Li Yundong left the canteen, leaving Feng Ji stunned into silence for a long time before he finally snapped back to reality. Ignoring the bustling, chaotic students around him, he pulled out his phone and dialed a number, murmuring into the receiver, "Senior Brother, I’m no match for him. Well, this fellow seems to be an inner-hall disciple. Yes, yes, I understand…"

After hanging up, Feng Ji’s eyes flickered for a moment before he departed the canteen.

Meanwhile, just as Li Yundong was stirring up another major incident inside the school cafeteria, Su Chan had already followed her master back to the foot of Mount Fox Zen.

Su Chan remembered clearly that, for as long as she could recall, she had been away from the sect. She only vaguely remembered a few Martial Uncles and Senior Sisters within the sect, but their appearances and figures were blurry in her memory.

Knowing she was the youngest of the ‘Xiao’ generation in the Fox Zen Sect, Su Chan realized she would likely have to address everyone she met as an elder or senior, which made her feel quite timid. She hid behind Ao Wushuang, afraid to step forward.

Although Ao Wushuang understood her disciple’s feelings, she was in no mood to coax her. The thought of the imminent danger facing her sect filled her with burning anxiety. Upon reaching the mountain path, she hurried up the slope toward the mountainside.

Not all temples and monasteries in the world are built on peaks; the vast majority are situated midway up the slopes. Ao Wushuang walked quickly, passing through dense, lush forests blooming with vibrant colors. Many sightseers paused along the flagstone path to admire the scenery, but she paid them no heed. The little fox trailed closely behind her, its bright eyes darting around, cautiously and curiously observing their surroundings.

In her memory, these sights felt both deeply familiar and strangely foreign.

Reaching the middle slope, a corner of a Daoist gate faintly appeared through the thick foliage. Ao Wushuang’s spirits instantly lifted, and she moved forward to greet it.

Su Chan had always found something peculiar. In her understanding, since her sect was called the Fox Zen Sect, containing the character 'Zen' (Chan), and having been founded under the enlightenment of the venerable Master Baizhang, with their ancestor having practiced mostly Buddhist techniques, why had the sect evolved into a lineage of Daoism?

Su Chan had pondered this question before, but every time she asked, Ao Wushuang would reply, "You are still young; we'll discuss these things when you are older."

Now, Su Chan couldn't resist tugging Ao Wushuang’s robe hem and asking, "Master, shouldn't our Fox Zen Sect be a branch of Buddhism? Why do we live in a Daoist temple?"

Ao Wushuang patted the hand Su Chan used to pull her garment and said, "That's a long story, I'll tell you later."

Su Chan pouted high, muttering under her breath, "I knew you’d say that again!"

Ao Wushuang ignored her and firmly knocked on the Daoist gate. After a moment, with a creak, the wooden doors opened, splitting left and right. A beautiful, alluring Daoist nun stepped out.

The nun paused upon seeing Ao Wushuang. "May I ask what your business is?"

Ao Wushuang glanced over her and stepped inside without waiting for a reply. "Where is Liu Ye? Go tell him I've returned."

The Daoist nun was stunned—first, Ao Wushuang hadn't announced her name; second, she had directly called out the Sect Leader’s name; and third, she had barged in without permission. Now, both shocked and angered, she blocked the path and said coldly, "Who are you? State your name!"

Ao Wushuang surveyed the nun from head to toe. She noted the woman did not appear to be a fox demon, her core was broken (her virginity lost), and though she wore a Daoist robe, her face was heavily made up, her style provocatively flamboyant. If she traded her robe for modern attire, she’d look like a hostess at a nightclub.

Ao Wushuang knew this must be an outer disciple and scoffed. "You outer disciple are unworthy of knowing my name!"

The nun let out a derisive laugh and shot back, "I may be an outer disciple, but who are you to barge into a sacred Daoist site? How bold!"

