“Master, I’ve returned.”
Hearing Chen Changsheng’s voice, Lu Xuan merely rolled over on his profound ice bed. “Oh, so you do remember the way back?” he drawled, his tone laced with faint amusement.
With an apologetic expression, Chen Changsheng announced, “Master, I’ve entered.”
“Come in,” Lu Xuan replied.
Whoosh! A streak of light shot into Lu Xuan’s cave dwelling. Chen Changsheng, clad in white robes and still bearing Lu Xuan’s exact likeness, materialized before the profound ice bed.
He was deliberately inviting a scolding. After all, he’d been gone for so long. It was only natural to let his master vent a little. Such was his profound understanding of social dynamics – or, as Lu Xuan would internally put it, his ‘madly providing emotional value.’
“So, you took my face all the way Outside the Primordial Realm, did you?” Lu Xuan remarked, glancing at him.
Chen Changsheng bowed respectfully. “I encountered a few powerful experts from the Cloudrise Holy Land, but they’ve been dealt with. The karma has been severed. No trouble caused, Master!”
“Wrong, wrong, wrong,” Lu Xuan said, slowly rising and wagging a finger. “I’m never afraid of you causing trouble. In fact, I strongly encourage it. How else are you going to fight and improve?”
Chen Changsheng paused, slightly stunned. He understood! His master’s ‘Gou Dao’ wasn’t just about lying low; it was about constantly oscillating between ‘Gou’ and ‘not Gou.’ This was a level of mastery he couldn’t even fathom.
‘As expected, Master is Master,’ Chen Changsheng murmured internally. ‘Just back, and he’s already secretly guiding me.’ He’d gained some insights cultivating the Scripture of Non-Action recently, but they paled in comparison to a single sentence from his master. Ah… such was the gap! The Dao of Non-Action, the Gou Dao – his master was secretly in harmony with the Grand Dao itself, truly embodying ‘non-action as action!’
Just as Chen Changsheng was lost in thought, the Silver-haired Woman suddenly flew out of the Bronze Ancient Palace, her face alight with excitement. “Excellent!” she exclaimed. “Lu Xuan, I knew you weren’t afraid of trouble! Now, come with me Outside the Primordial Realm to find my sister!”
Lu Xuan blinked. “Don’t want to go.” What for? He did want to visit the Outer Starry Sky, but his strength simply wouldn’t allow it! Out there, even Supremes weren’t considered top-tier experts. He was only a Half-step Supreme right now; he couldn’t go! In the Primordial Realm, he couldn’t beat anyone, and Outside the Primordial Realm, he couldn’t beat anyone either. No, absolutely not.
The Silver-haired Woman froze.
Chen Changsheng: “…”
A moment of silence. Then, Chen Changsheng turned to the Silver-haired Woman. “Didn’t I tell you? Whether Master goes or not depends entirely on his mood.”
The Silver-haired Woman immediately transformed into a little girl, gazing at Lu Xuan with wide, sparkling eyes. She tugged gently on his sleeve, then rubbed her delicate, alluring face against his chest, cooing sweetly, “Please? Pretty please?”
Lu Xuan looked down at her innocent face. This old man’s maiden heart is about to melt. Such a charming, tender little fox spirit.
“Last time, you made me promise you one condition,” Lu Xuan mused. “Was it to go Outside the Primordial Realm to find your sister?”
The Silver-haired Loli immediately bounced into Lu Xuan’s arms. “Yes, yes!”
“Is your sister also from the Fox Race?” Lu Xuan asked.
The Silver-haired Loli shook her head. “Not the Fox Race.”
Lu Xuan frowned. “Then what?”
“We are the Supreme Fox Clan,” the Silver-haired Loli declared.
Lu Xuan: “…”
Chen Changsheng: “…”
“Where is your sister?” Lu Xuan asked.
The Silver-haired Loli shook her head like a rattle. “I don’t know!”
“Not a single clue?” Lu Xuan pressed.
“None at all,” she confirmed.
Lu Xuan spread his hands. “Then how am I supposed to find her?”
