Hongjun and Qiongxiao's Interaction

This... doesn't seem right.

Nan Ji rubbed his eyes and saw Qiongxiao holding onto Hongjun's hand.

Hongjun, in turn, let her pull him along.

"Aiyo, it hasn't been that long, and you miss me again. I really don't know why this old man is so memorable."

It was the same old formula, the same old taste.

Nan Ji had prepared a whole speech begging for Qiongxiao's forgiveness, but seeing this scene, he couldn't open his mouth.

What could he say? Judging by the smiling face of that old man, they were clearly getting along very well.

"Uh..."

Nan Ji thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth. "This, Ancestor Master, your descendant is so anxious because he's afraid this girl will anger you."

"Anger?"

"Why would this old man get angry!"

"You brat just put me aside, only coming to light incense without any care. This girl, however, knows to wipe me clean."

"Tsk, if you're talking about someone who doesn't know how to behave, your Martial Uncle is definitely the worst."

"Of all my disciples, he's the only one who stands out."

Listening to Hongjun's long-winded speech, Nan Ji didn't know whether to agree or stay silent.

The only thing worth celebrating was that Qiongxiao had actually made an impression on the Dao Ancestor.

Thinking of this girl's future fate, she was said to have been smashed to death by her own Master with a Jade Ruyi.

Since she wasn't listed as a physical body on the Investiture of the Gods, how could she have a good life in the Heavenly Court in the future?

When Qiongxiao heard Hongjun say this, she pouted coquettishly. "Grandpa Dao Ancestor, you can't talk about me like that. I haven't even joined my Master's sect yet."

"If I have to go back to Three Immortal Island, and if I get bullied again..."

As she spoke, tears began to well up in Qiongxiao's large eyes, like pearls about to fall.

Seeing Qiongxiao's reaction, Nan Ji's heart nearly leaped out of his chest.

This was Hongjun Dao Ancestor, and she was acting so spoiled!

But to his surprise, Hongjun seemed to fall for it, nodding repeatedly. "Alright, alright, this old man won't say it anymore. Can't I just stop talking?"

Hearing Hongjun's reply, Qiongxiao's face instantly brightened from cloudy to sunny. She said with a giggle, "That's more like it!"

Nan Ji: ...

It truly was a case of one thing conquering another.

But who would have thought that the stone-hearted Hongjun had such a side to him?

Didn't they see how much effort Jieyin and Zhunti had to put in to obtain their Saint positions?

And the three thousand guests in Purple Heaven Palace, who had practically kowtowed their heads until they were broken.

Hongjun hadn't acted like this for any of them.

Perhaps to confirm Hongjun's guess, he took out a jade token from his robe and handed it to Qiongxiao. "This is a jade token from Grandpa. Take it to Tongtian when you get back, and he'll understand."

Qiongxiao took the jade token and said happily, "Thank you, Grandpa."

After seeing her accept it, Hongjun continued, "When the next sermon is over, Grandpa will merge into a part of the Heavenly Dao. I won't be able to have personal thoughts or emotions anymore."

Nan Ji understood what was happening as he witnessed this.

The second sermon had ended, so after the third one, Dao Ancestor Hongjun would merge with the Heavenly Dao.

At that point, Hongjun would be the Heavenly Dao, and the Heavenly Dao would not be Hongjun.

He would even cease to act unless it was a major event.

Therefore, before merging with the Dao, he allowed Dao Ancestor Hongjun to truly experience the affection of a grandfather.

Hearing Hongjun's words, Qiongxiao froze for a moment, but she didn't cry immediately.

She just held the jade pendant in her hand and stared at it blankly. "Grandpa, actually, since I took form, my brothers and sisters have taken very good care of me."

"Before, Qiongxiao never knew what it felt like to have a grandpa."

"But now, Qiongxiao understands. This feeling is really wonderful."

As she spoke, Qiongxiao suddenly broke into a bright smile. "Even though it was short, Qiongxiao is very happy. Thank you, Grandpa!"

With that, Qiongxiao hopped off the cloud bed in Purple霄 Palace and respectfully kowtowed three times to Hongjun.

Hongjun sat upright and accepted Qiongxiao's bow, then said, "Good, good. Remember to give the jade pendant to your Master!"

"Mhm, mhm!"

