Returning back to his palace again where Chu Yang and Qing Yi were still recovering while still lost in thought thinking about how to improve his profession, Xuan Hao could only come up with going to the Grand Library and look through the books and scrolls there for something that would help him-
"Master!"
However, before he even had a chance to do any of this, his youngest disciples, Mui, suddenly appeared at the path leading up to the entrance of the place before happily rushing towards him. Clearly overjoyed that her master was back again.
"Mui, it's great to see you- Hm? I see that you have also managed to reach the Second Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm during this time, looks like you didn't slack off over the past month." Noticing the fact that Mui had managed to break through to the Second Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm during the month he had been gone, Xuan Hao didn't hold back as he showered the young girl in praise.
Even though, with the girl's talent, it would have been obvious that she would have broken through a minor realm over the past month, it wouldn't even have been surprising if she had ended up breaking through more than just a single minor realm during this period of time…
"Hehe~"
Unaware of the thoughts going through her master's head, Mui just smiled embarrassedly at her master's praise before looking down on the ground to avoid his gaze.
Although she had managed to adjust to life in the Star Shattering Sect and had started to open up more compared to how cautious she was at first, she was still feeling far too shy to look up at her master after the sudden praise.
"By the way, where is your senior brother?" Knowing that the little girl was embarrassed, Xuan Hao decided to give her a way out as he asked about Bai Ning's whereabouts.
After all, given that he would have been the main person to watch over Mui when Elder Song or some of the other elders who should have taken turn watching over her during his absence was not there, it was quite confusing when he realized that Bai Ning was nowhere near the palace- or to be more precise, he no longer sensed Bai Ning's presence anywhere in the Shattered Star Peaks like he had done when he first returned to the sect and met up with Elder Song after handing over the Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts.
Meaning that he should have left the sect somewhere in between me arriving at the sect and finishing up my conversation with Elder Song…
Shaking his head as he thought about this, Xuan Hao turned his attention back towards Mui, who by this point, had started fidgeting nervously with her hands without saying anything.
"Is there something wrong? Did something perhaps happen to your senior brother?" Sensing that something was off from the sudden weird behavior, Xuan Hao asked in a slightly sterner tone compared to before.
"This- Well… Senior brother told me not to tell master…"
"…"
Hearing what Mui said, Xuan Hao could not help pausing for a moment before looking towards the increasingly nervous Mui who was staring straight into the ground without daring to lift her gaze to meet his. Looking like a young child who had been caught doing something they shouldn't.
"Mui…"
"Ah! I- I will talk but promise you won't tell senior brother!"
"Okay…"
Not knowing what had suddenly happened to Bai Ning during the short period of time he had ended up talking with Elder Song, Xuan Hao just nodded his head in agreement, curious as to why his third disciple had decided to run away all of a sudden.
"Then… It started a few minutes earlier when senior brother learnt about master's return to the sect…" Following her master agreeing to not tell on her to Bai Ning, she began to talk about what had happened that ended up causing Bai Ning to leave the sect.
At first, the two had been making their way towards the Combat Hall where Bai Ning was planning to help train Mui, but before they had managed to reach the Combat Hall, they got news about their master returning to the sect from a beast tamer disciple of the sect who had seen him when he handed over the Nascent Soul Realm demon beasts to the elder from the Hall of Beast Tamers.
Apparently, when Bai Ning heard about his master returning to the sect, he was overjoyed and about to make his way back to the palace and wait for his master, but just at this moment, he seemed to have thought about something and quickly instructed her to head back on her own as he went to sort out something important outside of the sect.
Having been extremely confused over the sudden weird behavior of her senior brother, Mui had questioned him, but in the end, he just told her that it was important, and he would at most be gone for a few days and made her promise not to tell their master about him leaving the sect. Instead, if their master asked, she should just inform him that he was not at the sect and had gone out to complete a mission a few days earlier and would be back again soon.
Of course, when it came time for her to tell her master what her senior brother had told her to tell him, she had forgotten about it, the moment her master had praised her and only when he had asked about where he was did, she remember it.
However, at that point in time, she had been far too nervous to actually lie to her master and didn't go through with it. Only able to nervously fidget around with her hands as she looked down at the ground without daring to meet her master's gaze.
Hearing Mui's explanation of what had happened, Xuan Hao could not help frowning as he tried to ask for any more information that might help him figure out what had caused the sudden weird behavior of his third disciples… And in the end, he did manage to figure out that he had momentarily taken out a communication talisman before his face had gone ashen.
What in the world happened? And for him to not inform me about it when he knows I'm back in the sect…
Feeling even more worried than before after hearing how Bai Ning had been informed about something through his communication talisman before leaving the sect in a hurry without informing him- No, not only not informing him, but actively trying to make sure he knew nothing about it…
"Mui, how about we go to visit your big sister Song Jia?"
"Huh? Why do we have to visit big sister?"
Not understanding why her master suddenly asked her this, Mui didn't get an answer before she found herself in front of Elder Song's courtyard located close to the Qi Spring Lake. Although Elder Song didn't use the courtyard and would spend most of his time in the courtyard located close to the lecture halls, the same could not be said for Song Jia, who spent most of her time cultivating in this place.
Creak~
"Mui- Elder Xuan!?
Opening the door and making his way inside with the confused Mui, Xuan Hao, and Mui both soon arrived in front of Song Jia who opened both of her eyes in surprise upon sensing the two entering the courtyard all of a sudden. Feeling especially surprised at the sudden appearance of Xuan Hao, whom she hadn't seen in over a month and had no idea was back in the sect again.
"Hello Song Jia, I have to check up on a rather worrisome disciple of mine, so I will be leaving Mui here in your care for the time being if that is fine with you."
"Huh? Ah! No problem at all, little sister Mui is always welcome here!" Nodding her head as she said this in a still confused voice, Song Jia didn't hesitate to take care of Mui.
Although she had no idea what had happened, she understood that it should be something serious given that Xuan Hao had decided to leave Mui in her care. At the same time also understanding that it might not be something that would be solved in a few minutes.
"Thank you, Mui, take care, I should be back in a few days as well. After all, I have to figure out what that troublesome child is up to…" Shaking his head as he said this, Xuan Hao gave a slight smile as he jumped into the air and left in the direction of the Ninth Star Peak where the exit to the Shattered Star Peak was located. Hoping that he would be able to catch Bai Ning with his divine sense before he ended up going too far away from the entrance to the Shattered Star Peaks.
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