Primordial Spirit, that's a figure akin to a Terrestrial Immortal.
Back before the Heaven-Reaching Road was cut, it was someone whose name was written in the Immortal Register, half a foot into the heavenly system, sooner or later destined to join the ranks of immortals.
But this pocket-sized old lady, carried by her disciple, locking herself in a wooden box, needing to check the air quality before going out, could she really be a sixth-realm Primordial Spirit True Man?
Xu Qing wasn't quite convinced, but he searched through all his memories and couldn't find any clue other than the Primordial Spirit to explain the state of Master Jingxu.
"This little-footed old lady is very unusual. It's best for me to avoid the funeral shop these days..."
Thinking of this, Xu Qing suddenly slapped his forehead.
He almost forgot, on the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, just three days away, it's the time for Tao Sanmei to cross her tribulation.
"No big deal, that peach tree is timid and cautious, having been a monster all its life, hasn't even eaten a crooked-neck phoenix, its demonic aura is relatively restrained and gentle, shouldn't face much trouble."
"Why make such a fuss about this..."
Xu Qing hesitated for a moment, finally deciding to visit the funeral shop more often these days, after all, Tao Sanmei is now considered an immortal of his Cat Immortal Hall, and he has to maintain some relations.
"But having just met, under what pretext should I visit again?"
He didn't know why, but with the arrival of Master Jingxu, he became rather reserved, not daring to be too casual.
"No, that's not right!" Xu Qing suddenly realized, the funeral shop is his turf, why can't he go there.
He can go whenever he wants, as for Master Jingzhen, just a little old lady, even if she is truly a Primordial Spirit True Man...
Xu Qing's expression turned solemn, finally, a bright idea struck him, and he simply unfolded some paper and began writing couplets again.
...
On the street under the well, having just returned at night after distributing winter clothes, rice, flour, and eggs to the disaster victims outside the city, Xuan Yu arrived back just in time.
The year-end approaching, Cat Immortal Hall's business is busier than usual, with more and more disaster victims fleeing from the chaos outside the city, Cat Immortal Hall can't promise a good year for everyone, but they can offer two eggs and a bushel of rice and flour per person.
This was thanks to the tens of thousands of bushels of grain they gathered from the rich households of monks and Taoists at Cizhao Temple and Ruyi Temple while traveling to Qi Prefecture with Xu Qing.
But this food still seemed like a drop in the bucket for the tens of thousands of disaster victims.
Xuan Yu squatted on Gu Qiao'er's shoulder. Transformed into humanoid form, Gu Qiao'er didn't find it inappropriate; it's reasonable for a cat to use a mouse as a mount.
Carrying a dragon prison staff and following carefreely behind Gu Qiao'er was the guardian immortal Red-tailed Monkey from Cat Immortal Hall.
The Red-tailed Monkey in front, though looking human-like, wearing a decent cotton robe, if you looked closely, you could still see the pointy face and furry features of a 'foreigner.'
Thankfully, Cat Immortal Hall mainly operates at night, so even with its peculiar appearance, it doesn't attract too much attention.
But today, coincidentally, just as the immortals returned to the street under the well, they bumped into Daoist Yizhen coming out of the funeral shop.
At this moment, Xuan Yu sat on Gu Qiao'er's shoulder; opposite him, Master Jingxu sat cross-legged on her disciple's shoulder.
As soon as the two parties met, the guardian immortal Red-tailed Monkey immediately dropped its carefree demeanor, instinctively placing the dragon prison staff across in front of it.
Having joined Cat Immortal Hall late, the Red-tailed Monkey didn't recognize the female Taoist in front of it, and its caution wasn't towards her, but the little humanoid radiating a slight glow on her shoulder.
The Red-tailed Monkey vaguely felt things might go awry today.
However, the next moment, it saw the female Taoist give a bow to the General Hall Master of the Immortal Hall and said with a smile:
"Lady Qing Qing, this poor Taoist greets you."
Xuan Yu looked towards Yizhen and curiously glanced at the little humanoid Master Jingxu.
The cat's curiosity was aroused once again.
"Um..." Seeing Daoist Yizhen greet, Xuan Yu mimicked, raising its two front paws in a gesture similar to cupping its hands but more like bowing and said: "Sister Yizhen, Xuan Yu returns the courtesy."
Yizhen was already used to Xuan Yu calling her sister; this cat always followed Xu Qing's lead, addressing and saying whatever that Junior Brother Xu did.
"Who is this little person?" Xuan Yu still couldn't suppress its curiosity.
"This is my master."
"Such a small master."
Xuan Yu blurted out.
"Not even bigger than me."
"..."
The always quiet Master Jingxu couldn't maintain her sage demeanor at last.
"This is the manifestation of my Primordial Spirit. You, little cat, if you don't cultivate in the deep mountains, what are you doing in the bustling city? Aren't you afraid one day you'll meet a master like me who would mistake you for a demon and wipe you out!"
When saying the word 'master,' Master Jingxu emphasized it, seemingly in response to the cat's earlier disrespectful behavior.
Xuan Yu opened his eyes wide, his azure gaze fixed on the little old lady, saying seriously: "Xu Immortal's family is eight feet tall; no master is taller than Xu Immortal's family."
Cats love to compare, especially Xuan Yu.
The cat at this moment had no idea what the manifestation of the Primordial Spirit meant.
"..."
Master Jingxu had no words, could the student of Hu Baosong, a shopkeeper in the underworld, truly be superior to her?
But Master Jingxu didn't argue with a little cat, as the current world situation was too unfriendly for an old school cultivator like her who followed orthodoxy and practiced ancient methods.
The rise and fall, who knows, one day this very cat might surpass her, leaving her behind.
And for someone like her, who lacks effective replenishment of her pure aura, every time she acts, it must be carefully considered.