Changes in the maidservants of Zixiao Palace.

When Xiao Kuang returned to the Purple Heaven Palace with a sleeve full of "local specialties" from the East and West, he vaguely felt that the atmosphere inside the palace seemed a bit different.

He couldn't pinpoint exactly what was different with his rough mind, it was just a feeling—as if... it was more "bright"? More "solid"?

When he strolled into the main hall and saw the busy maids, he was slightly stunned.

The leading Dragon Girl, named Ao Qingxin, who originally always had a hint of the Dragon Race's post-calamity panic and humility between her brows, now appeared as calm as water. Her aura was harmonious, and her light blue palace dress seemed to have flowing water patterns naturally circulating, exuding a majesty similar to that of the Lord of the Four Seas. She was carefully nurturing a spiritual herb with a Primordial Water Spirit Pearl, her technique skillful, and her control over the Law of Water was exquisitely precise.

The Phoenix Girl, named Feng Wanxia, had her former Phoenix Race arrogance replaced by a restrained nobility. As her eyes opened and closed, the true meaning of Nirvana seemed to flash within them. A wisp of pure Southern Bright Lihuo danced on her fingertips as she helped Xiao Kuang repair the scorched grill. The flame temperature was controlled just right, melting the metal without damaging the runes of the rack itself, revealing an unprecedentedly fine control over the Law of Fire.

The Kirin Girl, Qi Yao, was the most obvious. She was already gentle in nature, and now she exuded a heaviness and serenity like the earth. She walked barefoot on the white jade floor of the hall, and with each step, faint ripples of life force and spiritual light spread out, making the jade beneath her feet appear even more lustrous. She was organizing the ores that Xiao Kuang had carelessly thrown around. As her slender hands brushed over them, the unruly innate golden energy and Earthen Essence became unusually docile, sorting themselves out.

Even the two stone lions at the entrance, yawning, seemed to have slightly more lustrous stone skin, and their yawns became smaller, carrying a laziness like that of a full meal.

What surprised Xiao Kuang the most, however, were Xi He and Chang Xi.

The two of them weren't doing anything, just sitting quietly under a laurel tree (in a pot) playing chess. But their originally aloof and cold Taiyin aura had become incredibly mellow and profound. It was as if they weren't just drawing power from the Taiyin Star, but had themselves become a part of the source of Taiyin, perfectly integrated with the Heavenly Dao environment of Purple Heaven Palace, their auras long and vast, unfathomably deep.

Their realms, though still at the peak of Grand Unity Golden Immortal and not yet broken through, gave people a feeling of being more stable and terrifying than many nascent Quasi-Saints! It was a sense of solidity born from a foundation honed to the extreme, closely connected to the Primordial Era's origin (especially the Purple Heaven Palace manifested by the Heavenly Dao)!

Xiao Kuang scratched his head. Although he couldn't understand the specific changes, he felt it was a good thing, indicating that his Purple Heaven Palace had good feng shui that nurtured people!

"Yo, everyone's here? You all look well!" he greeted with a grin.

Seeing him return, the women stopped their actions and respectfully bowed: "Greetings, Dao Ancestor, welcome back to the palace." Their tone held less of the previous fear and helplessness, and more of a genuine... habit and recognition? There was even a hint of imperceptible closeness.

Perhaps they themselves hadn't fully realized it, but after staying in the Purple Firmament Palace for so long, bathing day and night in the environment of the Heavenly Dao's origin (albeit polluted by the Salted Fish) and Primordial Violet Qi (used as a lamp), and listening to (being forced to listen to) Xiao Kuang's various absurd theories, their Dao Foundations, Primordial Spirits, and even their true spirits were undergoing subtle, earth-shattering transformations. The reduction of karma was only superficial; at a deeper level, it was about affinity and adaptation with the origin of the Great Dao.

Although this place was absurd, and they were always infuriated by that Salted Fish Dao Ancestor, unconsciously, they seemed... unable to leave this place. The outside world might be good, but there was nowhere else where their cultivation could naturally advance so effectively.

