Grand Master Xuandu glanced at Cui Jun, then looked over at Ye Wen. With a casual lift of his empty right hand, the Taiji Diagram that had enveloped Ye Wen's flying sword returned to his grasp. He then stated with solemnity, "For the sake of Fellow Daoist Cui, I shall first hear what you have to say!"

Ye Wen was somewhat surprised that the man actually refrained from attacking. For a moment, he wasn't sure whether to admire the man's reasonableness or something else entirely.

Just then, the Master Xuandu continued, "I know the character of Fellow Daoist Cui. Since he is willing to stand up for you, there must be a reason. This Fellow Daoist should recount the entire sequence of events in detail. If my junior martial brother is at fault, this humble Daoist will certainly not disregard justice for the sake of fellowship!"

It was only then that Ye Wen understood that the connection between Master Xuandu and Cui Jun was truly extraordinary, and that having Cui Jun present today had saved him.

Without Cui Jun, they might well have already drawn their weapons and be locked in a fierce battle.

Bowing respectfully to Master Xuandu, Ye Wen proceeded to explain the entire matter in detail. He did not embellish, simply narrating the simplest, most straightforward account of what Jing Qing had done. Yet, even so, anyone with a modicum of sense could discern who was at fault.

By this time, Master Xuandu's face was clouded with anger, and the hand gripping the long banner trembled with fury. When Ye Wen finished speaking, he immediately performed a grand bow, saying, "Although this matter was initiated by my junior martial brother, it is also related to our sect's failure in discipline. Our sect will certainly provide an explanation to Headmaster Ye!"

With that, he turned to leave, seeking the absconded Fiery Sky Dragon Lord!

Cui Jun, standing nearby, let out a long breath. It turned out that when he had stepped in, he hadn't known the full story. He simply felt that Headmaster Ye was not the type to instigate trouble, and perhaps there was some hidden context, which is why he suggested they talk things through first. Unsure of the exact situation, if Ye Wen had been in the wrong, Cui Jun would have been caught in a difficult position.

Fortunately, the matter was indeed not initiated by Ye Wen, and Master Xuandu proved to be quite reasonable, not defending the Fiery Sky Dragon Lord merely because he was a junior martial brother.

What Cui Jun did not know was that Master Xuandu had come out precisely because he worried his junior brother had caused trouble. Although the Old Lord had subdued the Eight-Headed Serpent Orochi and even taken it as a disciple, he knew that such a ferocious beast was not easily guided onto the path of immortality, and it might cause trouble at any time.

Especially since the true form of the Eight-Headed Serpent was something few in the Immortal Realm could subdue. Thus, the Old Lord feared his disciple would stir up trouble, so he placed a talisman on the beast!

This talisman had little effect in normal times, but the moment the true form of the Eight-Headed Serpent manifested, the Old Lord would immediately be alerted! This was the case this time; when the serpent revealed its true form, the Grand Supreme Elder (Laojun), who was meditating in the Doushuai Palace, was instantly aware. However, for reasons unknown, he could not personally intervene to recapture the colossal beast this time, so he handed the Pangu Banner and the Taiji Diagram to his direct disciple, Master Xuandu, to handle the situation.

Before departing, he had explicitly instructed, "If it is a minor matter, use the Taiji Diagram to trap the wicked beast and bring it back! If it causes egregious disaster, use both the Pangu Banner and the Taiji Diagram to slay it!"

Fearing that Master Xuandu might still be overwhelmed even with the aid of the two supreme treasures, the Old Lord left behind a jade talisman, instructing him to crush it for aid in a critical moment, whereupon the Old Lord would personally come to subdue the fiend.

However, Master Xuandu hadn't taken it too seriously, merely thinking that his junior brother might have revealed his true form for some reason, but it shouldn't amount to any great calamity... Besides, the general purpose of the Fiery Sky Dragon Lord's expedition was known within the Doushuai Palace; it shouldn't be anything serious.

Who would have thought that upon arrival, he would discover it was a major issue—if he hadn't intervened in time, his junior brother would already have perished under the sword of the Headmaster of Shu Mountain.

At that moment, he had instinctively wanted to save his junior brother, but he hadn't expected the root of the matter to be this situation! Instead, because the Taiji Diagram was used to trap Ye Wen's flying sword, the Fiery Sky Dragon Lord had seized the opportunity and vanished without a trace.

