Yu Youlan stuck close to Xinding, growing increasingly intrigued by this little monk.

“Here’s the place.”

Xinding stood before a stone gate dozens of zhang high. Priceless treasures like the ancient Foundation Establishment Grass grew around the gate. This was precisely why he had come to the ancient domain.

He bent down and picked ten stalks. After returning, he would refine them into ten Foundation Establishment Pills. No matter how poor one’s aptitude was, that would be enough to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.

The outer layer of the Crimson Heaven Ancient Domain was a dense primeval forest. The inner layer was a magnificent hall, carved from an entire asteroid. This was a monumental feat that was possible only in the ancient era. The cultivation world of today no longer possessed such conditions.

“So this is the inner layer’s Ancient Stone Hall,” Yu Youlan marveled. It was her first time in the Crimson Heaven Ancient Domain, and she hadn’t imagined the Ancient Stone Hall to be so massive. Even the palace hall belonging to our holy land’s old ancestor isn’t this grand.

“But a hall this enormous is merely for testing Qi Training cultivators?” A question arose in Yu Youlan’s mind. Are we Qi Training cultivators even worthy of such a secret domain?

Xinding shared the same question. He decided to consult the Tofu Heavenly Sovereign. Everything he knew about entering the inner layer and using the ancient domain’s hidden power came from the Tofu Heavenly Sovereign.

“Heavenly Sovereign, do you know why this ancient domain was built back then?”

What secret in the world did the Tofu Heavenly Sovereign not know? “Heh heh, the origin of this secret domain is hardly worth mentioning. A few Transcendent Tribulation juniors built it to pass an immortal’s test.”

Transcendent Tribulation juniors! An immortal’s test!

Xinding was deeply shaken. The Heavenly Sovereign always manages to reveal the glory of his past in just a few words.

Technically, Lu Yang wasn’t lying. As the almighty Second-in-Command of the Everlasting Lineage, my status is exceedingly noble. By seniority, the two Transcendent Tribulation cultivators of the Heavenly Dome Holy Land are juniors before me.

The sealed stone gate opened, and the two entered the Ancient Stone Hall.

Each time the ancient domain opened, only one in ten Qi Training cultivators could enter the Ancient Stone Hall, typically on the third day. The two’s progress had already far surpassed everyone else’s.

Yu Youlan blinked at Xinding. “The Ancient Stone Hall contains eight branch halls, each with its own trial. Only by passing all of them can one enter the inner hall and obtain the legacy!

“It’ll be hard for you to clear all the challenges alone. Why don’t we cooperate?”

Xinding shook his head calmly. “Benefactress Yu, what you’ve said is incorrect.”

“Incorrect?” Yu Youlan thought it was impossible. This is the pattern distilled from generations of Qi Training cultivators from our holy land who had participated in the trials. How could it be wrong?

“The eight branch halls of the Ancient Stone Hall are arranged according to the bagua. One only needs to pass through the branch halls at the Kan, Li, and Gen positions in sequence to enter the inner hall.”

“There's such a thing?” Yu Youlan instinctively didn’t believe it. But Xinding spoke with such conviction. Coupled with his earlier actions, she reckoned that what he said was likely true.

Xinding didn’t force Yu Youlan to believe him. I just need to believe in myself.

He no longer paid any heed to Yu Youlan and walked resolutely toward the Kan branch-hall.

