Chapter 1034: Chixiao Ancient Realm

"The Shape-Shifting Art?"

"Indeed. If you wish to learn the Lion’s Roar, you must first mimic the lion and grasp its true essence."

"So that is how it is." Xinding was suddenly enlightened, finding the words of the Tofu Heavenly Venerable to be steeped in profound reason.

Lu Yang released a wisp of divine sense, materializing a vivid and lifelike Suanni.

During his time in the Demon Realm, Lu Yang had crossed paths with the Suanni clan, and he remembered their every movement perfectly.

The illusionary Suanni appeared majestic and awe-inspiring, leaping across the mountain peaks and roaring at the heavens, looking as though it could swallow the firmament whole with its gaping maw!

Xinding’s mind wavered in a daze; he had never witnessed such a ferocious mystical beast!

"Observe this Suanni well!" The voice of the Tofu Heavenly Venerable echoed in his ear.

The Venerable's voice carried an incredible, subtle magic that snapped Xinding out of his stupor, allowing him to observe the beast with absolute, undivided attention.

Taking advantage of Xinding’s distraction, Lu Yang quickly used his divine sense to scan and study the "Lion’s Roar."

The Fairy was right; it was indeed a very simple spell, its principles barely differing from the "Fairy’s Cry." The only distinction was that its difficulty was far lower than that of the Fairy's version.

Following the method written in the "Lion’s Roar," Lu Yang formed hand seals and unleashed the most orthodox of lion roars: "Roar—"

And along with it, he collapsed onto the ground, transforming into a lion.

"..."

Lu Yang pressed a lion paw to his forehead. *I knew something would go wrong.*

Reverting to his human form, Lu Yang fell into contemplation. Xinding's cultivation level was too low, making it far too difficult for him to learn the Lion’s Roar directly. Was he really going to have to stick to his original train of thought?

"Heavenly Venerable, I have finished my observation."

"Very well. Then this Seat shall teach you the Lion Fist."

"The Lion Fist?" Xinding had never heard of such a technique.

"This is a fist technique created by this Seat. Once mastered to great attainment, one can transform into a true lion."

"Great attainment?"

"Your knowledge is still shallow, and you are far from great attainment. Do not aim too high too soon; banish thoughts of mastery and focus first on entering the gateway."

"Yes."

Next, a flawless, pure white figure resembling tofu appeared before Xinding's eyes. The tofu-like figure assumed a stance, every punch and kick bearing the shadow of the Suanni's movements.

Lu Yang had materialized the silhouette to demonstrate the Lion Pictographic Fist.

"So this is the Lion Fist? How fierce! If the technique reaches great attainment and one becomes a true lion, what a sight that would be!"

As the tofu figure's movements grew faster and faster, it shook its body and transformed into a Suanni, leaving Xinding utterly enraptured by the sight!

This was the Lion Fist at great attainment!

Xinding began to mimic the movements with proper form. With Lu Yang, the creator himself, acting as his guide, he quickly entered the gateway of the Lion Fist.

Facts proved that Lu Yang’s approach was correct. After mimicking the movements of a lion, learning the Lion’s Roar became much simpler.

Not long after grasping the fundamentals of the Lion Fist, Xinding was able to unleash the Lion’s Roar. Though its effect was far inferior to Lu Yang's execution, it was more than enough for the Qi Refining stage.

...

"Senior Brother Xinding, have you heard? The Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm is about to open, and we are all allowed inside!" Xinchen, hailing from the Southern Janitor Courtyard, had rushed over the moment he received the news to inform Xinding.

"What is the Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm?"

"The Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm is a secret realm passed down from ancient times. Only cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage are qualified to enter. Usually, for safety's sake, the various factions restrict entry to those between the seventh layer of Qi Refining and the peak of Qi Refining. We can all enter!"

"Are there any benefits to entering the Ancient Realm?"

"Of course there are! Although the temple distributes Foundation Establishment Pills when we breakthrough, they only give out one. If you want more, you have to buy them with merit points."