Now that the facts were clear, Master Xuandu felt deeply ashamed. While pledging to give the Shu Mountain Sect a satisfactory account, he pondered whether to return to the Doushuai Palace to report to his master and request his personal intervention, or to pursue the villainous protégé whose bad habits were hard to break himself, relying on the power of the two divine artifacts to slay him.

Just as he was about to leave, he heard Cui Jun say, "Fellow Daoist Xuandu need not be enraged. This matter is the personal doing of the Fiery Sky Dragon Lord and has little bearing on your esteemed sect!"

Having learned that the Fiery Sky Dragon Lord's true form was a ferocious beast, Cui Jun no longer found it strange that a disciple of the Old Lord would behave this way! Moreover, he believed that the Old Lord taking in a fierce beast and guiding it toward the immortal path was an act of great merit; it was just a pity that the wicked creature destroyed its own future prospects, for which it could blame no one else.

Ye Wen also considered the matter for a moment and spoke up, "May I ask how the Master plans to deal with the Eight-Headed Serpent?"

Since the matter originated with Shu Mountain and the Eight-Headed Serpent had offended the Shu Mountain Sect, Ye Wen had the right to ask, regardless of any other reason. Thus, Master Xuandu did not find his inquiry improper and replied directly, "I am contemplating whether to rely on the magic artifacts bestowed by my Master to subdue the wicked creature myself, or to return to the Palace to report to my Master and request that he act personally?"

Only then did Ye Wen realize that although Master Xuandu was furious, he lacked the confidence to guarantee victory against the Eight-Headed Serpent. He suspected that waiting for someone from the Doushuai Palace to arrive and deliver justice to Shu Mountain might take quite some time. Ye Wen therefore said decisively, "Since that is the case, there is no need for the Master to intervene. Since the Eight-Headed Serpent has offended our sect, our sect will handle it personally!"

After these words were spoken, Master Xuandu considered it for only a moment before nodding in agreement. He felt this course of action was perfectly acceptable!

The current situation was that Shu Mountain was the creditor, and how they collected the debt was up to them! The only entanglement was that the Fiery Sky Dragon Lord bore the title of a disciple of the Old Lord. It was up to the Old Lord's lineage whether they would personally move to purge their own disgrace or not.

However, Grand Master Xuandu held a highly respected position within the sect, so if he said there was no issue, then there was no issue! Others could not make idle gossip, but after this turn of events, the name of the Shu Mountain Sect would surely become renowned throughout the world immediately.

Cui Jun saw the situation clearly from the sidelines but remained silent. He wasn't sure if his speculation was correct or not, but in any case, he still felt that the Headmaster of Shu Mountain was truly a person destined for great things, capable of seizing such an opportunity.

Imagine if news spread! Someone from the Old Lord's lineage caused trouble for the Shu Mountain Sect, provoked the Headmaster of Shu Mountain, was thoroughly defeated and forced to flee in disgrace, and yet their own sect offered no response. What would the myriad immortals of the world think upon hearing this news?

Regardless, the fame of the Shu Mountain Sect was assured, and after this incident, the strength of Ye Wen, the Headmaster of Shu Mountain, would become known to all immortals.

In reality, Ye Wen had considered this possibility, but he hadn't thought that far ahead. He merely felt that since the Eight-Headed Serpent dared to cause trouble at Shu Mountain, he should deal with it completely!

He did not trust outsiders, so he naturally had to act personally!

At the same time, he wanted to make it clear to some people that his Shu Mountain Sect was not without strength. After this, he wondered who would dare to look down on his sect again? In the future, when paying a visit to Shu Mountain, they would have to think carefully about how to conduct themselves.

Each person was lost in their own thoughts, when they saw Master Xuandu holding a jade slip, murmuring something quietly, then casually tossing the object away. In a flash, he disappeared.

Ye Wen knew this was the most common means of communication in the current Immortal Realm, but since Master Xuandu hailed from the Old Lord’s lineage, he naturally used the highest-grade version. Almost instantly upon being thrown, the jade slip would reach the Old Lord, its speed not slower than a short message.

In what felt like only a breath or two, a jade slip materialized out of thin air. Master Xuandu caught it, crushed it, and instantly knew its contents. This item was a consumable, used up after one application—something few immortals in the world would use in such a manner, perhaps only those of the Old Lord's lineage.