Xiao Kuang waved his hand, slumped back into the massage chair, and began to take out "local specialties": "Come, come, let's share the spoils! Ah, no, it's distributing benefits! These are peaches from the Demon Race, stones from the Witch Race, bitter bamboo from the Western Regions... Everyone take some, see which one is tasty and fun!"

Looking at the pile of strange and unevenly qualified items, the women were amused and speechless, but they still stepped forward and each picked a few, accepting this "kindness."

After distributing the items, Xiao Kuang seemed to suddenly remember something. He looked at Xi He and Chang Xi and asked, "By the way, Miss Xi He, little sister Chang Xi, I've always heard you mention your master, Wangshu... Where is she in seclusion now? Can I invite her to Purple Heaven Palace for a visit? We could play mahjong and chat about the moon together, wouldn't that be nice!"

As soon as he said this, the previously relaxed atmosphere instantly froze!

Ao Qingxin, Feng Wanxia, and Qi Yao subconsciously stopped their movements, holding their breath.

Xi He and Chang Xi's delicate bodies trembled simultaneously, and the chess pieces in their hands fell onto the board with a "clatter."

Master?! Venerable Master Wangshu?!

What does Xiao Kuang want by suddenly asking about their master?

In an instant, countless thoughts flashed through Xi He and Chang Xi's minds like lightning, throwing them into disarray and setting off alarm bells!

[I want Master to come!] If Master could come to Purple Heaven Palace, she would definitely enjoy these endless benefits, her karma would be reduced, her Dao Foundation would be re-solidified, and perhaps it could compensate for the loss from transforming into the Taiyin Star back then! Moreover, a reunion of master and disciples, wouldn't that be wonderful?

[I don't want Master to come!] But... but this Dao Ancestor acts absurdly, and his words are uncouth. What if he treats Master the same way he treated the Queen Mother of the West and them, being flirtatious, or even making advances? How could Master, with her cold and noble nature, endure such disrespect? What if Master is also forced to stay and "serve tea and water"... That would be utter betrayal of one's master, deserving of death a myriad times over!

What's more, they were still hiding that crucial Primordial Violet Qi! How would they explain this to Master if she found out? Say the Dao Ancestor gave it to us to play with? Would Master believe it? Would it anger the Heavenly Dao and implicate Master?

Two contradictory emotions warred fiercely in their hearts, causing their expressions to shift uncertainly, leaving them at a loss for how to answer for a moment.

Xi He took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, but her voice trembled subtly: "Replying to the Dao Ancestor... Since our master transformed into the Taiyin Star back then, her true spirit has been dormant. She is in seclusion deep within the Taiyin Star Core, and will not emerge unless a Calamity occurs. We... we also don't know how to contact her."

Chang Xi quickly nodded, her small face pale: "Exactly, exactly! The place where Master is in seclusion is a top secret of Taiyin, and we cannot disturb her."

They subconsciously chose to conceal and evade, fearing that their Master would be insulted if she came, fearing that they would miss an opportunity if she didn't, and fearing the unpredictable consequences.

Hearing this, Xiao Kuang pouted in disappointment: "Oh... is that so? What a shame. I originally wanted to invite her to see you two, and perhaps discuss how to decorate the moon to make it look better..."

Listening to his nonsensical words, Xi He and Chang Xi became even more determined that their Master should not come for now!

At the same time, a strong sense of urgency arose in their hearts—they must improve their strength as soon as possible! At least enough to protect their Master if she were to arrive, so that she wouldn't fall into such an awkward and dangerous situation!

And the source of all this was the infuriating... yet indispensable bastard Dao Ancestor before them!

Xiao Kuang, completely oblivious to their complex emotions, muttered to himself, "Looks like I need to find a way to boost the moon's signal, maybe I can make a cross-star call?"

Heavenly Dao (secretly watching): ... (Maximum vigilance! Warning! Detected Proxy attempting to harass ancient innate deity Wangshu! Risk unknown! Recommend isolation!)