Within the Celestial Xia formation, Elder You, Yan Ruohan, and Jiao Yao had been holding the rear. Now that Zhang Yu had vanished from the void, Elder You said, "If Zhang Tingzhi is absent, Origin Xia will surely counterattack before long. We must be careful."
Yan Ruohan said, "I wonder how Zhang Tingzhi is faring over there?"
Although Wu Tingzhi had told everyone that Zhang Yu was unharmed, many on Celestial Xia's side still harbored doubts. Yet quite a few also had immense faith in Zhang Yu. Jiao Yao said, "Jiao believes Zhang Tingzhi will certainly be all right. There is no need for us to worry over this."
Elder You nodded unconsciously and said, "I hear Fellow Daoist Jiao is quite close to Zhang Tingzhi. Whenever something happens, Zhang Tingzhi always asks Fellow Daoist Jiao to act. Since Fellow Daoist Jiao says so, Zhang Tingzhi must surely be safe and sound."
Jiao Yao hurriedly said, "I would not dare say that. It is only because Zhang Tingzhi thinks highly of Jiao that he lets Jiao handle affairs. To speak truthfully, with Jiao's meager abilities, each time I can only do my utmost to get things done. It is merely that Zhang Tingzhi is broad-minded and tolerant, and does not blame Jiao."
Taking this for humility, Elder You said with feeling, "Fellow Daoist Jiao is too modest. In the past, you were merely a pearl buried beneath dust. Zhang Tingzhi truly has an eye for talent."
Jiao Yao's eyelid twitched, but he said nothing more.
At the other end of the void, the dharma vessel carrying Daoist Zhengqing's party had arrived before the Lingji Way. This Way ranked in the middle to lower reaches among Origin Xia's Myriad Ways. Though it was slightly stronger than the Chang Ying Way, it