"Why am I in Western Heaven during Chinese New Year?"

Lu Yang had a strange expression. Although he practiced cultivation, he wasn’t superstitious. However, the implications of his current situation were not very auspicious.

Initially, Lu Yang was startled by the words "Western Heaven," but then he understood. Here lay Western Heaven City, managed by the Western Paradise Temple, which held a status equivalent to that of Great Xia Imperial City.

"Does the Nian Beast run so fast? It brought me to Western Heaven City in an instant?" Lu Yang felt that he hadn’t been riding on the back of the Nian Beast Clan Leader for long.

Since it was rare for him to visit Western Heaven City during Chinese New Year, and considering his treatment in Kaihuang City, Lu Yang thought it wouldn’t hurt to stroll around Western Paradise Temple.

"Hello, I’d like to enter the city."

Even on New Year’s Eve, the gates of Western Heaven City were wide open, with monks guarding the gates.

Lu Yang handed his identity proof to the gatekeeping monks.

"Lu Yang?"

The monk was startled by the name on the certificate and then, upon seeing Lu Yang’s familiar face, became even more surprised.

Could this be the legendary Lu Yang?

Lu Yang entered the city without any hindrances.

"Leaving Buddha Country is just a hassle; I’ll have to sneak across the border."

Lu Yang sighed. There was no other way; he didn’t have a departure record, only an entry record. How could he explain that?

Even if he told the Great Xia officials that he was forcibly taken out of the country by the Nian Beast, probably no one would believe him except for Jiang Pingan.

"Western Heaven City is quite lively."

Lu Yang walked leisurely, taking in the sights. The New Year atmosphere here was much stronger than at the Seek Dao Sect; at least the fireworks here wouldn’t kill anyone.

Children could be seen crouching on the ground lighting fireworks everywhere. Lu Yang, who hadn’t played with them for a long time, felt the itch in his hands and squatted down to join the children in lighting fireworks.

Sometimes Lu Yang would find unlit fireworks amongst the debris, picking them up one by one, clutching them in his palm, walking along while lighting them with the Three Flavored True Fire and tossing them aside, much amused.

The dull sound of the bell tolled, a myriad of fireworks ascending into the sky and exploding simultaneously, scattering golden sparks as cheers and Buddhist chants arose steadily throughout the city.

The New Year had arrived.

Lu Yang followed the sound of the bell toward Western Paradise Temple, from which the ringing emanated.

The Spiritual Space was equally bustling with activity—lively music, the booming of drums, the crackle of firecrackers—while Immortal Fairy Eternity cheerfully said Happy New Year amidst the hubbub.

"Also, Second-in-command, you’ve been exposed, it’s time to prepare to run," Immortal Fairy Eternity kindly added.

"Ah? Fairy, what did you say? I can’t hear you clearly!" Lu Yang shouted; the Spiritual Space was incredibly noisy.

He vaguely heard Immortal Fairy Eternity saying something intermittently about "every house’s head, to run."

In reality, suddenly a Buddha Light enveloped an area, and then it shrank, covering only Lu Yang.

A monk clad in a kasaya chanted Amitabha and then addressed the Buddha Light-covered Lu Yang, "Lu Yang Benefactor graces us with his presence. Western Paradise Temple regrets not having welcomed you from afar; would you care to join this humble monk as our guest at the temple?"

He had received a message from the guard monks that Lu Yang, the genius of the Seek Dao Sect, was visiting Western Heaven City, and as an Elder of Western Paradise Temple, it was only natural for him to personally welcome Lu Yang.

Suddenly another monk flew in with an unfriendly expression: "Elder Kong Chan, you arrived quite fast."

"Junior Brother Kong Xing flatters me."

Elder Kong Xing sneered: "Hmph, don’t think I don’t know you’re trying to use Lu Yang to find out Ye Zijin’s whereabouts."

Elder Kong Chan replied unhurriedly, "Do you share the same thought, Junior Brother?"

