Chapter 647: Progress of Various Matters

Just then, the wisp of Chaos aura swirling in Master Mei Zu's hand began to dissipate, the various impurities contained within being swiftly 'expelled' and 'stripped away'.

After only a few seconds, the original wisp of Chaos aura, as thick as a chopstick, was reduced to something barely visible—so faint that even those who had merged with the Dao would struggle to detect a single trace of shadow.

Formless and intangible, a 'chaos' fused with 'doubt,' an ethereal existence capable of stirring up boundless doubts and worries within a person.

Ning Ruo cast a glance at the peculiar shadow she had extracted in her hand:

"What do you think? In your view, should we mention this matter to Xu Dage?"

If the emergence of the Dao Source truly could affect the entire Sea of Chaos, then whether the one who touched the Dao Source was aware of this fact or not would likely have an impact on that person themselves.

Should they let nature take its course, allowing it to evolve on its own?

Or should they tell Xu Xing and interfere with this process…

"…"

Master Mei Zu did not answer immediately, but instead observed carefully for quite a while longer, before finally letting out a soft sigh.

"I don't know."

She had indeed observed the true 'Dao Bewilderment' on her Dao Brother's unguarded mind, but that did not mean she could see the problem within it!

The Dao Source…

She herself was still far from it!

"Let me study it a bit more, see if I can figure something out."

"Alright." Ning Ruo nodded slightly.

She had not expected Master Mei Zu to spot the problem at a glance in the first place.

"Alright, alright, this lass will be heading back now." Master Mei Zu pressed her palms together to safely store that wisp of shadow.

Bie Xuening, who had been standing nearby, suddenly spoke up:

"Huo has also been to the Sea of Chaos recently—could he have noticed this change as well?"

Master Mei Zu blinked:

"What? Planning to silence him?"

Bie Xuening looked at her expressionlessly.

"Aiya! Don't worry, don't worry! The Dao that Huo presides over shares great similarities with 'Dao Bewilderment,' so at this level, he still wouldn't be able to notice it."

Huo is the Immortal of 'Doubt, Chaos, and Bewildering Thoughts'; what his eyes see, all realms fall into bewilderment, and Chaos itself becomes doubt.

Every living being in the world harbors doubt within their heart, and coupled with the fact that the changes in the Sea of Chaos are still extremely faint at present, and his cultivation among True Immortals isn't particularly high…

In short, at this stage, it's still impossible for him to notice.

However, if the changes in the Sea of Chaos continue to persist, then it won't be certain.

"Really leaving now, really leaving now!" Master Mei Zu returned to her irreverent self, saying with a grin, "Or if you can't bear to part, this lass can go back to the Xiang Jianzong with you!"

"…Get lost."

"Tsk tsk! So heartless."

Master Mei Zu pursed her lips, but didn't mind in her heart—over the years she had thoroughly figured out the Master Jianzun's face-saving yet cold and aloof personality.

She was just about to rise and leave.

But just as she stood up, it was as if she thought of something.

"Right, should we mention this matter to Xiang Yuanjun?"

Hmm?

The two looked at her in unison, a hint of bewilderment in their eyes.

"The more people who know, the more likely it is to affect the changes in the Sea of Chaos. Let's just observe quietly for now." Ning Ruo said.

"Agreed." Bie Xuening added blandly.

"Mm, mm." Master Mei Zu nodded repeatedly, "Makes sense, better not tell her for now."

"Better not tell anyone else." Ning Ruo corrected.

If Master Mei Zu hadn't randomly gotten some whim before coming and sent a message to the Master Jianzun, she had originally planned to keep it from the Master Jianzun as well.

Yet she had acted so self-righteously, claiming she had only asked her to keep it from Xu Dage…

"Close enough." Master Mei Zu waved her hand, "This lass is really leaving now!"

As the words fell, along with a wisp of rosy clouds drifting away, Master Mei Zu vanished along with them.

Seeing this, Bie Xuening didn't plan to stay any longer either, and rose from her seat.

"I'm leaving too."

After a simple statement, she prepared to leave Ling Yin Fang and return to the Xiang Jianzong.

"Wait." Ning Ruo called out to her.