“Aren’t you invincible?” the Silver-haired Loli chirped. “Just sweep your Divine Sense across the Fallen Star Sea, and you’ll know, won’t you?”
Lu Xuan was dumbfounded. Just how strong did this Silver-haired Loli think he was? Scan the entire Star Sea with a single glance? What kind of power is that?!
“In the Fallen Star Sea, there are Supremes, Star Venerates, Myriad Phase Realm, Ancient Ancestors... you’re definitely stronger than an Ancient Ancestor! The Yanwu Sect’s founders in the Bronze Ancient Palace, Yan Zu and Wu Zu, surely aren’t your match!” the Silver-haired Loli rattled off.
Lu Xuan remained silent, maintaining his facade of profound mastery.
After a long pause, Lu Xuan finally spoke. “Let’s talk about it another time. Right now, I don’t have the time. I still have four disciples to teach, you know.”
The Silver-haired Loli immediately jumped out of Lu Xuan’s arms, furiously pounding his chest with her tiny, pink fists. “Aaaargh!”
Lu Xuan gently patted her head. “Just get through this period, alright?”
Whoosh! The Silver-haired Loli vanished from before Lu Xuan, burrowing back into the Bronze Ancient Palace.
Chen Changsheng looked genuinely surprised. “Master, you actually took a fourth disciple? Who is it?”
Lu Xuan’s face twitched. “You didn’t erase Xuanji Holy Lord’s memories back then, and now you’re playing dumb?” This guy’s acting skills are no good. He’s just madly providing emotional value.
Chen Changsheng explained, “I just felt that since Xuanji Holy Lord helped Senior Sister and Senior Brother, it was only right that we help her in return. Letting her keep her memories was just giving her a heads-up! Besides Azure Mystery Peak, she’s the only one in the entire Southern Wilds who retained her memories.”
“Alright,” Lu Xuan said simply. “Let’s go introduce you to Baili.”
Moments later, Lu Xuan led Chen Changsheng out of the cave dwelling.
“The third junior brother is back!” Soon, Ji Fuyao emerged from her own cave dwelling, clad in a fiery red dress, her eyes sparkling with divine radiance and a hint of playful annoyance. Ever since the Bronze Ancient Palace expedition, their third junior brother had vanished without a trace!
Ye Chen, in his white robes, also stepped out of his cave dwelling, immediately launching a supreme attack towards Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng looked utterly bewildered. “Second Senior Brother, what are you doing?”
Ye Chen’s lips curved into a slight smirk. “This third junior brother of ours, he looks so honest and sincere, but he’s actually too ‘Gou’! You tricked us so badly!”
Boom! Ye Chen extended his left hand, and the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame erupted like a white lotus, blooming between heaven and earth. It was icy cold yet fiercely scorching, burning relentlessly in the void.
Next, Ye Chen summoned the Fire Refining Furnace. A vast power seemed to awaken within it, and the engraved Dao patterns of mountains, rivers, and ancient palaces instantly activated.
Chen Changsheng feigned surprise. “Isn’t that the Yao Family’s ancestral treasure?”
Ye Chen blasted forward directly. “Take this!” “Desolate! Heaven! Art!”
At this moment, Ye Chen unleashed the power of a Five-star Great Emperor! Boom! The power of a Five-star Great Emperor, the might of the Bone-Chilling Ghost Flame, and the force of the Fire Refining Furnace all converged upon Ye Chen. He unleashed the most terrifying, supreme destructive power ever seen from him. This single strike tore through the void and twisted space itself.
Chen Changsheng cried out, hastily trying to block, as if expending all his primordial strength. “Aargh!” He was instantly sent flying hundreds of zhang by the attack, crashing outside Azure Mystery Peak, hitting the ground, and spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood.
Ye Chen: “…”
Ji Fuyao: “…”
The next instant, Ji Fuyao’s fiery red dress billowed around her, divine radiance swirling beneath her jade-like feet. Her peerless figure drifted directly to Chen Changsheng’s side. She pinched his ear, hauling him back onto Azure Mystery Peak. “Third Junior Brother, what are you putting on an act for?”