Chapter 1037: Holy Lord of the Sky Dome

"What is happening?" The Qi Refining cultivators on the outer perimeter were utterly bewildered as the ground heaved and the mountains shook violently.

"What caused this?"

"No idea. I heard the predecessors discovered the Chixiao Ancient Realm over two hundred thousand years ago, but nothing like this has ever been reported."

Not just the ancient stone hall, but the entire ancient realm was trembling. Overcome with terror and uncertain whether this upheaval portended fortune or disaster, everyone halted their hands, abandoning the struggle for the ancient Foundation Establishment grass.

The two individuals at the epicenter of the disruption were equally clueless about what was unfolding.

They watched as the final cluster of enveloping chaotic mist dispersed, revealing an ancient coffin that shuddered incessantly, releasing wisps of a terrifying aura.

"Is... is it a corpse reanimating?" Yu Youlan stammered, staring fearfully at the ancient coffin.

Within the minor world of the Azure Peak Sword, Lu Yang was filled with questions, wondering whose idea of a reward was giving themselves away.

Accompanied by the accelerating heartbeats of Xinding and Yu Youlan, a skeletal hand suddenly thrust out from the coffin, gripping its edge.

With a heave of the skeletal hand, the coffin lid flew open with a resounding crash, flipping twice in the air before slamming into the ground and gouging out a massive crater!

"A great dream ends in vanity; let joys and sorrows pass without concern. To think that I would have a day to reappear in this world."

The white skeleton stood up, its eyes hollow save for two drifting clusters of eerie green ghost fire.

As the skeleton arose, the tribulation-transcendence aura was brought under control, and the ancient realm ceased its shaking.

The skeleton gazed at Xinding and Yu Youlan, asking coldly, "Two juniors, what year is it today, and which fellow Daoist rules the world?"

Xinding and Yu Youlan looked at each other in mutual bewilderment. The skeleton spoke an ancient tongue that they could not comprehend at all.

The ancient language Xinding had used earlier to control the spirits in the side hall had been taught to him on the spot by Lu Yang.

The Holy Lord of the Firmament frowned slightly, finding it strange. Why were these two unresponsive? Had they been frightened witless by him?

Just as the Holy Lord of the Firmament was wondering, he saw Xinding lower his head and raise it again. In the blink of an eye, he seemed like an entirely different person, his eyes deep as if he had witnessed endless vicissitudes, viewing all things in the world as mere passing clouds.

"Hehe, Xuan Tianzi, I did not expect you to be here."

"What error occurred in your method of concealment that caused your physical body to fail the trial of three hundred thousand years, leaving behind only this skeletal frame in the blink of an eye?"

Xinding was also speaking the ancient language!

The Holy Lord of the Firmament was taken aback. He had not expected that even after turning into a skeleton, the other party could recognize him and know his name, so he asked politely, "Who might you be, fellow Daoist?"

He must surely be some fellow Daoist from the ancient times.

"Who am I?" Xinding chuckled twice, as if finding the question utterly amusing, or perhaps mocking the Holy Lord of the Firmament for being blind to a true immortal.

"Zhu Tian treats me with the utmost respect, Xiao Ling and Lian Yi address me as Senior Brother, and the Immortal Ying Tian calls me friend. Who do you think I am?"

A stormy wave surged in the heart of the Holy Lord of the Firmament. How could this be? What manner of supreme expert was this person?

If what the other party said was true, then he did not even possess the qualifications to address him as "fellow Daoist"!

"You do not believe me?"

"Reasonable enough. Words alone carry no proof; it is normal to doubt. Then how about this?"

The Tofu Celestial gave a soft laugh, and a terrifying aura rose behind Xinding, one that only the Holy Lord of the Firmament could perceive!

An immortal!

Sensing this aura, the Holy Lord of the Firmament showed a look of horror and retreated several steps in succession!

An identity could be forged, but this aura could by no means be faked!

Only now did the Holy Lord of the Firmament notice the Azure Peak Sword wrapped in coarse cloth on Xinding's back.

