Chapter 1020: Interesting Little Monk

"Fairy, where is this place?"

"Didn't I tell you? Sky Dome Holy Land has two Tribulation Transcenders who are qualified to attend Immortal Ying Tian's lectures. Besides sharing cultivation insights, Immortal Ying Tian mainly teaches how to maintain one's aura."

"After the lecture, there's homework to do. People from Sky Dome Holy Land and a few other holy lands formed a group and established this secret realm, restricting entry to cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage. They impersonate Qi Cultivation stage cultivators and also enter the secret realm. However, once inside, they don't use their own strength but rather rely on the realm's power to pass through."

"What was this secret realm originally called?" Lu Yang asked.

"Assignment One."

"As expected, I've been separated from them." Xin Ding found himself alone in the depths of the dense forest within the Scarlet Heaven Ancient Realm, unable to even discern his direction. "According to Junior Brother Xin Chen, the entry point into the Scarlet Heaven Ancient Realm is random. If you're lucky, a few acquaintances might be teleported to the same location. It seems my luck isn't so good."

"The Scarlet Heaven Ancient Realm is divided into an outer layer and an inner layer. The outer layer only offers some ordinary opportunities, while the inner layer has a higher chance of encountering special opportunities, but it's also more dangerous. There are two ways to leave: automatically depart after three days, or choose to leave after obtaining an opportunity... Who's there!"

Xin Ding sensed something, turned around, and shouted. After cultivating the Lion's Roar, his voice naturally carried a deterrent power.

"You little monk, your senses are quite sharp. Have you specifically cultivated your divine sense?"

As the bushes rustled, a white-clad maiden appeared, like an orchid in an empty valley, seemingly out of place with the surrounding atmosphere. Yu Youlan looked at Xin Ding with a half-smile, thinking it was quite a coincidence.

"So it's Benefactress Yu Youlan of Sky Dome Holy Land." Xin Ding clasped his palms together, feeling relieved. He had heard that this Saintess was eccentric but not ill-intentioned, making her approachable.

Yu Youlan discreetly observed Xin Ding's reaction upon seeing her. She noticed the young monk's eyes were clear, without a trace of impure thoughts when he looked at her, which was truly rare.

"Alright, little monk, I have things to do. Take care of yourself."

Yu Youlan hadn't forgotten her mission. She had come to the ancient realm fully prepared, with a thirty percent chance of entering the inner layer to find the other half of her holy land's legacy.

"Amitābha."

Yu Youlan gave Xin Ding a sweet smile and left on her own.

She traversed the jungle for a while, feeling as if someone was following her. She stopped and hid in the treetops, warily watching for whoever it was. Before long, Xin Ding walked past.

"Little monk, are you following me?"

Yu Youlan was somewhat surprised. She had thought this young monk was a gentleman; how could he be tailing her?

"Benefactress, you misunderstand. I am merely heading to the inner layer, and our paths simply align."

"Our paths align?" Yu Youlan looked at Xin Ding suspiciously, disbelieving his words. The shortest and safest route from the outer to the inner layer had only been deciphered by her holy land recently. How could the Western Heaven Temple have figured it out without putting in the effort?

"Then you go first."

Xin Ding didn't stand on ceremony and walked ahead on his own, with Yu Youlan following behind.

*Is he really going the same way I intended?*

After following for a while, Yu Youlan began to believe Xin Ding.

"Little monk, how did you know to go this way?"

"The Buddha said, it cannot be spoken." Xin Ding didn't dare reveal anything about Tofu Heavenly Venerable, as it involved great karma and the potential destruction of the Western Heaven Temple.

"Just tell me," Yu Youlan said in a sweet, sugary voice, the kind that could easily make cultivators of weak resolve obey her every command.

"It cannot be spoken."

"An interesting little monk," Yu Youlan mused, growing more interested and finding Xin Ding increasingly intriguing.

Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she had been designated a Saintess by the Patriarch from a young age. Her talent and background were unparalleled, and she had never failed to acquire anything she desired.

*Let's see what other tricks you have up your sleeve, little monk!*

Since they knew the same route, they walked along, chatting and laughing. However, it was mostly Yu Youlan doing the talking and laughing, as Xin Ding rarely responded. The more Yu Youlan interacted with him, the more she felt that this young monk possessed an extraordinary temperament. No matter how much she probed, he remained tight-lipped about how he had discerned the correct route.

