Wait a minute, where is my master?

Xu Qian left, brimming with high spirits.

That's because Jin Xu, in front of him, had sent several messages to Xia Yunzhao. He expressed his gratitude for the latter's concern over his master's matters and declared that he would depart for Shangjing City tomorrow to visit the mother of the Seventh Princess.

Then he casually mentioned that he had accidentally lured Xu Qian there and that it was not Xu Qian's initiative to escape from prison.

Taoist Jin Xu also indicated that if necessary, he could help bring Xu Qian back to Shangjing City.

Xu Qian: "..."

However, the Seventh Princess, upon receiving the reply from Jin Xu, had no mood to care about a Golden Core Realm cultivator.

If he's lured away, then so be it—it's not a big deal.

You just responding to my messages is enough.

Of course, this last sentence was what Xia Yunzhao thought to herself.

"Then I'll be in Shangjing City, quietly awaiting Taoist Jin Xu's arrival. — Xia Yunzhao"

"Good, thank you. — Jin Xu."

In Shangjing City, within a serene, delicate palace that did not lack in luxury.

Xia Yunzhao tossed the jade tablet aside, turned, and flung herself onto the soft couch. Her small white fists were clenched tightly as she thought indignantly to herself.

"Can't this young Taoist chat a bit more? Ending the conversation so soon! But truly, Taoist Jin Xu is different from those so-called talented individuals I usually meet. Gentle and courteous, never lacking in etiquette. Hmm, that must be why I fell for him at first sight, I suppose."

Xia Yunzhao had already begun her self-strategizing.

Outside the palace, a beautiful woman who bore a striking resemblance to Xia Yunzhao was approaching at a leisurely pace.

She wore a white gauze dress, exuding a serene elegance, followed by two maidens, one of whom carried a wooden box.

"To meet..."

As the guardmaidens outside the palace saw the beautiful woman approaching and were about to pay their respects, she waved her hand to stop them, signaling them not to make a sound.

Then the lady in white turned and took the wooden box from one of the maidens' hands and stealthily entered the palace.

She caught sight of Xia Yunzhao, completely devoid of image, sprawled on the soft couch, her long snow-white legs waggling, and her small white fists beating the bed beneath in a fit of pique.

Seeing this, the beautiful woman smiled faintly and deliberately changed her voice to tease.

"Who has dared to bully our Seventh Princess? She's so upset she doesn't even care about her demeanor and is taking it out on the couch!"

"Ah!"

Startled by the voice, Xia Yunzhao sprang up from the couch, hurriedly straightened her clothes, and her expression swiftly returned to her usual tranquil and serene demeanor.

Upon closer inspection and realizing it was the lady in white, she relaxed once again.

"Mother, you're always teasing me. When I heard the voice, I thought it was Cao Shangyi from the palace!"

"So you do know fear. If Cao Shangyi found out about your manners just now, she would certainly report you to your father, the Emperor."

Shangyi, an official in charge of palace etiquette.

The lady in white set the wooden box on the table, opening it as she spoke.

"Humph, I won't let her catch me in the act."

In her mother's presence, Xia Yunzhao reverted to that coquettishness typical of a pampered young lady.

She skipped lightly over to the table, helping the beautiful woman remove the pastries from the box.

"Hmm, they're all my favorites. Mother dearest is the only one who spoils me!"

The Seventh Princess grabbed a piece of the pastry and stuffed it into her mouth, speaking as she ate.

It would be hard to convince outsiders that the Seventh Princess of Great Xia, known for her tranquil elegance, now resembled a little greedy cat.

"Child, eat slowly. No one's going to snatch it from you. By the way, who has made my Zhaoer so angry?"

The mother of the Seventh Princess poured a cup of tea and pushed it towards her daughter.

"Don't start explaining, let mother guess—is it that Taoist from Gusu City? If so, I will take care of it for you. As for the Seven Star Token affair, I won't tell him about it," said the lady in white, pretending to be crossed.