“Hey, little monk, wait for me. Let’s go together.” Yu Youlan decided to trust him.

~~~

The two arrived at the Kan branch hall. Magical treasures were encased in bubbles, floating in the air. Each one was a precious treasure even to Golden Core cultivators. Their temptation for Qi Training cultivators was immense.

Seeing Xinding head straight for the bubbles, Yu Youlan hastily warned, “Don’t touch them! Only by resisting temptation and not touching any magical treasure can you safely pass this trial!”

As if he hadn’t heard her, Xinding popped a bubble and took a gourd-shaped magical treasure.

Nothing happened.

“What’s going on?” Yu Youlan was bewildered. This doesn’t line up with the experience accumulated by our holy land.

Xinding put away the gourd and explained calmly, “This trial is indeed a test of willpower. Touching any bubble would trigger punishment. But among the many bubbles, one hides a magical treasure without a trap, and it is this gourd.”

The two passed the Kan branch hall and arrived at the Li branch hall.

The moment they stepped inside, countless specters emerged from the walls, their ghostly forms overlapping. They let out blood-curdling shrieks, and their yin energy was terrifying.

“Be careful! This branch hall spawns endless specters that are far stronger than those in the outer layer. Only pure yang spells can counter them!

“I have a pure yang magical treasure here. Little monk, since you’re from Xitian Temple, you should know some deliverance sutras. If you know Lion Roar, that would be best. It’s highly effective against souls. But the Lion Roar is extremely difficult to learn; I doubt you know it. How about this? I’ll use the magical treasure, you chant the sutras, and we’ll get through this together...” Yu Youlan quickly analyzed the situation and assigned them tasks.

Xinding pressed his palms together and uttered an abstruse line that sounded like ancient language. The countless specters voluntarily retreated to both sides, forming orderly lines and clearing a path. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

“This...”

Yu Youlan stared at this scene in disbelief. How did Xinding do it?

“Benefactress Yu, let’s go.”

The two made it to the Gen branch hall smoothly.

“We have to be careful. No one has ever reached this branch hall before!” Yu Youlan held her magical treasure warily, ready to counter any attack.

Soon after, Yu Youlan’s face paled. A giant puppet snake coiled in the Gen branch hall, emanating an aura at the Intermediate Foundation Establishment Stage.

With our strength, we only have a one-in-ten chance of survival!

“Since it’s a puppet, there must be a switch somewhere on it. We’ll keep the snake occupied. With luck, we should be able to find the switch.”

Sensing their presence, the giant puppet snake opened its jaw wide and charged at them.

“This snake is venomous!” Yu Youlan saw the puppet snake’s exposed fangs. However, it was an ancient aberrant species, so she couldn’t tell how potent its venom was.

Faced with the lunging serpent, Xinding unhurriedly extended a finger and pressed one of its scales. The snake collapsed to the ground with a thud.

“How do you know everything... Fine, I know. Buddha says: it cannot be spoken. Don’t tell me then.” Yu Youlan cut off Xinding preemptively and ran toward the puppet snake excitedly.

This is a rare piece of ancient puppetcraft. If I can take it back for study, we may uncover a fragment of ancient puppet techniques.

“Benefactress Yu, you’d better stay away from this snake. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, its venom sac will detonate. The venom has aphrodisiac properties. I’m sure you won’t want to be affected by it.”

“What?” Yu Youlan was startled and hurriedly backed away to a safe distance.

“Let’s go.”

Xinding led Yu Youlan to the inner hall. It was magnificent, yet bore the crude, unrestrained style of the ancient era. The design was of tremendous artistic value.

“So this is the inner hall?” Yu Youlan was elated. She had expected to go through several perilous battles, deal with the schemes from companions, navigate treacherous intrigue, and risk life and limb just to reach this place.

She never imagined she would enter the inner hall, a place no one had ever set foot in before, so easily.

Yu Youlan stole a glance at Xinding. It’s all thanks to this little monk.

Throughout their journey, her desire to uncover the secrets Xinding hid had only grown.

Upon entering the inner hall, its rules automatically entered their minds.

In the inner hall were eight masses shrouded in chaotic energy, mysterious and unfathomable. Within each mass was an orthodoxy’s legacy.

“So each of us can choose one mass of chaotic energy, but we won’t know what legacy is inside?” Yu Youlan was troubled. The holy land’s legacy is right before my eyes, yet I can only try my luck.

Xinding pointed to one of the masses. “Benefactress Yu, that wooden box contains the legacy your Heavenly Dome Holy Land seeks.”

“Really?”

Knowing Xinding’s character, Yu Youlan chose that mass without hesitation. Within the chaotic energy was a wooden box, and inside lay the Heavenly Dome Holy Land’s legacy!

“Little monk, you’re amazing!” Overcome with excitement, Yu Youlan hugged Xinding and then let go. She was so quick that he had no time to react.

Xinding looked at her, stupefied.

Yu Youlan’s face flushed red. She turned her back, unwilling to let Xinding see her expression.

She remembered the vow she had made. If anyone can help me find the holy land’s legacy, I’ll become his wife!

Xinding helped me find it. According to the promise, I must become his wife!

But this woodenheaded monk shows no interest in me. Is my charm lacking?

“By the way, little monk, do you know what’s inside the other masses of chaotic energy?”

“Yes. This one contains the Green Bamboo Holy Land’s legacy. This one contains the Longhan Holy Land’s legacy...”

Xinding introduced the item in each mass one by one, repeating whatever the Tofu Heavenly Sovereign said, until he reached the last one.

“This mass contains a coffin. Inside the coffin lies the Heavenly Dome Holy Lord.”

“Ah?”

Realizing what he had just said, Xinding froze and immediately sought help from the Tofu Heavenly Sovereign.

“Heavenly Sovereign, the Heavenly Dome Holy Lord is in here?”

“Immortal Fairy, the Heavenly Dome Holy Lord is in here?”

“That’s right.”

As they spoke, the chaotic energy mass containing the Heavenly Dome Holy Lord began to shake. A Transcendent Tribulation aura leaked out, affecting the entire Ancient Stone Hall.