When Master Xuandu opened his eyes again, he turned back to Ye Wen and said, "The Fiery Sky Dragon Lord is no longer a member of our sect. Headmaster Ye may deal with him as he sees fit. However, this matter still has some connection to our sect; if Headmaster Ye requires any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask!"

"You are too kind, Master!"

Since the man was being so courteous, Ye Wen couldn't maintain his cold demeanor. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he invited Master Xuandu to have a cup of tea!

After reporting the matter to his master and receiving instructions, Master Xuandu was in no rush to leave. This was because the Fiery Sky Dragon Lord had come on an errand, which was interrupted by this chaos, and the original task remained incomplete. Now that the Fiery Sky Dragon Lord had been expelled from the sect, the task had to be assigned to someone else. Since Master Xuandu was already present, there was no need to bother anyone else.

The group descended to the ground. The onlookers who had been observing from afar also flew over. Ye Wen introduced them to a few people, and then the group proceeded grandly toward the main hall.

Of course, they took time on the way to re-establish contact with the Nine Provinces Cauldrons. After a rough assessment, Ye Wen confirmed that although the Cauldrons had been impacted, they sustained no significant damage. Therefore, he re-established the Nine Provinces Grand Array—it had been broken during the battle with the Eight-Headed Serpent, which is how Cui Jun and Master Xuandu were able to land casually on the back mountain.

As soon as the formation activated, Master Xuandu sensed it immediately. He looked up, but the sky appeared unchanged, seemingly no different. However, he did perceive a subtle anomaly and mentioned to his old friend Cui Jun beside him, "This Shu Mountain Sect truly has some methods!"

To be honest, before arriving, he hadn't taken the Shu Mountain Sect seriously at all, nor had he ever expected to become involved with them during this trip!

While cultivating in the Doushuai Palace, he had heard the name of the Shu Mountain Sect and knew that Headmaster Ye Wen was representing the Heavenly Court on a mission to the West, but he still hadn't paid much heed.

But upon arrival, sensing the terrifying might, and then witnessing the Eight-Headed Serpent—a being he himself might not have been able to defeat—being battered, wounded, and forced to flee by Ye Wen, followed by this miraculous grand array, his impression of the Shu Mountain Sect underwent a drastic change. At the very least, he felt that the Shu Mountain Sect was a faction worth befriending, not a minor household unworthy of a second glance.

Cui Jun understood immediately upon hearing Xuandu’s words, chuckled, and said nothing further. After walking for a moment, he remarked, "There are many more things that will surprise you in the future!" He thought of the collection of novel items he and Zheng Ying had cooked up—if those things were truly popularized, the Immortal Realm would likely undergo an immediate transformation.

Seeing Cui Jun's strange smile, Xuandu knew his old friend was hatching some mischievous idea again, but he didn't press further. He simply shook his head with a wry smile and began chatting with Ye Wen.

They walked and soon entered the main hall. Disciples had already gone ahead to set out tea and fruit, so the group seated themselves according to guest and host upon arrival.

Cui Jun and Xuandu sat in the guest seats, while on the Shu Mountain side, only Ye Wen's wife was present to accompany them—Artemis had also arrived but left shortly after seeing that there was nothing for her to do, as she preferred not to involve herself in such formal settings.

The highest-ranking figures on Shu Mountain were these few; the rest were disciples. No matter how honored their position within the sect, it was improper for them to take seats at this time. Thus, after standing attendance for a short while, the disciples withdrew one after another, leaving the "leading figures" to converse.

After exchanging a few polite formalities, Ye Wen steered the conversation directly to the main topic: "Since the matter of the Eight-Headed Serpent is left to Shu Mountain to handle, may I ask where this Eight-Headed Serpent is likely to hide if it escapes?"

Xuandu did not conceal anything and replied directly, "That is not hard to guess. The Eight-Headed Serpent originates from an island in the East called Dongying. Headmaster Ye, if you wish to find the wicked creature, simply head east!"

"Oh? It won't flee to hide somewhere else?"

Xuandu replied, "Headmaster Ye need not worry. That wicked creature has an excellent lair in Dongying. Since it was severely wounded by Headmaster Ye, it will certainly go there to recuperate and recover its strength as soon as possible!"

Hearing this, Ye Wen understood. It turned out that the lair of the Eight-Headed Serpent was a place of great feng shui, where it could heal its injuries faster. Such a place was not easily found; in a panic, it wouldn't have the capacity to run around the entire world randomly. Naturally, it would first rush to a familiar place to recover before making other plans!