Ao Wushuang threw her head back and laughed heartily. "I come and go as I please in this place; it was true ten years ago, and it is true now! You insignificant junior, move aside!"

With that, Ao Wushuang flung her sleeve, and a gust of strong wind swept past, sending the nun flying several meters away. She struck the wall and slowly slid down, sticking there like a pasted picture.

Although Ao Wushuang's action appeared fierce, she had actually employed a combination of rigid and soft energy, depositing the nun against the wall while ensuring a slow descent, causing no injury—a display of exceedingly high-level martial arts.

However, as an outer disciple, the nun had no insight into the subtlety of the technique. She immediately shrieked, "Help! Someone is trespassing and assaulting us!"

As she screamed, there was a sudden rush as more than a dozen Daoist nuns in robes poured out of the temple, some carrying horsetail whisks, some long swords, and others slender daggers (Emei thorns). They surrounded Ao Wushuang, and the leader roared angrily, "Who dares cause trouble here? Are you tired of living?"

Ao Wushuang swept her cold gaze over them, showing no concern. She sneered, "A bunch of reckless fools. Who is your master? Call him out quickly, so I don't have to be accused later of bullying the young ones!"

The nun Ao Wushuang had sent flying, bolstered by the arrival of her comrades, regained her confidence and said haughtily, "I think you are the one who doesn't know her place! You dare trespass here? State your name quickly, so we aren't accused later of ganging up on you!"

Ao Wushuang laughed uproariously, her pride soaring high. "Do you think winning relies on sheer numbers? Are you running a street gang? Ridiculous! Chan'er, go teach them a lesson. That way, if someone important arrives later, they won't say I took advantage of my age!"

Su Chan, naturally bold and carefree, grinned when backed by her master’s authority, and chirped sweetly, "Yes, Master!"

The moment the words left her lips, her figure dissolved into a wisp of pale smoke, rushing towards the circle of Daoist nuns.

The nuns only saw a blur of motion, and then their wrists went numb; the weapons in their hands involuntarily dropped. But they didn't fall to the ground; in the blink of an eye, Su Chan had collected them all.

Before they could react, Su Chan was back beside Ao Wushuang, holding a large pile of whisks, swords, and daggers, grinning at them.

The nuns were both shocked and enraged, frozen in place and disarmed before they could even defend themselves. They erupted into loud curses: "Damn it, what happened!" "I’ll curse your ancestors, sneak attacking—what kind of skill is that!" "Hey, give me back my weapon!" "You little slut, fight me fair if you have the guts!"

Ao Wushuang frowned at their vulgar tirade. She rolled up her sleeves and roared, "A pack of brutes! How did your master teach you? Today, I might have to step in and discipline you properly on your master's behalf!"

The nun Ao Wushuang had initially launched saw the formidable power of the master and disciple pair and immediately plopped onto the ground, starting to wail like a street shrew, "Help! Someone is bullying us and trying to kill people! People are going to die!"

Ao Wushuang was furious, fumes rising from her orifices. She thought inwardly, I haven't returned to the sect in ten years, how did it turn into a den of corruption? What is the Sect Leader doing?

Su Chan’s eyes widened too. Are my fellow disciples really like this? No way! These are clearly a bunch of shrewish harridans!

As the two stood there dumbfounded, they suddenly saw a figure rapidly flying down the mountain. A flash of green light streaked by, and a person stood firm within the Daoist courtyard.

This person was about five feet ten inches tall, hair tied up in a topknot, wearing a Daoist robe, with a sword strapped to his back. He exuded an ethereal, unrestrained air, possessing a truly immortal bearing.

Upon seeing this man appear, the screeching Daoist nuns rushed towards him with joy plastered on their faces, shouting, "Master, bad people are bullying us!" "Martial Uncle, you must deliver justice for us!"

The Daoist saw the flurry of lovely young women surging toward him, displaying a look of both heartache and delight. "Aiyo, my little darlings, what is happening here?"

