Wait a minute, where is my master?

The sound of his voice had barely faded when the eyelids of the Tianxing Taoist, who was sitting cross-legged within the formation, twitched slightly.

Then he opened his eyes.

"Little... Jin Xu?"

The tone of the Elder Taoist was somewhat weak, and as his eyes opened, they clearly revealed a mix of confusion, astonishment, and amazement upon seeing the young Taoist.

Upon seeing his master awaken, Jin Xu felt the anxiety in his chest finally subside.

Although he had already examined and found that there were no other prohibitions or mechanisms within the body of the Tianxing Taoist, and there were no serious injuries, the reason the latter had his eyes tightly shut and immobile was entirely due to being bound by the formation. Once the formation was broken, he would surely awaken.

But examination was one thing, seeing with one's own eyes was another.

"Master, it's me. I've come to take you back to Xuanxu Temple."

As Jin Xu confidently declared his identity, he stretched out his arm with an upturned corner of his mouth, ready to bend down and help the Tianxing Taoist in front of him.

At this moment, the expression on the Tianxing Taoist's face was still one of bewilderment, and in his somewhat cloudy eyes lingered a trace of disbelief.

However, when he saw Jin Xu extend his arm, he subconsciously reached out to grasp it and used the leverage to stand up from the ground.

"Master, you... **! Master, what are you doing!?"

Just as Jin Xu pulled the Tianxing Taoist up from the ground and was about to lead him out of the ruined array, and inquire about his teacher whom he hadn't seen for so long,

the Tianxing Elder Taoist, his face still showing bewilderment, had hands that were far from idle!

A "Nine Heavens Divine Thunder" was instantaneously released from his hands, striking Jin Xu solidly in the lower back!

"Boom!!!"

In an instant, the black crystal stone turned into dust, and the already fragile crystals on the ground exploded everywhere, creating a thick cloud of smoke filled with tiny crystal fragments on the spot.

"Ha! I have witnessed your Chaos Clan's tactics before, and now you still try to deceive me with this method, daring to morph into the likeness of my disciple.

"Damn it!"

Upon releasing a "Nine Heavens Divine Thunder," the Tianxing Elder Taoist bellowed out curses as he swiftly backed away.

Now, his face showed round, furious eyes, and his eyebrows were inverted!

His eyes were filled with rage and darkness, nothing like the confusion and astonishment they'd shown just a moment ago!

The Tianxing Taoist couldn't understand how he, clearly captured by that so-called 'deity' of the Chaos Clan and trapped in the formation, was subject to such antics today.

Regardless of what trickery the Chaos Clan was up to, he knew that with that 'deity' in command, he was surely not getting back.

Thus, just a while ago, he pretended to play along in order to lower the opponent's guard, with the mindset to kill at least one if he could.

Since he couldn't return, the Tianxing Elder Taoist, unwilling to continue surviving barely in this strange array and be used as a tool by the Chaos Clan, would rather make a mess while he could, and before being captured again, choose to self-destruct.

As for the slight possibility that the person who suddenly appeared before him was indeed his precious disciple,

the Tianxing Elder Taoist didn't even entertain the thought.

Although the cultivational speed of the disciple he took in was somewhat 'peculiar,' he didn't even consider how he himself ended up in this strange small world.

First, he was transported to the Spirit Realm by the strange properties of an ink jade fishing rod, then after battling the Origin of the Spirit Realm for three hundred rounds, he was dragged back. Suddenly, he discovered a spatial rift, and with a mindset ready for a risky venture, he dived straight in.

Given such an illogical route and peculiar method,

even if his own disciple had tremendous abilities, it was impossible for him to find this place.

However...

After Tianxing Taoist had stepped out of the range of the smoky explosion, he instinctively swept his Spiritual Sense in front of him, but the furious, resolute expression on his face suddenly froze.

This was no act.

Normally, the Innate Divine Ability of the Chaos Clan should allow them to mimic anything flawlessly, without any giveaways.

But shouldn't their true form reveal itself once they're attacked?

Yet, how is it that the little Taoist in the smoke now... now... still looks the same!?

"Cough cough, Master... I really am your disciple—Jin Xu."

Tianxing Taoist's mind was still boggled.

The little Taoist managed to wave away the smoke with his hand while walking out with a wry smile on his face.

He'd traveled thousands of miles to save his master, only to be greeted with a hefty attack right off the bat.

This was truly... truly...

"Luckily, Master taught me 'Strengthening Skill' and I've practiced it every day."

Jin Xu felt around his torn Taoist robe and the glittering, unscathed skin on his lower back, secretly relieved.

At that moment, Tianxing Taoist saw that after being struck by the "Nine Heavens Divine Thunder," the other still maintained a Human Race appearance.

And not turned into that bizarre image with mouths all over the face.

His words came out somewhat stutteringly.

"You you you, are you really Little Jin Xu!?"

"Master, it's really me. If you don't believe me, I can tell you some things to prove my identity. For instance, you know the former empress of Emperor Xia's dynasty, and by lineage, she should call you 'Uncle.'"

"You often dine with Senior Yan, Senior Yan Chu, and the cook is the top chef in the Nine Provinces, Jiang Xiulan."

"Moreover, you have a hidden identity as the owner of Jingyu Building. Oh, right, the Elder Pavilion Master from the White Emperor Pavilion has been pining for you in vain, and to win you over, she even went as far as breaking the Nine Provinces Sea Eye during this period."

"But don't worry, I've already taken care of the Sea Eye problem.

Uh... and, did you once use that ink jade fishing rod to fish for the Shui Clan Elder's Pill, and then fell into a trap, accidentally consuming..."

Little Jin Xu listed one thing after another related to the old Taoist, while casually retrieving a Sound Transmission Jade Token from his storage bracelet.

In addition, he took out a spare Taoist robe and tied it around his waist, concealing the exposed and damaged area.

Indeed, the purpose of Jin Xu recounting these events was to prove he was indeed himself and to convince Tianxing Taoist of his identity. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that he'd just been hit by a "Nine Heavens Divine Thunder" on his lower back.

"Stop stop stop! Isn't it enough that I believe you are my disciple?!"

Seeing his disciple getting increasingly enthusiastic with the revelations, Tianxing Taoist hurriedly interrupted him.

Honestly, he had believed him when Jin Xu showed the Sound Transmission Jade Token, but the subsequent words from him had raised some doubts in an already convinced heart.

He had merely been missing for two years, not two thousand!

How had his disciple dug up so many of his secrets!?

Even if Senior Yan, that old scholar, had let something slip accidentally, the details shouldn't be so comprehensive! Just a few sentences almost shook out most of the secrets of his wanderings in the Nine Provinces Immortal World over the years!

How was he going to maintain his dignity in front of his disciples from now on?