Although he did not recognize the Azure Peak Sword, the Holy Lord of the Firmament was, after all, a person of the ancient era who frequently attended the lectures of the Immortal Ying Tian. He recognized at a single glance that this was a genuine immortal artifact!

"Senior..."

The Holy Lord of the Firmament was filled with awe and trepidation, not daring to harbor the slightest trace of disrespect.

"I am the Tofu Celestial."

The Holy Lord of the Firmament racked his brains to recall which of the four ancient immortals had ever used the title of Tofu Celestial, but after reviewing them all, he could think of none.

This style of naming did not resemble that of the four ancient immortals.

Even without knowing the true identity of the Tofu Celestial, his etiquette had to be flawless: "Xuan Tianzi pays respects to the Tofu Celestial!"

"Let us speak of you. Why did you choose to slumber until now?"

"Answering Senior, in truth, I had not originally intended to preserve my physical flesh. Having my soul attach to this skeleton now was my original intent."

"Oh?"

The Holy Lord of the Firmament gave a bitter smile. "With a cultivation base like Senior's, it is likely impossible to comprehend the anxieties of a junior. I am merely at the late stage of Tribulation Transcendence, a meager cultivation. In the ancient era, it was difficult to make a name for oneself. Even hiding one's identity made it easy to run into other fellow Daoists doing the same, which was always awkward, and if one encountered a semi-immortal, it was even more embarrassing."

"Failing to carry out the teachings of the Immortal Venerable Ying Tian truly fills me with shame."

"I conceived a clever plan to slumber for hundreds of thousands of years, to be resurrected as a remnant soul within a novice young cultivator, guiding their training and showing off before others."

"Moreover, my lifespan was limited, with less than two thousand years remaining, and I had nothing left to yearn for. Thus, I chose to sleep in this secret realm, awaiting a destined young cultivator to arrive at the inner hall."

"I never imagined I would encounter Senior here."

Lu Yang: "..."

Could you ancient cultivators please focus on some proper matters, like learning from that someone...

Lu Yang drew a blank. It seemed there was no one in the ancient era worth learning from, with the five ancient immortals leading the way in fooling around.

"I am burdened with countless karmic causes and must possess this junior to dissolve them. Though this junior possesses ordinary talent, his character is excellent and he will surely become a great figure in the future. After I depart, you may take my place in possessing this junior."

Lu Yang had inquired with the Immortal Fairy about the character of the Holy Lord of the Firmament, and the evaluation was decent—he was a good-natured old fellow.

Lu Yang genuinely felt that Xinding was a moldable talent. The West Heaven Temple had been blind to miss it all this time. If such a talent were nurtured properly, his achievements would certainly not be low.

By helping the West Heaven Temple nurture talent, the West Heaven Temple ought to thank him.

"My thanks to Senior!"

The Holy Lord of the Firmament was overjoyed. A person like Xinding was exactly what he needed; someone with excessive talent would instead ruin the fun.

Furthermore, to be held in such high regard by the Tofu Celestial, there could certainly be no mistake.

"Before that, you shall wait within the secret realm."

"Understood!"

Seeing the matter concluded, Lu Yang withdrew to the minor world of the Azure Peak Sword, returning the body to Xinding.

Yu Youlan stood frozen in place, her mind unable to calm down for a long time.

What had just transpired? Xinding had shown no fear whatsoever in the face of the Holy Lord of the Firmament, conversing with him in the ancient tongue. Though she could not understand their dialogue, judging from the bow the Holy Lord of the Firmament offered Xinding, Xinding's identity was likely far more terrifying than she had imagined!

Truly a man worthy of my regard.

Xinding returned to his senses. He had not understood what the Tofu Celestial said either, but seeing the respectful attitude of the Holy Lord of the Firmament toward the Tofu Celestial, he knew the Tofu Celestial's previous words were true—a Tribulation Transcendence cultivator was merely a junior before him.

This made him increasingly certain that he must not expose the matter of the Tofu Celestial, lest it bring catastrophic ruin upon the West Heaven Temple.

"Benefactor Yu, let us depart."

Lu Yang did not have Xinding select any inheritance. With the Holy Lord of the Firmament present anyway, the inheritances of the secret realm would ultimately belong to Xinding.