He pushed open the door and saw.
A person and a dog were actually having a water fight in the courtyard, Little White's gray fur already muddy and wet, Yu Yaoer's golden red gauze skirt was also soaked, clinging tightly to her body, generously outlining her full figure.
The Taoist's eyes brightened at the sight.
"You two, come here."
"Ah, Mister."
"Temple master."
Little White, being in his true form, naturally didn't mind.
Yu Yaoer, now in human form, saw Jin Xu coming out and shyly crossed her arms over her chest, her cheeks reddening, and the golden red scales on her forehead turning even redder.
A person and a dog walked up to Jin Xu.
The Taoist lifted his left hand, reaching towards Yu Yaoer.
"What to do, what to do?"
"Could it be that Mister finally came to his senses? But it's in public, and Little White is right there too!"
"Should I pretend to refuse?"
"But what if Mister gets angry if I refuse?"
Yu Yaoer, watching Jin Xu's left hand getting closer, shyly closed her eyes.
Then she felt a stream of Spiritual Power, warm like a spring breeze, sweeping over her body. It felt like running twenty laps on a track on a hot summer day, then drinking a big gulp of ice-cold Coke.
One word.
Refreshing!
"Mmm~"
The Little Fish Demon couldn't help but moan, opening her eyes, her gaze watery as she looked up at her own Mister.
Little White tilted her canine head to one side, clearly bewildered.
She saw her sister Little Fish's face turn red and her eyes close, then the temple master lifted his left hand and released a spell about half a meter in front of her.
Then Little Fish moaned and opened her eyes again.
All of this was a bit too complex for her; she was still just a child.
Not just Little White, Jin Xu was also puzzled about what the Little Fish Demon was doing. Seeing the two making a mess with their water fight, he just wanted to call them over to try out his newly practiced "Body Purification Skill."
The "Body Purification Skill", as the name suggests, is a spell that can clean one's body.
After being cast, it removes the dust on the body and impurities within, meaning you don't have to bathe or use the restroom yourself.
At least, that's what his master had told him.
Noticing her golden red gauze skirt freshly dry and all the mud gone, Yu Yaoer blushed and asked Jin Xu softly, "Mister, what did you do to me?"
"Oh, just trying out my newly practiced 'Body Purification Skill'. Seems like it works well. Little White, come over here, I'll give you a go, too."
As the Taoist spoke, he waved his left hand, casting the spell towards Little White as well.
"Hiss~" Little White took in a sharp breath.
She knew the Body Purification Skill, but the temple master's version was so... refreshing!
"Awoo!"
She couldn't help herself and howled up at the sky.
Soon after, the surrounding forests of Xuanxu Temple echoed with howling sounds.
Well, it seemed they had stirred up a wolf den.
Jin Xu, watching these two's odd behavior, looked down at his own left hand.
Was the spell his master taught him even appropriate?
...
Yu Yaoer had a breakthrough, right after receiving Jin Xu's "Body Purification Skill."
Little White did too.
The two told the Taoist how they felt their Spirit Roots inside had purified somewhat, especially Little White, who after years of battling in the Demon Realm, had accumulated some hidden injuries, all of which were now gone.
As for Yu Yaoer.
She said since she became enlightened, she'd only been dealing with the kitchen.
Watching the two achieve breakthroughs, Jin Xu eagerly "opened his heart" with each of them in turn, and upon comparing the amount of spiritual power inside, he still had just a bit more than both.
He decided to give it up, as for now his offensive and defensive abilities were "adequate". There was no need to obsess over precisely what realm he was in.
Perhaps those realm classifications were meant for ordinary people anyway; a genius like himself, well, didn't need them.
...
...
Time passed like a fleeting white steed.
Today was the agreed date between the young Taoist Jin Xu and Zhao Dabao, Fatty Zhao.
Zhao Dabao entered the grand hall, followed by several robust men.
Still clad in his golden silk robe, he cheerfully greeted Jin Xu, who was sitting on a cushion.
"Good morning, young Taoist."
"Morning."
"Mr. Zhao, buying incense?"
"Uh."
A moment later.
Zhao Dabao and the robust men behind him each held four finger-thick blessing incense sticks.
"Young Taoist, do you still remember our agreement from two days ago?"
Jin Xu nodded but remained seated.
Zhao Dabao saw the young Taoist didn't move and slapped his own head.
"Tsk, look at my memory, this is the agreed hundred taels of gold."
Saying that, he took out a golden pouch from his sleeve and handed it to the Taoist sitting on the cushion.
Jin Xu took the pouch, opened it, and thoroughly checked to make sure it was all genuine gold this time.
Indeed, once bitten, twice shy.
Zhao Dabao stood by, wincing at the sight.
I, the eminent Zhao family, wouldn't cheat you, a young Taoist, over a mere hundred taels of gold!
Then Fatty Zhao saw Jin Xu stand up from the cushion, turn around, and walk into a side door next to the grand hall; he returned a short while later.
"What is this, young Taoist Jin Xu?"
He thought Jin Xu had gone to the back yard to prepare something.
"Oh, I went to put away the gold."
He seemed to be in the Void Refinement Realm, seemed to be in the Void Refinement Realm, Zhao Dabao repeated this phrase in his mind over and over.
His face then resumed its usual cheerful smile.
"Shall we depart then?"
Jin Xu nodded.
Since the formation they were facing this time was not only extremely dangerous but also perverse, he decided not to bring Little Yu and Little White along.
Zhao Dabao led the way with the young Taoist at his side.
Behind them, followed the group of robust men, each holding four finger-thick blessing incense sticks.
The procession was grand, as if going to perform a ritual.
They left the gates of Xuanxu Temple and arrived at the foothill of Little Platform Mountain where the horses were tied.
Zhao Dabao couldn't help but stop.
Jin Xu looked at him as if to ask why he stopped.
"Young Taoist Jin Xu, the brothers I brought this time are all ordinary martial practitioners. Lezi Mountain is several hundred miles from here. Although the Green Scale Horses we are riding are faster than ordinary horses, it will still be night by the time we get there. Could you possibly use your Flying Escape Skill to take us there?"
Jin Xu looked a bit embarrassed as he faced Fatty Zhao.
He said one sentence.
"I can't fly."
"????"
Zhao Dabao thought to himself, you, a night watchman recorded as possibly in the Void Refinement Realm, are telling me you can't fly?
Was the intelligence wrong, or are you playing with me?
He, the true heir of the Zhao family, naturally wouldn't just rely on a few words from a woman in a place of amusement to invite a Taoist to such an important event.
The reason he agreed to meet two days later was exactly to go back and investigate, using his family's connections to genuinely confirm the records of the night watchman possibly being in the Void Refinement Realm, before he came to invite Jin Xu.
But looking at Jin Xu's face, a bit shy yet serious.
Zhao Dabao felt that what the young Taoist said was probably true.
With no choice, the group could only proceed on their Green Scale Horses.
It turned out Fatty Zhao wasn't lying; by the time they reached the valley of Lezi Mountain, indeed it was already dark.
Not only was it dark, but as they looked from afar.
They saw two people standing at the entrance of the valley.