to have headed in the direction of the sea."

Upon hearing this, the white-robed scholar felt a heavy sink in his heart.

If he remembered correctly, the direction of the Ancestor from Kunlun Immortal Palace's Flying Escape Skill was towards the sea, and the other party also mentioned waiting for Jin Xu by the shores of the East Sea for a quarter of an hour.

By such deduction, the threat looming over the Nine Provinces must surely be occurring at sea.

And to add to that, the sudden revelation from the Upper Realm to capture Jin Xu.

Pondering upon these assumptions...

"Could it be that the source of the alarm is indeed Brother Jin!?"

The Old Dean was now plunged into a vast sea of confusion.

——————

Immortal Realm.

The long-bearded elder who had left Immortal wood remnants in the Nine Provinces was now loudly berating a meek and compliant Confucian Practitioner.

"Li is so muddled!

"I know you wish to leave a good impression on the Four Divine Monarchs, hoping to ascend in rank within the Immortal Court.

"But do you realize what 'They' represent!?

"How dare you secretly transmit messages to the Lower Realm, allowing your disciples to follow the trail and even attempt capturing? You should know that the Lower Realm can only endure Cultivators at the level of Human Immortals, which are the True World Immortals of the Lower Realm.

"Are 'They' something a Human Immortal can contend with?

"If it were so easy to capture 'Them', wouldn't the Immortal Court have already sent a hundred or eighty Human Immortals down there? Is there really a need for your unnecessary actions?"

The scolded Cultivator had been bowing his head all this time, but finding something upon hearing that the Lower Realm could only withstand Cultivators at the Human Immortal realm, he meekly raised his head and retorted, "Junior Master Lin, didn't you say that the Lower Realm can only withstand Cultivators at the Human Immortal realm? If so, wouldn't 'They' at most possess the strength of the Human Immortal realm? With that in mind, the people of the Lower Realm might have a chance to capture 'Them'."

"Foolishness! 'They' are not referred to as such for ordinary reasons.

"Furthermore, I have earnestly and tirelessly reported this matter to the Four Divine Monarchs. These esteemed individuals have already gone to verify the seal from 300,000 years ago.

"The one within has not escaped, and has even become weaker. The 'They' that have appeared in the Lower Realm cannot be positively identified yet.

"So, hurry and tell the disciples in the Lower Realm to revoke the capture and search orders!"

The long-bearded elder was visibly enraged, whether by the actions of the man before him or recalling the reporting process to the four seemingly amnesic Divine Monarchs.

"Yes, Junior Master. But..."

The meek and compliant Confucian Practitioner conceded obediently after the scolding, and then hesitated before adding, "However, the artifact used to communicate with the disciples in the Lower Realm can only be activated once a month. To revoke the orders, I would have to wait for another twenty-some days."

Upon hearing this, the long-bearded elder fell silent.

Twenty-some days—if the disciples in the Lower Realm truly went to capture 'Them'...

Hisss, by then, even a thorough ploughing of their sect three times would probably be enough.

"Damned fool, if you cause the annihilation of the Confucian lineage in this realm due to your actions, then prepare to renounce your cultivation and go preach in the Lower Realm! Do not return until you've comprehensively preached in ten Lower Realms!"

The long-bearded elder angrily swept his sleeve and turned to leave the place.

As he walked away, he muttered under his breath, "This child is really regressing the more he cultivates. Even if he succeeds, with the Four Divine Monarchs' current memory, it's unlikely they'll remember it was his doing."

At the original spot.

The meek and compliant Confucian Practitioner secretly prayed in his heart.

"I hope the Cultivators in the Nine Provinces Realm are smart enough to avoid a frontal clash after discovering 'Their' formidable strength. I pray a scene where disciples die following the command of the patriarch does not occur.

"Otherwise, I really will have to discard my cultivation and go preach in the Lower Realm!"

The meek and compliant Confucian Practitioner prayed for a while at the original spot until he was sure his Junior Master Lin had truly left.

He then summoned a cloud beneath his feet and set off towards his Cave Heaven Blessed Land dwelling.

In less than the time it takes to brew a cup of tea.

The Confucian Practitioner arrived at the entrance of his own cave dwelling.

Before he could dispel the auspicious cloud beneath his feet, a beaten and bruised young servant rushed out from within.

"Master, master, something terrible has happened.

"Fairy Jun Qiao has defied your orders, forcibly broken out of her confinement, and run away from home again!"

The Confucian Practitioner's face darkened as he stared at the servant who had clearly taken a beating and asked, "Where did that girl say she's going this time? Five-Colored Island or the Jade Crystal Pool?"

The person the servant referred to was his daughter, a "delinquent female fairy" who had reached the realm of a Human Immortal but frequently caused trouble and habitually ran away from home.

"Neither, master," replied the servant with a mournful expression, enduring the pain from the wound at the corner of his mouth as he continued.

"Fairy Jun Qiao said she's going to the Lower Realm this time, to find the demon you had sent a portrait of several days ago with a magical artifact."

"Ah!?"

Upon learning this explosive news, the Confucian Practitioner was shocked and nearly fell off the auspicious cloud.