Where is Yuan Qing?

"Master, Martial Aunt!"

Seizing the moment, Li Yang led Youqin Xuanya out of the rock cave, his face brimming with excitement as he looked at Old Daoist Qi Yuan and Fairy Jiujiu.

Youqin Xuanya quickly stepped forward to pay her respects: "Greetings, Martial Uncle Qi, greetings, Martial Aunt Jiujiu!"

"Ah, ah, no need for such formalities, no need."

Old Daoist Qi Yuan was the first to respond. He leaped down from the cloud with an excited expression, walked up to look at his second disciple, then glanced at Youqin Xuanya. He raised his horsetail whisk, then lowered it, turning instead to beam kindly at Youqin Xuanya.

Li Yang narrowed his eyes, a bad feeling stirring in his heart.

Sure enough, no sooner had Old Daoist Qi Yuan finished being genial with Youqin Xuanya than he turned to Li Yang, raised his whisk, and struck.

"Look at you, with such low cultivation, daring to run off to the Northern Juru Continent! Do you think just because you're a genius, you can throw your life away?"

Old Daoist Qi Yuan was genuinely furious, nothing like the cautious way he'd beaten his senior brother in the original story. This was a full-force thrashing.

"Ow!"

Li Yang clutched his rear, howling miserably—as pitiful as could be—but none of those who'd arrived came to his aid.

Li Yang's talent was too extraordinary. At just eighteen, he was already at the Ninth Stage of Spirit Transformation. If he died here, it wouldn't just break Old Daoist Qi Yuan's heart—the Immortal Crossing Sect would grieve too.

While clutching his backside and yowling, Li Yang defended himself loudly.

"Master, I came with Senior Brother! How was I supposed to know this would happen? It's not my fault!"

If he hadn't said that, it might have been fine. But the moment he did, Old Daoist Qi Yuan grew even angrier. He whipped Li Yang with his whisk until the boy spun like a top, cursing as he struck.

"You have the nerve to mention your senior brother? Don't worry, he won't get off easy either. That reckless fool has even less sense than you. When we get back, I'll teach him a proper lesson."

On the other side, Fairy Jiujiu also dashed down from the cloud in a single bound, scooped up Youqin Xuanya, and spun around on the spot, cheering.

"Xuanya, you're safe! Thank goodness! You scared your martial aunt to death!"

"Martial Aunt, Martial Aunt."

Youqin Xuanya was very reserved. Her martial aunt's display made her deeply embarrassed. She softly called out, but Fairy Jiujiu didn't put her down.

Jiu Wu remained on the cloud, not descending, but watching the scene below with a smile, stroking his beard.

This kind of scene was exceptionally heartwarming. Since Jiujiu had grown up, he hadn't felt this warmth in centuries.

After a good long while of roughhousing, everyone finally settled down. Only then did Jiu Wu lower the cloud, carrying an old Daoist by the collar as he landed before them.

Then he gave a gentle shake of his wrist. The old Daoist in his grip convulsed a few times, his aura completely dissipating. As if nothing had happened, Jiu Wu tossed the old Daoist into the nearby woods.

Li Yang understood clearly: the old Daoist's Primordial Spirit had been utterly shattered.

In his mind, he recalled the intelligence on Jiu Wu: 'Jiu Wu, short in stature, childlike in temperament, resourceful, utterly loyal to the sect, fond of alchemy and brewing wine—the latter probably because of Martial Aunt Jiujiu.

He is Fairy Jiujiu's fifth senior brother, a Personal Disciple of the Immortal Crossing Sect's big shot, Venerable Wangqing. He's been cultivating for over two thousand years, at the peak of the True Immortal realm, half a step into the Heavenly Immortal Realm...

In front of someone like this, the approach from the original story's senior brother is the way to go.'

Just then, Jiu Wu approached Youqin Xuanya and asked, "Xuanya, do you know where Yuan Qing is?"

Youqin Xuanya shook her head upon hearing this and explained, "Martial Uncle, this disciple and Junior Brother Li Yang have been hiding in this rock cave the whole time, so I do not know."

