Wait a minute, where is my master?

"It is this object that bears the breath of your master,"

the Big Willow Tree said to Jin Xu with certainty.

It then asked Xia Yunzhao,

"What did your mother say when she gave you this thing?"

"Before I left the palace, my mother handed this silver token into my hands. She instructed me that if I ever encountered extreme danger, I should channel Spiritual Power into the token, and someone would come to rescue me. However, I was pursued and had infused Spiritual Power into it numerous times along the way, to no avail; the token did not respond at all."

The woman in white looked aggrieved.

Guan Ling, after hearing this, secretly conveyed to the young Taoist,

"This is your master's personal Beidou Seven Stars Order, only given to those he was very close to. It's just unknown what relationship the 'mother' mentioned by this little girl has with your master. You'll have to ask yourself when you get the chance."

The Big Willow Tree said with a hint of gossip.

It then said to Xia Yunzhao, "You see, aren't you safe now?"

Jin Xu, upon hearing this, wore a strange expression. How could Guan Ling be finding excuses for his master?

And how many were there?

The Elder Pavilion Master of the White Emperor Pavilion, the granny of the fish, the mother of Xia Yunzhao, with one more, they could start a game of mahjong.

As he was pondering, the Big Willow Tree continued,

"In just a few days, there's another woman in the temple. You must not, relying on your youth, follow in your master's footsteps," it said, followed by a heavy sigh, its remaining half of the branches and leaves trembling.

"..."

Not engaging with that topic, the young Taoist asked about the issues that concerned him most.

"Senior, last time I had a few questions I didn't get to thoroughly ask before you went into deep sleep. Could you teach me the Spiritual Consciousness Skill? And my master..."

He was cut off before he could finish.

"Ssss, my, spirit, is flaring up again, I'm afraid, I must, sleep."

Hearing the suddenly stammering voice of Senior Guan Ling, Jin Xu knew, he was faking it.

But he didn't have any good methods. After all, he couldn't just launch a Hand Palm Thunder at the Big Willow Tree.

He had no choice but to lower his expectations and asked about the Spiritual Consciousness Skill again.

"Go, to your master's room, search, for ancient texts. I, am going to sleep,"

the intermittent voice of Guan Ling came out.

Afterward, no matter how the young Taoist called out, there was no further movement; it seemed that he truly fell asleep.

"Young Taoist, is that token from your master?"

Only when the conversation between the person and the tree had ended, did Xia Yunzhao finally speak up to inquire.

"I suppose so."

Since all his current information came from this Big Willow Tree before him who claimed it was his master's, then it must be.

"And your master?"

The woman in white asked cautiously again.

"He is lost, and I've been searching for him."

The young Taoist lifted the white porcelain teacup in front of him, took a small sip, and replied calmly.

Hearing his answer, Xia Yunzhao also quietly took a sip of her tea.

Then she said, "Young Taoist, you saved Yunzhao's life, and I have no way to repay you, but I can ask my mother how she came by this token. If there are no clues, Yunzhao can also use her connections to help you search. It's better than you searching alone like finding a needle in the ocean."

What she actually wanted to say was to offer herself in marriage—this is how it was written in the secretly viewed illustrations she saw.

But the propriety of a young lady restrained her from saying so.

Xia Yunzhao was raised in the deep confines of the palace since she was young, the youngest daughter of Emperor Xia with exceptional cultivation talent. At the age of twenty-five, she had already entered the Nascent Soul Realm.

A twenty-five-year-old Nascent Soul Realm cultivator, even though she had extraordinary talent, had spent most of these years immersed in cultivation, sparing little time for mundane affairs.

However, since Great Xia was a Cultivation Dynasty, they wouldn't foster talent that was high in cultivation but low in worldly wisdom. When she had free time, someone would take Xia Yunzhao out to broaden her horizons and see the world.

Thus, she had met many outstanding figures, such as the disciples of Kunlun Immortal Palace, the chief scholars of Qingmu Academy, and little sword saints from the Blazing Flame Sword Sect.

But she had always been a person of tranquil and elegant nature, and even though some had shown interest in her, she had never entertained such thoughts.

Her trip near Gusu City was the first time she had traveled alone.

She never expected that on her first trip she would be chased by villains, and that she would see a little Taoist for the first time.

Her heartstrings were in disarray.

Back in the palace, her mother often told her stories about her father, the emperor. This might be what they call "love at first sight" in those stories.

Xia Yunzhao thought to herself, feeling her ears grow warm.

Jin Xu, upon hearing the white-robed lady's words, had no objections; he had intended to request her help in making enquiries.

Even if he couldn't find any clues about the old Taoist Tianxing, it would be good to just learn what kind of person his master was.

As for the lady offering to use her connections to help him search, that was an unexpected bonus.

The little Taoist discerned from the conversation that she must be of no ordinary identity, referencing the palace and her mother; since she didn't elaborate, he didn't inquire further. If she wanted to tell him, she might as well have done so already.

"In that case, thank you, Miss Yunzhao."

Jin Xu stood, gave a cupped-fist salute.

"You need not stand on ceremony, little Taoist," Xia Yunzhao said, her expression slightly disappointed when she saw Jin Xu's formality.

Then, in a more urgent tone, she continued, "Little Taoist, I might have been marked by those villains. I was tracked down three times before, and staying here might bring disaster. Could you point me in the direction of Gusu City?"

From the time she was hooked by the fishing line, to the clearing of the misunderstanding, to the moment she spoke her words of thanks to Jin Xu, more than the time it takes an incense stick to burn had passed.

Before the Big Willow Tree awakened, Xia Yunzhao had sent a message to Li Mi, but for some reason, she had received no reply yet.

Now that the matter was over, naturally, she wanted to hurry to Gusu City to seek protection.

She also harbored the intention not to bring calamity upon the little Taoist before her.

"Slap!"

Little White appeared from the kitchen at some point, slapped Xia Yunzhao's shoulder and said heartily, "Miss Yunzhao, don't worry. Our temple master's cultivation is profound and unpredictable, mere villains are nothing."

Xia Yunzhao rubbed the shoulder Little White had smacked, thinking how strong her slap was, as she sneakily used her spiritual vision to examine Jin Xu.

Mmm, still no sign of any cultivation or spiritual power fluctuations.

"The villain is suspected to be of the Void Refinement Realm," the lady said weakly.

"But that's just Void Refinement Realm, our temple master could slap one to death with a single palm!" Little White scoffed.

Jin Xu, on the other hand, was deep in thought.

"Void Refinement Realm, the Third Elder of Medicine King Valley whom I slapped to death last time, was he also of this realm?"

To be honest, he had never liked the term for this realm because the word 'void' (虚) was part of his name.

Refining Void, Refining Void, it sounded ominously unlucky to him.

"Miss Yunzhao, don't listen to Little White's nonsense. My cultivation is average, it's my master whose cultivation is truly invincible. However, if that villain is only of the Void Refinement Realm, then I'm still capable of dealing with him," the little Taoist stopped Little White from continuing to brag on his behalf and spoke humbly.

Xia Yunzhao felt her doubts about the possibility of dealing with the Void Refinement Realm halve after hearing the Taoist admit it himself, but looking at the young appearance of the little Taoist, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Little Taoist, may I ask how old you are?"

She was a little suspicious that the person before her was an old monster pretending to be young.

"I am eighteen," Jin Xu said earnestly.

ps: A new week has started, I'm asking for your votes and support, readers, with a bow.