Hmm?

Is there something else?

Just as she turned back in puzzlement, she saw two boxes of Mysterious Candle Fruits appear on the table.

Excellent in quality, plump and round.

"For asking you to come help this time, these two boxes of Mysterious Candle Fruits are for your two disciples—consider it payment for your trouble."

Bie Xuening: "…"

She always felt there was something off about that sentence, but couldn't pinpoint exactly what.

She looked at the Mysterious Candle Fruits.

She recalled that during the period after her unfilial disciple had just returned from Ling Yin Fang, he would occasionally speak well of the Ling Ancestor in front of her.

He had even grown a Mysterious Candle Fruit tree!

Looking every bit like someone who had been bought off.

And now...

Could it be that buying off that traitorous disciple wasn't enough, and now they're planning to buy off Little Yunlu as well?

After a brief pause, Bie Xuening tucked away the two boxes of Xuanzhu Fruits, then left Ling Yin Fang directly.

Afternoon, the sunlight was just right.

Inside Xiang Jianzong's inner gate, in Chi Jiuyu's cave abode.

Chi Jiuyu sat on the floor, her whole body sprawled across the cool surface of the tea table, idly toying with a purple jade talisman brush in one hand.

All around her lay a pile of freshly drawn sword-Qi talismans.

Every single talisman contained a startling, razor-sharp sword Qi that even an ordinary Soul Transformation cultivator would be hard-pressed to withstand.

Across from her sat Zhang Yunlu, once again in a wheelchair, wrapped up like a zongzi from head to toe, looking utterly miserable.

Without even needing to think, she must have just returned from a mission not long ago, same as always.

As the Master Jianzun's second disciple, and the comprehender of the Dao of Danger—

Every time she went out on a mission and came back, losing an arm or a leg could already be considered a light injury!

"Senior Sister, aren't you going to draw anymore?"

"No rush, it's still early before the order handover anyway," Chi Jiuyu mumbled.

After returning from her studies at the Supreme Mystery Dao Sect, she had created an account on a talisman-master exchange platform, intending to take on some commissions—that way she could practice the Dao of Talismans while earning a little pocket money on the side.

Originally, she hadn't held much expectation for it.

After all, although her Jiuyu Laozu was peerlessly gifted, not just anyone had that 'discerning eye' to see how amazing she was.

And the main problem was—who in the world would look up a novice talisman master for their orders...

So as time went on, she herself forgot about the whole thing.

Until not long ago, when someone suddenly placed a massive order for 'three thousand sword-Qi talismans,' offering a price fully double that of ordinary sword-Qi talismans on the market!

Without a doubt, someone had seen through her identity as the number one prodigy of all the myriad worlds!

Because this matter was of extraordinary significance, representing her first step on the road to wealth and prosperity, Chi Jiuyu at the start was incredibly fired up!

She pulled three all-nighters in a row, producing thirteen hundred sword-Qi talismans.

And every single one was the product of meticulous craftsmanship—a masterpiece among masterpieces!

But precisely because of her rigorous, earnest attitude, after three all-nighters her spirit was worn down far too heavily, and she had to lie around for a full day and night before recovering...

After that, she felt a bit burned out, and her enthusiasm for this order dropped considerably.

Especially today—she had only just received a huge sum of errand-running fees from her martial uncle this morning, more than half again as much as the price of this big order...

Comparing the two side by side, she felt even less like continuing to make sword-Qi talismans.

What future could the Dao of Talismans possibly have? Better to just run errands for her martial uncle.

Whatever her martial uncle's old self let slip through the cracks of his fingers was already enough to let her eat her fill!

"Little Yunlu, by the way, have you thought about what you want to learn in the future?"

Chi Jiuyu sat up slightly straighter, tucked the brush between her nose and upper lip, and propped her chin on both hands as she looked across at her.

"I haven't thought about it yet. Once I reach Soul Transformation, I should think it through carefully." After a pause, Zhang Yunlu continued, "If possible, I hope I have a talent for alchemy."

After all, in their social circle, apart from the special case of Zhao Ruohan, the richest were the two alchemists, Lin Xuanxuan and Ye Zhiwei.