The nuns pointed their fingers in unison at Ao Wushuang. "It was her, bullying us!" Then, in unison, they pointed at Su Chan. "And her, stealing our weapons!"

The Daoist followed their gaze and was instantly startled. "Ao Wushuang? You—how did you return?"

His gaze fell upon Su Chan, and a sudden, strange greed flared in his eyes. He exclaimed, "This, could this be Su Chan?"

Su Chan felt deeply uncomfortable under the Daoist's stare and instinctively shrank back behind Ao Wushuang.

The Daoist adopted an expression of benevolent kindness and said to Su Chan, "The last time I saw you, you were just a little girl. I never expected you to grow up so much!"

Su Chan whispered to Ao Wushuang, "Master, who is he?"

Ao Wushuang sneered, "You must remember him well. This is the most useless and stagnant of our Fox Zen Sect’s Second Martial Uncle, Gu Feng."

Gu Feng let out a wry smile. "Little Junior Sister, ten years haven't changed you at all. Your tongue is still just as sharp as ever!"

Ao Wushuang snorted. "You haven't changed either! Still so lecherous!"

A flash of annoyance crossed Gu Feng’s eyes, but his face remained smiling. "Where does such talk come from?"

Ao Wushuang swept her gaze over the stunned Daoist nuns. "What is the meaning of these people? How have you been managing your disciples?"

Before her words ended, a cold snort was heard. "My disciples are here too. What, Little Junior Sister, do you intend to discipline me as well?"

Ao Wushuang shifted her gaze and saw a beautiful, stunningly alluring woman in a Daoist robe carrying a serrated iron wheel appear in the scene. She frowned slightly and said to Su Chan, "This is your Seventh Martial Aunt, Ye Yu." Then, she addressed Ye Yu coldly, "Seventh Senior Sister, I trust you are well?"

Although Ye Yu was quite advanced in age, her appearance suggested she was no older than seventeen or eighteen. She had a fiery temper and was fiercely protective of her own. She snorted angrily. "Ao Wushuang, spare the pretense. Ten years you stay away, causing huge scandals outside that trouble our sect—that I can overlook. But the moment you return, you bully my disciples? What is your meaning? Do you have any respect for me as your Senior Sister?"

Ye Yu then turned to Su Chan with a cold smile. "So it was you who struck first? Very good, very good. Come here, let me see how much of your master's skill you’ve managed to learn!"

Su Chan was startled and quickly retreated behind Ao Wushuang. Ao Wushuang calmly shielded Su Chan and sneered, "Senior Sister, what skill is there in bullying the younger generation?"

Ye Yu returned the sneer. "Didn't you just bully my disciple? Move aside, or I’ll take you on too!"

"Ten years ago, you weren't my match; do you think I fear you now?" Ao Wushuang scoffed. The three-foot-long Eight Desolations Sword hidden behind her leaped out with a Zheng, automatically orbiting Ao Wushuang like a guardian, emitting a dragon-roar-like sword cry. In an instant, sword energy crisscrossed the courtyard, and the wind howled violently!

Ye Yu recognized the Eight Desolations Sword at a glance and was instantly both shocked and furious. "He actually gave you this sword! Fine! You truly are colluding with the Orthodox Unity Sect. No wonder Yan Fang of the Ling Gong Sect came here nine years ago to demand an explanation—tell me, did you intentionally lead these disasters upon the sect!"

As she spoke, the cold, serrated Vajra Wheel strapped to her back shot out with a Ceng, spinning at high speed, emitting an equally sharp, grating hum as it provocatively challenged the Eight Desolations Sword.

For a moment, the two magical artifacts engaged in a standoff across the distance, the Daoist courtyard filled with soaring sword energy and palpable killing intent!

Su Chan watched the scene with wide-eyed disbelief, murmuring to herself, No way, she just got back and they're already fighting each other? Are you serious?