"Uh... blurry... has nothing to do with Taoist Jin Xu. I feel, I feel angry with those Demon Sect members who injured Grandpa!"

Xia Yunzhao was chewing on pastries, her words muffled as she explained.

Then, fearful that her mother might really become angry with Taoist Jin Xu, she dragged the Demon Sect into the matter.

Of course, this excuse was incredibly feeble.

No one knows a daughter better than her mother. The beautiful woman, upon hearing these words and sizing up her daughter's expression, guessed the situation quite accurately.

"Zhao'er must have taken a fancy to that young Taoist from Gusu City, sigh!"

Unaware that she had revealed herself, Xia Yunzhao continued, "Mother, how is Grandpa's condition?"

At the mention of this topic, a trace of worry surfaced on the face of the woman in white.

The health of Xia Xuanmin, the founding Emperor of Great Xia, was not optimistic—in fact, it was quite poor, and one of the purposes of the beautiful woman in white's visit that day was to give her daughter a heads-up in advance.

It had been two thousand three hundred years since the founding of Great Xia. Xia Xuanmin had been on the throne for a staggering one thousand eight hundred years.

Both the Imperial Family of Great Xia and the Cultivation World of the Nine Provinces thought he would remain Emperor indefinitely. Unexpectedly, five hundred years ago, he abdicated in favor of Xia Yunzhao's father.

He then began a prolonged period of secluded cultivation.

However, Xia Yunzhao's father was not particularly gifted in cultivation nor in management and had ascended to the throne somewhat bewilderingly.

For the first three hundred years, Xia Xuanmin would occasionally make appearances, lending support. But for the last two hundred years, he had remained in seclusion.

Consequently, starting two hundred years ago, rumors began circulating in the Cultivation World that the founding Emperor of Great Xia, due to a serious hidden injury, might have already died.

It was also from that time that Great Xia's national power began to wane gradually, as did its influence and control over the various states and prefectures.

The recent battle in Shangjing City did dispel the rumors of Xia Xuanmin's death, but the situation did not improve much.

"Your Grandpa's condition is not very optimistic. Medicine King Valley is no longer trustworthy, so your father has sent someone to invite the Great Elder of the Shui Clan to concoct pills and heal Grandpa's injuries," the woman in white said.

Upon hearing this, Xia Yunzhao put down the pastry in her hand and said earnestly, "Mother, why did Father urgently summon me back from Gusu City? I have been back two days now, and Father has yet to summon me."

Hearing her daughter's words, a deep concern rose in the eyes of the beautiful woman in white.

"Zhao'er..."

...

...

Outside the watchman's quarters in Gusu City.

Xu Qian returned here with a face full of worry, preparing to bite the bullet and explain things to his direct superior, Li Mi.

When he first left the monastery, he was quite happy because he was no longer being treated as an escaped prisoner from the dungeon. But on the way back, the more he thought about it, the more things seemed off.

His trip to Shangjing City had been utterly pointless. He had struggled to get to the city gates only to be thrown into a cell.

Before he had the chance to get out, Taoist Jin Xu fished him back.

Moreover, Taoist Jin Xu specifically instructed him not to reveal the existence of this fishing rod.

"Hiss~ I haven't completed a single task assigned by Mr. Li; this Sixth-Grade watchman's position is definitely hopeless. It's even doubtful whether I can maintain my rank of seventh-grade," Xu Qian muttered to himself as he walked toward Li Mi's usual study.

There was no one in the study.

After asking around, he learned that Mr. Li had gone to Shangjing City overnight.

He was also briefed on the major events that had happened in Gusu City these past few days.

"!?"

He was taken aback.

"Taoist Jin Xu single-handedly rescued Gusu City! Hiss, terrifying indeed!"

After standing there for a while, feeling smug about his own sharpness for having latched onto the right person early, Xu Qian suddenly realized something and then turned around and ran toward Little Platform Mountain.

He needed to ensure that Taoist Jin Xu would take him along when going to Shangjing City.

Otherwise, if Li Mi arrived in Shangjing City and found him missing, he would be finished!