When Nan Ji finished absorbing the Ren Water Immortal Peach, his cultivation had already broken through from the early stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal to the middle stage.
He was extremely satisfied with such cultivation speed.
After all, in the present Great Desolation, even the Dao Ancestor had only taught the path of cultivation up to the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm.
Even Nan Ji's eldest martial uncle, Laozi, was merely at the late stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal.
Tongtian, who had been secretly watching this scene, laughed and said to Yuanshi with glee at his misfortune, "Second Brother, little Nan Ji's cultivation is now the same as yours."
Yuanshi was awakened by Tongtian's voice. He shot Tongtian an unhappy glance, yet his eyes were filled with gratification.
He was not displeased in the slightest that Nan Ji's cultivation had caught up to his own.
On the path of cultivation, diligence was important, but fortune was also an important part of it.
However, when Yuanshi turned back to look at Tongtian, the gratification in his eyes swiftly turned into displeasure.
Smack!
Without holding back at all, Yuanshi slapped Tongtian on the head and said irritably, "You know your martial nephew has reached the middle stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal?"
"And you? His cultivation is already the same as yours, yet you still have the nerve to talk. How can you be so shameless?"
Tongtian felt utterly wronged upon hearing Yuanshi's words.
Although Yuanshi had not used any mana, Tongtian still clutched his head and said aggrievedly, "Aren't you at the middle stage of Grand Unity Golden Immortal too? Why are you picking on me?"
It would have been better if Tongtian had said nothing. The more he spoke, the angrier Yuanshi became.
Yuanshi abruptly rose to his feet, pointed at Tongtian, and said, "Nan Ji is my disciple. His cultivation has improved, so naturally I, his master, am happy."
"Besides, I was the one who took Nan Ji in. His temperament and fortune are both among the best in the Great Desolation."
"You still want to take disciples? Do you think you alone can find good disciples?"
Perhaps Yuanshi had spoken for too long, because Laozi, who had been cultivating nearby, twitched at the corner of his mouth and said, "Enough. We should leave seclusion as soon as possible."
Yuanshi saw that Laozi had spoken.
At this time, he still held great respect for Laozi. Thus, Yuanshi glared at Tongtian before closing his eyes and sitting back down to cultivate.
Meanwhile, Nan Ji awakened and saw Niu Niu and Duo Duo beside him.
Nan Ji asked excitedly, "Duo Duo, where did you get that spirit peach?"
Seeing how excited Nan Ji was, Duo Duo replied in her pincer-like voice, "That Ren Water Immortal Peach? I brought it."
Houtu had indeed casually taken it at the time.
"R-Ren Water Immortal Peach?"
Good heavens, Nan Ji nearly regretted it to the point of turning his intestines green.
This was not like the peaches of the Heavenly Court that Haotian and Yaochi would establish later.
How had he cut it into pieces and served it as a fruit platter?
More importantly, Duo Duo had stolen the peach. What would they do if the Queen Mother of the West came after them?
Thinking of this, Nan Ji rubbed Duo Duo's head miserably and said, "From now on, you must not go out again. Just stay on Xuanqing Peak."
"Huh?"
Duo Duo and Niu Niu both looked at Nan Ji curiously, wondering why he was saying this.
Nan Ji subconsciously patted them both and whispered, "You stole the peaches of the Queen Mother of the West from Western Kunlun. What if she comes after you?"
"Besides, what if she is petty and takes your lives?"
"At least this is Xuanqing Peak. I imagine she will show some regard for my masters' reputation."
After all, he had eaten most of it and even broken through a minor realm.
He could not bring himself to throw Duo Duo out to take the blame.
At those words, Duo Duo cast Niu Niu a meaningful look and snickered.
Niu Niu, who was the Queen Mother of the West herself, still tried to defend herself. "Probably not. The Queen Mother of the West should be fairly understanding."
Unexpectedly, the moment she finished speaking, Nan Ji pulled her and Duo Duo closer.
