Yun Ze rushed out and saw Dan Chenyu holding Ji Xiu by the collar.
"Master! Master, save me!"
Ji Xiu saw Yun Ze and immediately cried for help, "This woman hit me as soon as she arrived, she's so fierce!"
"Fierce?"
Dan Chenyu held the boy, leaned forward, and asked, "You occupied my room and have the nerve to call me fierce?
Is there anyone in this world as unreasonable as you?"
"How was I supposed to know it was your room? Master told me to stay there." Ji Xiu continued to fuss.
"I'm sorry, junior sister. This is my fault."
Yun Ze stepped forward helplessly, cupped his hands towards Dan Chenyu, and said, "Junior sister, I saw the Immortal Venerable come by earlier and didn't see you in the academy, so I thought you had already left.
Therefore, I temporarily arranged for Xiao Xiu to stay in your room and planned to build him a house today. My apologies, my apologies."
"Xiao Xiu?"
Dan Chenyu lifted Ji Xiu and looked him over again, "Is this boy the foolish genius my father mentioned? He doesn't look any different."
"Hmph! Genius is genius, what do you mean by 'foolish genius'?"
Ji Xiu snorted coldly, crossing his arms, "Who are you? You look so fierce, you must not be a good person!"
"Xiao Xiu!"
Yun Ze's face turned stern, "How are you speaking to your martial aunt? Hurry up and greet her!"
"Martial aunt?"
Ji Xiu tilted his head, "This fierce woman is my martial aunt? Master, didn't you say martial aunt was a lady of refinement? She doesn't look like one!"
"Hey!"
Dan Chenyu heard this and rolled up her sleeves, "Tell me, how am I not a lady of refinement! If you can't give me a good reason, I'll discipline you properly in place of your master today!"
"See, see, you look like you're ready to start a street brawl!"
Although Ji Xiu was being held, his mouth was far from being tamed, "How can a lady of refinement hold someone like this? Others pick flowers with their fingers, but with your 'strength to uproot mountains and shake the heavens,' you'd probably uproot trees!"
"You!"
Although Dan Chenyu was intelligent, her tongue was a bit clumsy.
Being retorted by Ji Xiu like this, she could only turn to Yun Ze, "Senior brother, look at him! How can he be so sharp-tongued!"
Yun Ze could only smile helplessly, raised his hand, and lightly tapped Ji Xiu's head, "You, apologize to your martial aunt immediately, or I'll leave you here and not take you out for training!"
"Training?!"
Ji Xiu exclaimed, and even though he was still being held by Dan Chenyu, he cupped his hands towards her, "Martial aunt, your nephew misspoke. I beg martial aunt's forgiveness! Please spare this junior nephew this time."
On the way back, he had already realized that this royal young master was essentially a sharp-tongued boy.
It was just that when the two met, either they were in the imperial palace with his parents present, or in an environment like the Ascension Conference, so the boy hadn't revealed his true nature.
Didn't he dare to retort the Dean about his hearing yesterday? What was it to retort a junior martial aunt today?
But this boy had one good trait, and that was admitting his mistakes quickly!
As long as Yun Ze put on a stern face, he would immediately admit his mistake without any hesitation.
"Hmph!"
Dan Chenyu snorted coldly and threw Ji Xiu to the ground.
She turned to Yun Ze and said, "Senior brother, we have to take this fellow with us for training. Isn't that too dangerous?"
"This was instructed by Master. We will be in the rear, so it shouldn't be a big problem," Yun Ze replied with a smile, then looked around, "Where is Master? Didn't she say that the ten academies were setting off this morning?"
"I haven't met her since I got back," Dan Chenyu said, then her eyes darted, and she leaned closer to Yun Ze, whispering, "Senior brother, help me with something!"
Yun Ze looked a bit puzzled, "What is it?"
"It's just... Ah! Master is back, no time to explain! Senior brother, I'm going in to change first!"
Before Dan Chenyu could finish speaking, she exclaimed and darted into her room.
Not long after, Yun Ze saw a figure appear in the sky, slowly approaching the small courtyard.
This person was Yun Xiao.
"Master."
"Grandmaster."
Yun Ze and Ji Xiu cupped their hands.
"Hmm."
Yun Xiao landed in front of Yun Ze, scanned the two, and then asked, "Where is that girl Dan Chenyu?"
"She said she needed to change clothes."
Yun Ze pointed to her room, "She's in her room now."
"Nonsense!"
Yun Xiao frowned, turned to the door of the room, and knocked, "Girl, come out! I'll send you back!"
"Master~!"
Dan Chenyu's coquettish voice sounded, "I just want to see what the Nine Nether Gate looks like!
Don't worry, I'll just look from the outside and won't reveal my identity!"
"No! If anything happens to you, I can't take responsibility."
Yun Xiao's tone was extremely firm, as if there was no room for negotiation.
"Master, please~"
Dan Chenyu said as she opened the door.
At this moment, she had changed her appearance. She was about half a foot taller, and her physique was incredibly robust, like a body cultivator, but her voice was still the same as usual.