Qiongxiao listened, clutching the palm-sized jade pendant tightly in her hands, and nodded.

Hongjun felt a pang of sadness in his heart, but he didn't say much. Instead, he spoke softly to Nan Ji and Qiongxiao, "Then Grandpa will send you both back. Get ready."

Seeing Qiongxiao close her eyes, Hongjun slowly waved his long sleeve and teleported her and Nan Ji out of Purple Heaven Palace.

Afterward, he waved his hand and picked up a teardrop from the ground, because he clearly saw that it was shed by Qiongxiao the moment she closed her eyes.

When Nan Ji and Qiongxiao returned, they found that Tongtian and the others were no longer in Changsheng Hall.

"Little Nan Ji, bring your junior sister to Biyu Palace!"

As soon as Nan Ji steadied himself, he heard Tongtian's telepathic message.

Qiongxiao, who had landed, no longer had the bright expression from moments ago. For the first time, a look of sorrow appeared on her face, and she still clutched the jade pendant Hongjun had given her tightly in her hand.

Nan Ji naturally understood her reluctance to part with Hongjun, so he said, "Junior Sister, let's go, I'll take you to become a disciple."

"Mm, okay."

This feeling of gaining and then losing made Qiongxiao very uncomfortable, but she also knew that it was just a beautiful memory.

So, taking a deep breath, she followed Nan Ji towards Biyu Palace.

Inside Biyu Palace, Tongtian sat calmly on the cloud bed as always.

Seeing Nan Ji and Qiongxiao enter, he slightly raised his eyebrows and said, "Qiongxiao, are you willing to become my disciple?"

"This disciple is willing."

Upon hearing this, Qiongxiao respectfully bowed to Tongtian.

Nan Ji looked at Qiongxiao like this and suddenly felt a bit strange.

Before, her chattering demeanor had been a bit annoying, but now that she was suddenly quiet, he felt unaccustomed to it.

"Mm! Your Senior Martial Uncle has not yet taken any disciples, so I will accept you four siblings as registered disciples."

Tongtian nodded and repeated what he had said to Zhao Gongming and Yunxiao to Qiongxiao.

Seeing Qiongxiao's quiet demeanor, Tongtian mistakenly believed she was going through the same experience as he had in the Purple Firmament Palace, so he spoke to comfort her, "Qiongxiao, I've been through it too, Master. I was also taken to the Purple Firmament Palace by your Ancestor Master."

As he spoke, Tongtian walked down from the cloud bed and came before Qiongxiao. "But look, your Master isn't out of it now? I can jump and I can run."

After speaking, Tongtian even jumped a couple of times in front of Qiongxiao.

Nan Ji looked at Tongtian with a dark expression. Well, his persona had indeed collapsed.

He couldn't be serious for more than two minutes.

As if sensing Nan Ji's resentment, Tongtian raised his sword eyebrows and looked at Nan Ji, saying, "What? Little Nan Ji, do you have an opinion of your Martial Uncle?"

"Ah, yes."

Nan Ji was not afraid of Tongtian. Instead, he said to Qiongxiao, "Junior Sister Qiongxiao, didn't the Ancestor Master give you a jade token to give to your Master?"

"Huh? Master also gave you something?"

"Why didn't I get anything last time?"

Tongtian asked, confused.

Upon hearing Nan Ji's words, Qiongxiao reluctantly touched the jade token before presenting it to Tongtian with both hands. "Master, this is what the Ancestor Master said is for you."

"Eh?"

Tongtian took the jade token and found it to be just a simple, unadorned jade token.

Then, Tongtian extended his divine sense into it.

"Tongtian!"

As Hongjun's voice came through, Tongtian jumped in fright.

However, Tongtian then thought that since it was just a message from his Master, it didn't matter if he was called or not.

But then, Hongjun's voice came again.

"Good, you still know you have an old Daoist as a Master?"

"Taking disciples, making your elder brothers and your martial nephew worry themselves sick. How did I get such an excellent disciple like you!"

"From now on, you shall be called the excellent Daoist Tongtian."

Hongjun's words came one after another.

Tongtian's expression changed from startled white to fearful green, then to shy red, and finally to aggrieved purple.

That familiar feeling, as if tens of thousands of venomous snakes were crawling on him, attacked Tongtian once more.