"You don't know?"

Jiu Wu frowned, his eyes narrowing as a sharp glint flashed through them.

"Is it truly that you don't know, or..."

"I truly do not know." Youqin Xuanya was perfectly composed, even daring to meet Jiu Wu's gaze, because she genuinely had no idea.

To that end, she recounted the entire sequence of events she had earlier explained to Li Yang, telling Jiu Wu everything from start to finish—how she was taken away by a borrowed translocation treasure talisman, how she coincidentally met Li Yang, and how they hid in the rock cave waiting for their arrival.

With that, Jiu Wu's gaze fell on Li Yang.

"Disciple-nephew Li Yang, is what Youqin Xuanya said true?"

Li Yang nodded. "Reporting to Martial Uncle, what Senior Sister said after meeting me is true."

As for before that, he offered no comment.

Jiu Wu pressed on. "In that case, how did you evade the enemy's pursuit?"

Li Yang quickly stepped aside, pointing to the rock cave, whose entrance was now wide open.

"Martial Uncle, this disciple set up many Miasma Averting Talismans, Concealment Talismans, and some Heavenly Fate Talismans inside, so..."

There was no need for Li Yang to explain further; everyone could see the dense array of talismans plastered all over the cave walls.

Seeing so many precious talismans wasted like this, Jiu Wu's mouth twitched. No wonder they couldn't calculate the two's whereabouts—with these things around, it would be a miracle if the enemy could track them.

Even Fairy Jiujiu's eyes went wide as she looked at the talismans in the cave. She did a quick mental tally, then grabbed Old Daoist Qi Yuan's arm.

"Senior Brother, so Lesser Qiong Peak is really this rich! Could you... hey, hey, hey!"

Before she could finish, Jiu Wu grabbed her by the scruff of the neck and hauled her away.

This damned girl, always shameless for a drink of wine.

After temporarily silencing Fairy Jiujiu, Jiu Wu said, "When I came, I already searched the soul of that Origin Immortal just now and learned the general gist of this matter. Combined with Xuanya's testimony, it's essentially settled.

Yuan Qing harbored malicious intent, dragged the worldly struggle for kingship into the Immortal Crossing Sect, and attacked fellow disciples—an unforgivable crime. When I return, I will naturally report this to the sect for handling."

Now, let's leave this place first and rendezvous with the other junior brothers and sisters.

As for Changshou and Yuan Qing, we'll search for them after we've gathered and exchanged information."

"As Martial Uncle (Senior Brother) commands!"

The group stepped onto the clouds, with Jiu Wu leading cautiously the whole way. They eventually left the Northern Juru Continent safely and arrived at a desolate mountain, where they then notified several other fellow disciples to gather.

About half an hour later, Wang Qi's master arrived with Wang Qi, Liu Yan'er, and Li Changshou.

"Master! Junior Brother!"

As soon as they arrived, Old Daoist Qi Yuan and Li Yang spotted Li Changshou, and Li Changshou naturally spotted them too. The man was so excited that he...

"Ow..."

"You reckless brat, are you as clueless as your junior brother? Daring to bring him to the Northern Juru Continent, daring to separate from him—if it weren't for..."

Old Daoist Qi Yuan's love was always so unadorned; he immediately grabbed the thrilled Li Changshou and spun him like a top, leaving everyone else awkwardly looking away.

Only Li Yang clenched his fists in excitement.

Master hadn't lied to him—beating Senior Brother was indeed harsher than beating him. So satisfying.

Jiu Wu exchanged greetings with Wang Qi's master and inquired about Li Changshou's situation, learning that Li Changshou had been hiding in a town and had voluntarily revealed himself upon seeing them.

Another two hours passed before Youqin Xuanya's master, Jiang Jingshan, Yuan Qing's master, Lin Qi, and Liu Yan'er's master arrived.

Yuan Qing's master, Daoist Lin Qi, already knew that this incident in the Northern Juru Continent was related to Yuan Qing, but seeing everyone present except Yuan Qing, he couldn't help but ask.

"Where is Yuan Qing?"