“Master, I’m glad you are back.” Shi Huaiyu sighed in relief when she saw Emei.
Emei said resentfully with a grave face, “I didn’t expect Sacred Sect to be so cunning. I fell for their trick.”
Emei and Heavenly Lantern didn’t want to stay at Platanus Sect for too long, but Sacred Sect didn’t launch any attacks. Therefore they pretended to go out to lure Sacred Sect out. However, they got held up on the way, and Platanus Sect almost got eliminated.
“I heard that Xiao Jinting beat the soul out of a medium Nascent Soul. Is that true?” Emei asked.
Shi Huaiyu nodded and said, “Yes. Xiao Jinting used to be soft and timid, so I thought he advanced to Nascent Soul by luck. However, he is aggressive in fighting. Besides, he has many valuable magical weapons.”
Emei narrowed her eyes and said, “It seems I have underestimated him. I paid too much attention to the old monk. I didn’t know Xiao Jinting is hard to deal with.”
Shi Huaiyu nodded solemnly and snorted grumpily, “That’s right. He is powerful, but he pretends to be weak. He must have ulterior motives.”
“Did you see Xiao Jinting fight?” asked Emei.
Shi Huaiyu paused for a moment and said: “It was chaotic, and I didn’t see the battle clearly. However, Xiao Jinting defeated the enemy because he designed a surprise attack with a Nascent Soul puppet.”
Emei was surprised. “A Nascent Soul puppet? What level is it? ”
“It should be at the preliminary level,” Shi Huaiyu said.
Counsellor Emei sighed and said, “It’s only a preliminary one. It would be valuable if it was at the advanced level.”
Shi Huaiyu thought if her master had an advanced Nascent Soul puppet, she would have a competent helper when she fought an enemy. She was powerful, to begin with, and she would be invincible if she had such a puppet.
“Xiao Jinting is only a preliminary Nascent Soul, so he can’t control an advanced Nascent Soul puppet,” said Shi Huaiyu.
Emei nodded and said, “You’re right. This guy is not as simple as we imagined. We need to be careful of him.”
“Yes, Master,” said Shi Huaiyu solemnly.
…
In a dilapidated temple not far from Platanus Sect, the Xiao family gathered together.
“Why is Father so cautious? Since Platanus Sect has the Heavenly Thunder Wood, can’t we just snatch it?” said Xiao Xiaofan sullenly.
Xiao Xiaodong glanced at Xiao Xiaofan and said grumpily, “It’s not that simple. If we snatch it, people would come to attack us. Besides, the monk and the nun are at Platanus Sect. If Father snatches the wood, these two guys would try to stop him.”
Xiao Xiaofan said sullenly, “That’s annoying.”
“I heard that Father killed a medium Nascent Soul from Sacred Sect. He is awesome,” Chen Xu said with admiration, “there is a big gap between each level in the stage of Nascent Soul, so it is amazing of Father to beat the soul out of the medium Nascent Soul.”
Xiao Xiaofan nodded and said, “Of course, Father is awesome.”
The pheasant hopped on the ground and teased. “Awesome as your father is, he is intimidated by the monk and nun.”
Xiao Xiaofan said sulkily, “Little pheasant, watch your tongue. I’ll make a stew out of you.”
The pheasant snorted with disdain in his eyes. “How dare you turn me into a dish? You humans are annoying. Isn’t it just a piece of broken wood? Look how greedy you are. Losers.”
Lei Xuan looked at the pheasant and said, “That’s not broken wood. It’s Heavenly Thunder Wood.”
The pheasant replied defiantly, “That is a piece of broken wood.”
Xiao Xiaofu glanced at Lei Xuan and the pheasant and said, “Come on, little pheasant, are there any problems with your tracking skills?”
The pheasant looked at Xiao Xiaofu angrily and said, “You are insulting the dignity of the dragon clan.”
Xiao Xiaofu looked at the pheasant and said innocently, “You are a dragon? Aren’t you a pheasant?”
The pheasant said angrily, “Don’t call me pheasant. I’m a dragon.”
Xiao Xiaofu was speechless.
…
The next morning.
When Xiao Jinting got up, he heard that Master Heavenly Lantern and Hermit Emei had come to visit him.
He thought to himself, “Things change. These two fellows didn’t take me seriously a few days ago, but now they come together to see me.”
Xiao Jinting came out and said, “Good morning, Master Heavenly Lantern and Hermit Emei.”
“Good morning, Mr. Xiao.”
The monk opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Jinting. “Mr. Xiao, I feel ashamed. We had planned to lure Scared Sect into the trap, but we didn’t expect to fall for the trap they set up for us. Thankfully, you were here and turned the tide. Otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable.”
Xiao Jinting humbly said, “Master Heavenly Lantern, you are flattering me. Actually, I didn’t do much. Everyone worked together to fight off Sacred Sect.”
“Mr. Xiao, you’re too humble. I heard that you displayed invincible strength and beat the soul out of a medium Nascent Soul.”
Xiao Jinting smiled and said, “I was lucky. The medium Nascent Soul made his advancement with the help of pills, so his cultivation foundation is not solid, much weaker than I imagined.”
“What do you think of Heavenly Thunder Wood, Mr. Xiao?” asked Emei.
“It’s a good thing. There are so many primordial spiritual trees, but very few divine trees. Heavenly Thunder Wood is one of the three divine trees, so it is precious,” Xiao Jinting said sincerely.