And Xiong Gao, amidst the crowd, was quite spirited and continually accepted compliments and congratulations from various people.

As the sole personal housekeeper of Chen Qiu, with every increase in Chen Qiu’s strength, Xiong Gao’s status rose a notch. Since becoming Chen Qiu’s housekeeper, he hadn’t forgotten about the Brown Bear Clan. For instance, he had fully arranged this celebration banquet, and all the servants he chose were from the Brown Bear Clan, ensuring they appeared frequently before the master to potentially receive more favor in the future.

He accepted all the gifts that people brought.

He had consulted Chen Qiu about this matter, and the master responded with the phrase, “Heaven bestows it, refusing it brings blame.”

The meaning was crystal clear. He later inquired about what would happen if he accepted gifts without handling affairs, and the master replied, “I am the Heavenly Destiny. Ask again, and you’ll be dealt with.”

Yes, he understood.

However, he later realized that those who brought gifts did not seek anything from him; they were merely presenting gifts and showing goodwill, without any further requests. Thus, he began to accept the offerings with an easy conscience.

…

“Hmm?”

At that moment, Chen Qiu, who was in the midst of an enthusiastic conversation with Fat Long and others, suddenly noticed Xiao Yue and her group not far away. His gaze subconsciously lingered on the orange cat lying beside Xiao Yue.

For some reason.

Despite the absence of any spiritual energy fluctuations from the orange cat, he felt an oddly familiar sensation.

He shook his head, opting not to ponder further, and instead continued to engage with the scholar and others.

Following close by, Xiong Gao immediately noticed the direction of Chen Qiu’s gaze. Following his master’s lead, he quickly took note of Xiao Yue and her companions, his thoughtful eyes narrowing slightly – this was the first time he had seen the master show such prolonged interest in a woman.

He then discreetly backed away and slowly made his way over there.

If the master liked her, then she had to become the master’s.

…

“Understood.”

Xiong Gao nodded thoughtfully. He had someone inquire and learned from the Sect Leader of Myriad Beast Sect that the girl was named Xiao Yue, who had once met Chen Qiu, and when she approached him, she ended up being slapped away by the master.

It seemed the master still had some interest in this girl.

In that case…

He promptly led a few clanspeople from the Brown Bear Clan to where Xiao Yue and her companions were and said with a smile, “May I ask if you, miss, would be willing to join Chao Tian Sect?”

His question was very straightforward; given the current situation of Chao Tian Sect, he had no need to be indirect.

“Hmm?”

The Sect Leader of Myriad Beast Sect, with a hint of hesitation, asked, “Housekeeper Xiong, why would you suddenly come to ask such a question?”

But before the Sect Leader finished speaking, a light gleamed in Xiao Yue’s eyes, her voice tinged with anticipation, “Housekeeper Xiong, can you make this decision?”

“I can.”

Xiong Gao nodded with a smile, “But you can only join as a maid, and I wonder if you are willing, miss. In the future, you will be the master’s personal handmaiden, serving only the master.”

“I am willing!”

“…”

The corner of the Myriad Beast Sect Leader’s mouth twitched slightly. Although he found nothing inappropriate about the matter, it was, after all, a change of sect–a significant decision, and his True Disciple had agreed so readily?

“By the way.”

Xiong Gao suddenly slapped his forehead as if he had just remembered something. He turned to the Myriad Beast Sect Leader and said, “I heard your sect’s shop in ‘Cloud City’ hasn’t been doing well lately, including Madam Zhang Kui’s Formation shop. It has been struggling these past few days.”

“How about this, I can just barely speak with the Taoist Sect Master; what if we let the Taoist Sect give some of your orders to you, how would that be?”

“This…”

The Myriad Beast Sect Leader’s eyes flickered with a trace of helplessness, but he quickly cupped his fists in respectful greeting and said, “Then I thank Housekeeper Xiong very much.”