Ye Wen nodded, indicating he understood. Since he now knew the whereabouts of the Eight-Headed Serpent, he was no longer in a hurry. At the moment, he planned to rest and recuperate for a while. At the very least, he needed to wait until his ultimate technique could be deployed again before setting out, aiming to slay the great serpent in one go, to prevent endless trouble.

Then, Master Xuandu added, "When Headmaster Ye arrives at that location, if you cannot find the precise spot, you may seek assistance from the local divine officials!"

"Oh? Are there Heavenly Court divine officials in that place?" Ye Wen was genuinely surprised. Was Dongying still under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Court?

Xuandu smiled and said, "Although Dongying has some indigenous deities, they submitted to the Heavenly Court more than a thousand years ago, expressing their willingness to accept the Heavenly Court's enfeoffment and rule. Thus, it is considered territory of our Eastern Immortal Realm!"

Ye Wen nodded, indicating his understanding. In short, he had already figured out that the various powers in the Immortal Realm could be treated like separate nations; smaller ones would inevitably be annexed by larger ones, and Dongying was no exception.

"Furthermore, the local deities of Dongying have considerable grudges against the Eight-Headed Serpent. It is likely that when Headmaster Ye arrives, you won't even need to actively search; those divine officials will proactively seek out Headmaster Ye!"

After this explanation, Ye Wen had a general understanding of that place. Simply put, the Eight-Headed Serpent was not well-liked even in its own backyard. Ye Wen wouldn't have to worry about that great serpent calling for allies when he stormed the place; in fact, the serpent's neighbors would likely side with him, proactively helping him find the lurking, wounded fiend, perhaps even stabbing the creature in the back.

"To be reduced to this state, it truly is miserable!"

He wondered if the great serpent had a defective brain? It was, after all, a sentient being, so why was its life so tragic? Unwelcome everywhere it went.

But thinking about its actions today... the creature had certainly brought it upon itself.

After discussing the Eight-Headed Serpent further, Ye Wen then moved on to other matters with Master Xuandu. Coincidentally, Master Xuandu had a mission of his own that presented a slight difficulty. Since Ye Wen was effectively the local authority here, he asked, "Is Headmaster Ye familiar with the fellow Daoists in the vicinity?"

"I am," Ye Wen replied, a hint of worry crossing his face. His Shu Mountain Sect had been established for a short time, and since they didn't usually travel much, he genuinely didn't know about any nearby Daoist colleagues. The most familiar was the Cuixian Gate, and that was only because they had recently paid a visit.

Fortunately, Cui Jun helped Ye Wen out of his predicament: "Fellow Daoist Xuandu, are you perhaps looking for someone?"

Seeing Cui Jun interject, Xuandu continued, "My Master originally sent that rebellious disciple to seek out an old acquaintance, but he ended up causing trouble, and the matter was left unfinished! I just communicated with my Master, and now I am tasked with finding this person!"

"Oh?" Cui Jun was momentarily startled, murmuring inwardly, "An old acquaintance?"

Generally, anyone Xuandu referred to as an acquaintance would be a renowned figure in the Immortal Realm, but Cui Jun hadn't heard of any of them residing nearby. Cui Jun enjoyed roaming about, so he had a good grasp of the surrounding situation. "May I ask which one?"

To Cui Jun's surprise, Xuandu gave a wry smile, "It is the reincarnation of an old acquaintance, so they are quite difficult to find! That is why I wanted to ask if Headmaster Ye here has any leads!"

Hearing it was a reincarnation, Cui Jun instantly understood; that made sense. Perhaps someone had met with an unexpected calamity and gone through reincarnation, and by chance, they were nearby, which is why Master Xuandu had come looking.

"In that case, are there any clues?"

Master Xuandu nodded. "My Master once said that although that old acquaintance suffered a sudden change and had to reincarnate, they possessed considerable cultivation, and before death, they deliberately employed certain methods. Therefore, no matter how many times that person is reincarnated, they will only use a single name. One only needs to find the person with that same name and test them with a specific technique to know if they are the reincarnation of that old acquaintance!"

Ye Wen also nodded at this. If that were the case, the task would be much simpler, as having a name was infinitely better than knowing nothing. He then asked, "May I ask what that person's name is?"

He had merely asked casually, never expecting the name to be someone he knew, yet to his utter astonishment, Master Xuandu casually spoke a name that stunned him.