"The Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm is brimming with Ancient Foundation Establishment Grass, which is the primary material for refining Ancient Foundation Establishment Pills. With the main ingredient secured, why worry about a shortage of pills?"

"Besides the Ancient Foundation Establishment Grass, the deepest parts of the realm contain various ancient inheritances. If one could obtain even a single inheritance, their future cultivation would be worry-free!"

Xinchen grew more excited as he spoke. Had he remained in the Janitor Courtyard, he certainly wouldn't have had the chance to visit the Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm, but now that he was in the Martial Monk Courtyard, the benefits were showing.

"It sounds like a fine place indeed." Xinding nodded. According to Xinchen, all Qi Refining monks of the Martial Monk Courtyard would be going, so he had no other choice.

After Xinchen left, Xinding inquired, "Heavenly Venerable, do you know of the Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm?"

"This Seat has never heard of this secret realm. Since it originates from antiquity, its original name was likely lost to the long passage of time, and later generations simply gave it a new one."

"With this Seat here, there is no harm in going."

These were the words of the Immortal Fairy, conveyed through Lu Yang.

"Very well."

...

Soon, the day to enter the Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm arrived.

The Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm was a highly renowned secret realm within the Buddhist Kingdom. Aside from the Western Heaven Temple, many major factions had dispatched their Qi Refining disciples. Xinding’s seventh-layer Qi Refining cultivation put him at the very bottom of the crowd, making him completely inconspicuous.

"The people from the Crossing River Temple have arrived!"

"That is the party from Nianci!"

"Look, the Firmament Sacred Ground is here too!" someone shouted as a group of ethereal, white-robed women flew in aboard a vessel, drawing everyone's gaze the moment they arrived.

"Is that Yu Youlan, the Holy Maiden of the Firmament Sacred Ground? I heard she was born with an Immortal Body. Her cultivation speed is astonishing, she is invincible among her peers, and she is deeply favored by the Sacred Ground's Patriarch. Her place on the Heaven, Earth, and Mortal Rankings is practically guaranteed in the future!"

Yu Youlan wore a white veil, revealing only a pair of moving, peach-blossom eyes. Though she was still young, one could already tell she was a natural beauty, possessed of many suitors.

Even the martial monks who had come with Xinding showed hints of infatuation upon seeing Yu Youlan. Only Xinding silently chanted his scriptures, unmoved by feminine beauty.

Yu Youlan remained expressionless, all too familiar with her own charm. She happened to notice Xinding, who was bowing his head in prayer, and an amused smile played at the corners of her lips.

"Hmm, an interesting little monk."

"The Firmament Sacred Ground? How does this Fairy recall a sacred ground by that very name existing back in antiquity?" Hearing the familiar name, the Immortal Fairy remembered that this Firmament Sacred Ground was considered a decent power in the ancient era, possessing two Tribulation Transmutation cultivators who were qualified to attend the lectures given by the five ancient immortals.

"Hey, Qingyan, come over here and explain what's going on."

"Reporting to the High Immortal, this Firmament Sacred Ground reportedly rose from obscurity after its founder obtained half of an ancient inheritance, eventually establishing the sacred ground. That ancient inheritance originated from a place called the Firmament Sacred Ground."

"No wonder it sounded familiar. So they possess the inheritance of the original Firmament Sacred Ground."

"It is said that the other portion of the inheritance lies inside the Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm. Every time the realm opens, the Sacred Ground sends people inside in hopes of retrieving it, though they have never succeeded."

With Venerable Qingyan, the resident know-it-all of the Buddhist Kingdom, present, many matters were easily understood.

As the ancient realm opened, Xinding entered carrying the Green Peak Sword.

The small world within the Green Peak Sword shielded cause and effect, which naturally allowed it to bypass the scanning of the realm, easily deceiving the Crimson Cloud Ancient Realm.

"So it's this place." Upon entering the realm, the Immortal Fairy was struck by sudden realization.