He did not decline. He had come specifically for this matter originally intending to shamelessly seek out Chen Qiu, but after arriving, he somewhat could not bring himself to lower his face to discuss such a trivial matter. He had not expected that there would be no need for Chen Qiu to handle it. Instead, it had fallen into the lap of his own True Disciple.

Only…

As he caught sight of Xiao Yue’s demeanor and let out a long sigh without saying anything further. Seeing that Xiao Yue was so eager inside, he let her go. After all, Xiao Yue was once a Heavenly Pride herself. Now spending her days in the shop with them, she indeed seemed a bit bored.

“Can I take it with me?”

Xiao Yue hugged the little orange cat in her arms with a face full of anticipation. But at this moment, the usually well-behaved and lazy little orange cat became extremely agitated and started to struggle furiously. Xiao Yue quickly suppressed it with her spiritual energy and then said in an embarrassed, quiet voice, “It’s usually very well-behaved, I assure you it won’t bite people at random.”

“It’s fine.”

Xiong Gao waved his hand indifferently, “It’s just a cat. If you like, bring it along; even if it likes to bite, it’s no problem. As long as its teeth are strong enough, it can bite anyone in Chao Tian Sect–just don’t break its own teeth.”

Having said this…

He did not linger and turned to leave. Xiao Yue’s face turned slightly red as she said goodbye to her master and mistress, then followed behind Xiong Gao while holding the orange cat.

And Xiong Gao held considerable respect for Xiao Yue, not treating her like a Maid at all. He respected his master’s personal maids very much–who knew when one might suddenly transform into the lady of the house.

Women are rather terrifying creatures.

For a normal Cultivator, advancing from the Qi Refinement Realm to the Body Integration Realm in one day is almost like a fantasy tale.

But for the women of the Chao Tian Sect, turning into a phoenix and soaring atop a branch overnight is not such an impossible feat.

‘Damn it…’

The little orange cat, face full of despair, stopped struggling and just looked around blankly. How did it end up in this ghostly place again? You, old lady, are giving up the position of a True Disciple in the Myriad Beast Sect to go be a Maid in the Chao Tian Sect. Has your damn brain been waterlogged?

Even if your brain is waterlogged, why on earth must you drag me along?

Did I ever say I wanted to be a Maid?

Do you have no respect for your own pet’s opinion at all?

It had already started to guess the way of its death, wondering how it would die this time. Life was indeed full of anticipation. Always anticipating one’s manner of death, how very nice.

…

Meanwhile–

Throughout the Vast Continent, almost every person in possession of a Throne was doing one thing: arranging their affairs in preparation to willingly seek death and spend the rest of their lives in the underworld, with the chance of returning to the Mortal World should a great opportunity arise.

This was the only way out they had found. Being in their positions, they naturally knew of the existence of the underworld.

The three successive Heavenly Decrees had been speaking about one thing: that Chen Qiu was unrivaled, at least within the Body Integration Realm.

Who could oppose someone holding three Heavenly Dao Term Groups?

Even the King of Pingxi, who once declared, ‘Seekers of immortality, why fear death?’ was now arranging his posthumous matters. With these Throne holders departing, the lifting of the state land restrictions was significantly hastened.

…

At the celebration banquet, the Taoist Sect Master looked at Zhang Kui, who had been introduced by Xiong Gao, knowing that she was a female Array Repairer seeking to secure some consistent orders from the Taoist Sect. He wouldn’t reject Xiong Gao’s face, but he still asked subconsciously.

“Please introduce yourself in one sentence.”

“…”

After a long silence, Zhang Kui took a deep breath and said hoarsely, “On the Xuantian Continent, I have consistently ranked second on the ‘Heavenly Dao Sin Ranking.’

“And then?” the Taoist Sect Master asked with a slight frown. “Aren’t you an Array Repairer? What does the sin value have to do with Array Repairing…”

“The first on the list is Chen Qiu.”

“Approved!”