She spread her arms and circled in front of Yun Xiao, then said, "Master, look, how well have I disguised myself? As long as I don't speak, no one will recognize me!"
"Whoa."
Ji Xiu leaned next to Yun Ze and chuckled, "Now the shrew has become a tomboy."
The boy's voice was not quiet, at least at this distance, it was no different from normal speech to a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
As soon as he said this, Dan Chenyu stared at Ji Xiu, "Boy, do you want to be beaten again!"
Before Dan Chenyu could make a move, Yun Ze raised his hand and tapped Ji Xiu's head, "Say less! If you can't control your mouth any longer, I really won't take you!"
"Yes, Master."
Ji Xiu rubbed his head but didn't forget to ask curiously, "Master, are we going to the Nine Nether Gate? What kind of place is that?"
Yun Ze didn't answer, but looked at Yun Xiao, wanting to know her final decision.
To be honest, he quite wanted Dan Chenyu to come along.
After all, with the little princess of the Immortal Mansion present, it would be safer.
At least before he faked his death, he probably wouldn't truly die, and he wouldn't have to worry about exposing his strength by taking action.
"...You really want to go?" Yun Xiao asked after a few seconds of silence.
"Yes!"
Dan Chenyu nodded, then hugged Yun Xiao's arm, "Master, think about it, with my strength, if my father didn't allow me to come out, how could I have run out!
He must have tacitly agreed!
So, don't worry, as long as my identity is not exposed, I will be fine!"
"Sigh..."
Yun Xiao sighed, could only wave her hand, "As you wish, but your disguise skills are not yet perfect. I'll help you later.
Tu Sheng, come in with me first. I have something to tell you."
"Oh."
Yun Ze responded and followed Yun Xiao into his room, leaving Ji Xiu and Dan Chenyu in the courtyard.
As soon as they entered, Yun Xiao set up several restrictions and then took out an ancient zither.
"Your Zhen Dan is destroyed. Without a zither, you cannot exert your strength. You can use this zither for now."
"This is... Xue Mei!"
A third-tier spirit artifact!
It was also a witness artifact for the new Dao, worth a million third-grade spirit stones!
Yun Ze did not refuse, but he did not accept it either. Instead, he looked at Yun Xiao silently, wanting to know what she meant.
"Don't look at me like that. According to the plan, after you fake your death, you will inevitably need to go somewhere. The Ancient Gold Ruins are undoubtedly the best place."
Yun Xiao said calmly, "This zither will serve as a deposit."
"Excluding the cost of Ancient Gold, the profit is split fifty-fifty?"
Yun Ze tentatively asked.
This was the bottom line in his heart, but he didn't know if Yun Xiao could agree.
"Yes, but I have two prerequisites."
"Please state them."
"The first prerequisite is that all our early profits must be used to research the method of core formation. Once one of us forms a core, we will start normal profit sharing."
Yun Xiao's goal was simple: to form a core and increase her lifespan.
"No problem. What's the second one?"
"Protect Dan Chenyu."
Yun Xiao looked at Yun Ze and pushed Xue Mei forward, "At a critical moment, even if it means exposing your identity, you must protect her. You cannot let her die!
If you agree, this zither will be yours."
"Alright!"
Yun Ze had no reason to refuse. He agreed immediately and quickly put Xue Mei into his Sumeru ring, "Then, happy cooperation!"
Exposing his identity?
How many people knew he was Yun Ze now?
If Dan Chenyu were to die, even without Yun Xiao's instructions, he would have acted without hesitation.
After all, he didn't want to tell Xiao Yu the truth back then because he didn't want her to be in a difficult position between the Immortal Mansion and him. But if it was a matter of life and death... who would care about these trivial matters?
"Happy cooperation."
Yun Xiao also showed a slight smile, then stood up and said, "However, even if you need to protect Xiao Yu, you don't need to be too nervous. She has her own life-preserving treasures.
When we reach the Nine Nether Gate, I will arrange for your fake death as soon as possible. Once you fake your death, her safety will no longer be your responsibility. I will find an opportunity to send her back to Immortal Venerable."
"Understood."
"Oh, and one more thing."
Yun Xiao turned to Yun Ze, "Pay more attention to Ji Xiu during this time. He... might really have a problem."
"Hmm?"
Yun Ze was stunned, "Didn't even the Immortal Venerable see it?"
"If it was reincarnation and re-cultivation, the Immortal Venerable would definitely see it. But if it was soul possession... then it's another matter."
"Soul possession?"
"A secret ancient technique. The person possessing the soul needs to fit the timing, location, and human harmony. The requirements are extremely strict, and the method has long been lost."
Yun Xiao explained, "Once soul possession is successful, the original soul can also remain in the body, equivalent to having two souls within the body. When hiding, it is no different from ordinary people. Only when the souls switch will there be abnormalities."
"This... how can we confirm it?" Yun Ze frowned.
"When breaking through realms, you should be able to see some clues."
Yun Xiao casually removed the restrictions, "Pay more attention. If you find anything unusual, come to me immediately."
"Got it."
"Let's go, it's time to set off. Although our Lingxiao Academy has few people, we cannot be absent."
"Yes."