Wait a minute, where is my master?

"Magic... must... must."

Accompanied by strange fluctuations, the pale golden orb surprisingly uttered four words this time.

Jin Xu, sensing the characters emerging in his mind, first froze, then a bitter smile involuntarily appeared on his lips.

"Yes, yes, yes, I haven't forgotten you. However, the tidal forces of heaven and earth are upon us, and you are still slowly integrating the small worlds. If you undergo my 'Body Purification Skill' now..."

"No harm."

The Taoist's words had not yet fallen when these two characters emerged again in his mind.

The pale golden orb flashed in mid-air and moved directly in front of his chest.

"... then okay."

Jin Xu, with an expression of helplessness, stared at the pale golden orb at his chest, his wrist flicking, and a massive radiant light emerged.

Indeed, the Nine Provinces Heavenly Dao rules had made a significant contribution in finding his master, therefore, the 'reward' the Taoist gave was naturally generous.

As the 'Body Purification Skill' materialized, the pale golden orb began to flicker intermittently.

It even eagerly drifted toward Jin Xu's right hand.

"... How exactly did the Origin of the Demon Realm describe Him to it? Why does the grand Nine Provinces Heavenly Dao now behave as if obsessed like a clingy puppy!"

Jin Xu internally complained with furrowed eyebrows, then resolutely threw the massive 'Body Purification Skill' at the pale golden orb.

"Boom boom boom!"

"Hmm~~"

The moment the two collided, even in skies where no clouds existed, thunderous roars erupted throughout the Nine Provinces Realm.

Afterward.

Whether they were in the mountains, underwater, underground, or in the secret realms, all cultivators heard a faint humming sound in their minds.

Some cultivators, who by chance were in the middle of breaking through or Crossing Tribulation, even doubted whether they were encountering the Heart Demon Tribulation.

Of course, these cultivators included Ji Junqiao's father, who had descended to the Lower Realm in a puppet body.

This ancestor from Qingmu Academy, sensing the fluctuations, knew that the pale golden orb was likely the Heavenly Dao rules of the Nine Provinces.

However, he was completely befuddled by the interaction between the Taoist and the pale golden orb.

"What is this about? And that faint hum earlier? Was it made by the Heavenly Dao rules?"

Ji Ye, the ancestor from Qingmu Academy, was deeply shocked.

He had ascended not long ago; how had the Nine Provinces Realm changed so quickly?

To the side.

Having executed the 'Body Purification Skill,' Jin Xu saw the pale golden orb still flickering gently in place, appearing to have no intention of leaving or communicating.

Thus, he shook his hand that he had just used to perform the magic, took large strides around the other party, and approached the still dazed Ji Ye.

"Did you call me just now?"

"Ah... ah, please forgive me, young Taoist, I was somewhat distracted just now."

Not understanding, but greatly shocked, Ji Ye regained his senses and was extremely polite as he bowed deeply to Jin Xu. Then, as he turned to signal his daughter Ji Junqiao, who was still standing by the door, he humbly said,

"This is my daughter, who previously in the Mountain and Sea Realm mistakenly raised her hand against you, Taoist. Although you were magnanimous and did not hold it against her, as the saying goes, 'To raise without teaching is the father's fault.' Hence, as her father, I felt it necessary to come and personally apologize to you today."

After finishing his speech, Ji Ye surreptitiously placed his hand on his Storage Jade Belt.

Clearly, he didn't come to apologize empty-handed.

"Mountain and Sea Realm? Oh, you're the one from the Lower Realm, Elder Tiger... ahem, you're the one from the Lower Realm who happened to save Grandma Yu, the female cultivator of the Qingmu Academy's lineage?"

Reacting to his words, Jin Xu first scrutinized Ji Junqiao, then finally remembered who the other party was.

To be honest, the young Taoist had not taken this person seriously at all. He had just felt a sense of familiarity, and only after his puppet's reminder did he recall that she was the vigorously acting woman from before.

"Ahem, both my daughter and I truly are descendants of Confucianism. Taoist, on this trip to the Lower Realm with my puppet body, I have specifically brought some Four Symbols..."

Ji Ye said, preparing to take out the apology gifts stored in his Storage Jade Belt.

But before he could finish speaking.

Above the skies of Shangjing City, a fiery red dawn accompanied by a searing heat emerged.

In this wintry weather, the citizens of Shangjing City, protected by formations, actually began to feel a trace of severe heat.

"What's going on? Hey, disciple, have you returned?"

"Jin Taoist, you're back?"

"Young Taoist..."

The instant the searing heat appeared, Tianxing Taoist and Yan Chu, who were inside the Taoist temple, used an Escape Technique and arrived at the martial field. Behind them, followed a visibly drained but still sitting on a Bronze Gate board, incarnation of the Ten-thousand-year-old Heart Calming Willow.

Meanwhile, the Immortal Palace Ancestor, feeling the unusual situation, quickly came to the martial field, initially intending to find the old Taoist and others but unexpectedly encountered Jin Xu here.

"Master, I have returned. Jin Xu, greetings to the two seniors."

Jin Xu first politely bowed to the three individuals.

Then he looked up towards the sky, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, and he muttered softly,

"Why has she come?"

"Do you know why this phenomenon occurred, disciple? Oh, right, just now the old scholar and I both heard a faint hum in our minds, seeming like a sound emitted by the Heavenly Dao. Is it related to this scorching phenomenon?"

Upon hearing Jin Xu's muttering, the old Taoist quickly asked.

"I know, the energy fluctuations in those red clouds above should belong to the Vermilion Bird of the Four Symbols. As for the hum..." Jin Xu glanced at the still reminiscing pale golden orb and said, "Ahem, that, I'm not too clear on that either. It might be that the Nine Provinces Realm has absorbed too many small world Origins recently, and it's feeling a bit unwell."