In a mysterious whisper, he said, "I heard her true form is a tiger. Have you ever seen a gentle tiger?"
Below Kirin Cliff, the Three Pure Ones all stopped cultivating and sent out their divine senses.
Laozi narrowed his eyes as he watched.
Yuanshi let out a long breath when he saw this.
"The Queen Mother of the West brought this upon herself! Ha..."
After saying that, Tongtian subconsciously glanced at Yuanshi's palm. Only after seeing that it remained perfectly still did he relax and continue laughing. "Hahahahaha."
Over here, seemingly afraid that the two girls would not take this seriously enough, Nan Ji lowered his voice even further. "I also heard that the Queen Mother of the West eats children, especially little girls like you. She swallows them in one bite and does not even spit out the bones."
As he spoke, Nan Ji noticed that something was wrong with Niu Niu's expression.
Yuanshi, upon seeing this, could no longer hold it in.
"Hahaha..."
Thinking of how the Queen Mother of the West had once targeted him, Yuanshi felt that however angry he had been back then was how delighted he was now.
Tongtian boldly leaned his head over and said, "Second Brother, your laughter is wrong. Something this wonderful should be laughed at loudly! Boldly, like me, hahaha... Ah, you hit me again!"
Yuanshi's face darkened as he looked at Tongtian menacingly. "You say I am wrong? You..."
Yet Nan Ji suddenly slapped his forehead and said in sudden realization, "You are a little tiger. Big Brother was not talking about you, but you should still be careful not to become bad like her."
At this moment, Niu Niu, the Queen Mother of the West, found it more and more outrageous the longer she listened.
Yet she was in no position to refute him.
Seeing her adorably dazed appearance, Nan Ji grasped her shoulders with both hands, gave her a shake, and said, "Did you hear me? Promise Big Brother, okay?"
Under Nan Ji's earnest gaze and Duo Duo's gloating expression...
"Okay!"
The Queen Mother of the West forced a single word out of her mouth with great difficulty.
"That's a good girl!"
Nan Ji held Niu Niu's hand in one hand and Duo Duo's in the other, speaking with satisfaction.
Just then, a voice suddenly rang out from the foot of Xuanqing Peak. "Three Pure Ones, an old acquaintance has come to visit. I hope to see you!"
The voice belonged to a rough-sounding man, and Nan Ji's heart tightened upon hearing it.
Immediately afterward, another man's voice rang out. "Big Brother, why waste so many words? Three Pure Ones, hand her over!"
Hearing this, Nan Ji inwardly groaned.
It was over!
The Queen Mother of the West had sent people after them!
"Nan Ji, your martial uncles and I need to remain in seclusion. This matter began because of you, so go deal with it yourself."
At that moment, Nan Ji heard Yuanshi's voice transmission again.
"I..."
Nan Ji unconsciously tightened his grip on Niu Niu and Duo Duo's hands.
But his master was indeed right, so he could only reply, "Yes!"
After replying to Yuanshi, Nan Ji hurriedly said to Niu Niu and Duo Duo, "How about we play a game?"
"You two hide inside the three main halls. If Big Brother cannot find you, you must not come out."
"But..."
Duo Duo, who was Houtu, desperately wanted to say that those voices belonged to her brothers and sisters. The other eleven ancestral shamans had come.
They had not come to demand the Immortal Peach back, but to take her home.
But before she could finish, Nan Ji was anxious and directly said, "If you will not play with Big Brother, Big Brother will get angry."
"But..." Duo Duo still wanted to say something, but the Queen Mother of the West grabbed her. "Then let's go hide!"
Watching the two of them hide in the main hall, Nan Ji sensed his middle-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation. Though his heart was bitter, there was nothing he could do.
With a flash, he arrived at the foot of Xuanqing Peak and saw eleven people waiting impatiently.
The eleven included both men and women, and all looked different.
Nan Ji gathered his courage and greeted them, "Greetings, seniors! May I ask what business you have with my master?"
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