"Youlan, I didn't expect to see you here too."

As the two were chatting, a group of people emerged from the forest. The leader was imposing and magnificent in appearance, though his clothes were somewhat tattered, suggesting he had recently been through a fierce battle.

The outer layer was not entirely peaceful; there were mischievous demonic beasts and lingering spirits. Xin Ding and Yu Youlan hadn't encountered any because they were following the safest route. Xin Ding recognized the leader as Gao Tianxiu, the Holy Son of Tuoluo Holy Land. The people behind him were likely his followers.

"Greetings, Benefactor Gao."

Gao Tianxiu frowned slightly. He hadn't expected Yu Youlan to be traveling with someone. Although Yu Youlan appeared friendly to outsiders, anyone who actually interacted with her would find her distant and unapproachable.

This unfamiliar young monk was ordinary in appearance and average in cultivation. Why was he so close to Yu Youlan?

"Does anyone here know this little monk?" he asked one of his followers.

"Holy Son, this monk should be Xin Ding from the Western Heaven Temple. I heard he was originally a menial monk who coincidentally entered the Martial Monk Academy."

"So he's just a menial monk." Gao Tianxiu sneered, having thought he might have some extraordinary background.

"Gao Tianxiu, I've told you many times, our relationship isn't that close. Don't call me by my name anymore!" Yu Youlan was annoyed. Gao Tianxiu was like a persistent plaster, impossible to shake off.

"Youlan, I'm just worried about you. This ancient realm is so dangerous. We've encountered more than one group of demonic beasts and lingering spirits. If you're alone and get tricked by someone, or encounter any danger, it wouldn't be good."

As he spoke, Gao Tianxiu subtly glanced at Xin Ding, his meaning clear.

"I appreciate Holy Son Gao's concern, but my affairs are none of your business!"

"It seems Benefactor Gao has some misunderstanding about me."

"Little monk, get lost! There's no place for you here!"

"Benefactor Gao, that might be asking too much."

"It seems you refuse the easy way and prefer the hard way!"

Gao Tianxiu sneered. His Qi Cultivation Great Perfection aura erupted, and the followers behind him also released their auras. Every single one of them was at the eighth or ninth level of Qi Cultivation, and any one of them had a higher cultivation than Xin Ding!

"What are you doing?!" Yu Youlan exclaimed angrily, protecting Xin Ding. With so many people swarming them, she wouldn't be able to handle them all.

"Youlan, this is a battle between men. Don't interfere!"

Gao Tianxiu was confident of victory and pressed closer to Xin Ding. There were over a dozen Qi Cultivation stage cultivators here; no matter how capable Xin Ding was, he wouldn't be able to escape!

"Benefactor Gao, I cannot partake in a toast, nor can I partake in a forfeit."

"Good boy, you've got guts! Everyone, attack!"

Seeing himself surrounded with no escape, Xin Ding clasped his palms and sighed. Spiritual energy surged, and the surrounding space twisted. Trees seemed to come alive, their roots burrowing out, their branches growing wildly, like a chaotic dance of demons, entangling Gao Tianxiu and his group.

"What kind of demonic art is this?!" Everyone was greatly alarmed. How could the trees change like this? Since the discovery of the Scarlet Heaven Ancient Realm, no one had ever heard of such a thing! Their cultivation and numbers were meaningless against the animated ancient trees.

Xin Ding placed one hand on his chest and gently pressed downwards with the other. Space obeyed his command, and an invisible giant hand pressed down, causing Gao Tianxiu and his group, bound by the trees, to drop straight to the ground with a thud! Xin Ding, maintaining his calm and unhurried demeanor, walked towards Gao Tianxiu.

Gao Tianxiu struggled to look up, his eyes filled with immense fear. A light shone on Xin Ding's head, obscuring his features, making him appear like a god or a demon.

"Benefactor Gao, I am a monk; I cannot drink wine."

"Benefactress Yu, let's continue our journey."

"Ah, oh." Yu Youlan woke up as if from a dream. She too had not expected such a transformation. Xin Ding's performance just now was as if he were the master of the ancient realm!

Inside the Azure Edge Sword's small world, Tofu Heavenly Venerable was half-pleased, half-troubled. He was pleased with Xin Ding's performance.

"The problem is, why didn't I encounter such opportunities when I went to the ancient realm before?"