"May I ask Sect Leader Xu, who is your mentor? Does your established sect have the celestial edicts for recognition, or is there any legitimate title..."

Xu Qing was about to answer when he heard shouts coming from the unceasingly flowing River of Three Crossings not far away.

"As the saying goes, working as a helper doesn’t make money, it just fills your belly. These magical artifacts were arduously salvaged by me from the river, if you want them, you’ll have to exchange something equivalent, at the very least, let me eat to full satisfaction, otherwise these magical artifacts definitely won’t be easily handed over!"

"You scoundrel, we were colleagues in the past, how can you extort profits from us for salvaging weapons and magical artifacts?"

The ugly man with a thick skin, wearing an Eight Treasures embroidered robe, said shamelessly: "There’s a saying, one on horseback doesn’t know the hardship below, a well-fed man doesn’t understand the hunger of a starving man. You all enjoy yourselves up in the heavens, yet you force me to dive into the waters, to endure the soaking by the toxic waters of the river, I’ve put forth efforts, exhausted myself, and already am intolerably hungry and thirsty. Not only do you all not offer some fine nectar to relieve my thirst, you also think entirely of taking advantage, how disgraceful!"

"Now I’ll put it here, if you want magical artifacts and weapons, bring your melons and offerings, come offer them at my Pure Altar, Five Organs Temple. Otherwise, these spears and halberds, I’ll burn them for fuel in the hearth, as for the magical objects, I’ll take them to fellow apprentices, sell them to those monkeys and grandchildren, and exchange for some seasonal fruits."

"If you’re dissatisfied, go to the Water Curtain Grotto Heaven to ask my brother for them, if you can get them, that’s your capability, I won’t say a word!"

The group of immortals and deities dared to be angry but didn’t dare to speak up, those with good belongings had to offer some benefits to that ugly man. Yet, that ugly man had a bizarre temper, never serious, when you asked for a long spear or short halberd, he would insist on asking if the one that fell into the river was a golden halberd or a silver halberd, or the rusted, ownerless iron halberd from the Zhuoshui Dojo.

The area by the River of Three Crossings was in uproar, the group of immortals and deities talking all at once, it was as if they had arrived at a marketplace, and that ugly-faced man was the vegetable seller, while these immortals and deities were the old ladies hagging prices, it was incredibly lively!

Venus Star shook his head helplessly at this scene.

Yet, just as he was about to come to his senses and continue to listen to Xu Qing’s response, he suddenly found that beside him, there was now a monkey with the face of the Duke of Thunder.

"You old man are accustomed to swindling people, I fell for it back in the day, why are you now here to deceive my brother again?"

"Brother? Great Saint, what do you mean by this?" Venus Star hurriedly got up to greet them, but when he heard the other’s words, his heart sank.

Xu Qing, seeing the monkey in front of him looking like the Little Water Curtain Grotto Heaven Master, immediately understood: "It’s been a long time since we parted ways years ago, I wonder how brother has been recently?"

The Little Water Curtain Grotto Heaven Master and Xu Qing had early interactions, both knew each other’s identity, but neither could speak candidly, nor could they refer to each other as fellow disciples.

Upon hearing the monkey address him as brother first, he understood the other’s intention.

"It hasn’t been good, my master doesn’t allow peace of mind, in a world of great calamities, he insists on reincarnating to seek methods to resolve disasters, I have searched for a long time but haven’t found his whereabouts, it’s truly infuriating."

Xu Qing’s heart moved slightly, but suddenly he thought of someone, although whether it was or not, he had to ask that Mad Monk to know.

Beside him, Taibai Star Monarch couldn’t help but interject: "How is Sect Leader Xu acquainted with the Victorious Fighting Buddha?"

Xu Qing smiled and said: "This Angel speaks oddly, my brother and I have always been half-brothers, you could say we’ve known each other since the moment we met, even the heavenly maiden knows this."

"Moreover, the one I know isn’t the Victorious Fighting Buddha, the one I know has always been my brother."

Venus Star turned to look at the demoness, showing an inquiring expression.

"..."

The demoness glanced at Xu Qing and chose to remain silent.

In front of the Ghost Gate, the hesitant King of Earth Treasury also frowned and looked at Di Ting.

This information seemed more crucial than the heavenly maiden’s romantic gossip.

Di Ting looked bewildered, it was truly unaware of this affair!

Venus Star shook his head helplessly, at last having to temporarily overlook this matter as he spoke again: "Sect Leader Xu has yet to tell us about the origin of the Daluo Sect..."

Xu Qing raised an eyebrow and replied calmly: "While the Daluo Sect does not possess celestial recognition, it has been granted seals by earthly emperors, it is a legitimate temple, not some wild shrine for illicit worship."

"To say further, disciples within my sect include those with true discipleship from the Five Directions and Five Elders, disciples of Pure Yang True Immortal Lü Zu, disciples of Celestial Masters of the True Way ancestors, and disciples crossing over from Buddhist sects..."

Venus Star fell silent once more.

Beside him, the Victorious Fighting Buddha joked: "Five Directions and Five Elders? They are a few of my elder brothers, we have always had good relations, now that brother shelters disciples of Five Elder descendants, it counts as a bond, someday when there’s leisure, I shall take brother to meet some of the elder brothers, at that time we’ll all drink and revel, wouldn’t that be delightful?"

Venus Star only felt a headache; initially, he thought he encountered an adept cultivator aware of proprieties and ruler-subject dynamics, but did not anticipate this man to be a brother of the former horse caretaker.

If not family, they wouldn’t enter a house together.

With this identity revealed, Venus Star knew that matters in this lower realm weren’t going to be resolved straightforwardly here.

While Venus Star was troubled, the Pure Altar emissary who was salvaging artifacts hauled up another Heavenly Silken Ribbon and a Bodhi Sword.

The emissary holding the Bodhi Sword asked who owned the magical artifact, noticing no one responded, he instantly felt greed and wanted to keep the Treasure Sword for himself.

From afar, Xu Qing saw it was his own Wisdom Bodhi Sword, he quickly addressed his elder brother: "Brother, that Bodhi Sword is my magical artifact, it unintentionally fell into the river during a clash with the General..."