"Elders Kong Chan, Kong Xing, what brings you here?" Another Elder of Western Paradise Temple flew in. While addressing them, his gaze kept drifting towards Lu Yang.

More and more Elders flew over from Western Paradise Temple, causing Lu Yang’s eyes to twitch.

"So, what if I said I don’t know where my Second Senior Brother is, would you believe me?"

"Hehe, since Lu Yang Benefactor has visited our Western Paradise Temple, we shall believe him."

Hearing this, Lu Yang took to his heels and ran. This group of Elders had clearly set their sights on the relationship between him and his Second Senior Brother, determined to acquire something from him.

Handling one Elder was manageable, but who could withstand a whole group of Elders? If he didn’t run now, it would be too late!

"Chase!"

As soon as the many Elders saw Lu Yang trying to flee, they couldn’t let that happen. Displaying their Divine Abilities, Buddha Light soared to the sky, Arhats chanted scriptures, Guanyin saved souls, Worldly Venerables enlightened... Miracles abounded, instantly illuminating Western Heaven City as bright as day, and even the King of Ghosts would be purified here.

The clueless citizens, witnessing this spectacle, all came out to worship, creating a commotion that was even livelier than the New Year celebrations with bell-ringing and fireworks.

Lu Yang used Earth Shrinking to burrow into the ground, fleeing in all directions, occasionally having to change his course to evade the encircling pursuit.

"Isn’t this New Year’s Eve a bit too eventful?"

He had simply wanted to live in peace and enjoy the New Year, but who would have thought he’d encounter the Nian Beast, get swept into the currents of time, and then bewilderingly arrive at Western Paradise Temple to be warmly entertained by a group of Elders?

In terms of speed among his peers, Lu Yang was unquestionably unmatched, even the Kunpeng Clan might not meet his pace.

But this was the Western Paradise Temple, where the skies were filled with Combined Great Abilities; even with the power of three heads and six arms, he couldn’t escape.

"This won’t do, I need to think of a plan."

Lu Yang had a flash of inspiration, flipped over the high wall, created a Bodhi Wood avatar to attract attention, while his true form hid in the Green Blade Sword Small World, dropping to the ground, camouflaging as an ordinary sword.

The design of the Green Peak Sword wasn’t particularly lavish, and no one would recognize the grade of the sword.

As Lu Yang expected, the Spiritual Sense of the Western Paradise Temple Elders swept over the area several times, yet no one took notice of the ordinary longsword lying on the ground, stained with soil.

"Hmm, why is there a sword here?" The Young Monk, after finishing in the restroom, accidentally noticed an ordinary longsword lying in the bushes.

"There’s no name on the sword, did a layperson drop it here?"

"But were there any laypeople at our Temple of Miscellaneous Affairs today?"

The Young Monk was puzzled; he didn’t know much about swords but knew that the owner would be anxious about losing their possession.

"I should hand it over to the Manager."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yang realized that in his haste to hide, he had not paid attention to his surroundings and had vaulted over the wall to hide within the sword—turns out he was at the Western Paradise Temple.

However, he couldn’t let the little monk hand him over to the Manager.

"Hehe, you have a kind heart for a little monk."

"Who’s there!" The Young Monk jumped with fright, apprehensive.

"Stop looking around; it is I who am speaking."

The Young Monk’s pupils shrank immediately, almost throwing the sword away in fear.

The sword was speaking!

"Who, who are you? I must tell you, this is Western Paradise Temple!"

"Hehe, how does that matter to me—can Western Paradise Temple do anything to me?"

"Who, who exactly are you?"

"I am Tofu Heavenly Venerable, have you, little monk, heard of my name?"

The Young Monk showed a puzzled expression.

Noticing the Young Monk’s expression, the consciousness within the sword felt somewhat desolate.

"Countless ages in the blink of an eye, the mortal world’s past turns to smoke. Did I, who once reigned supreme over the heavens, joyously soaring through the skies, befriending heaven and earth, shining alongside the sun and the moon, witness the eons, to now awaken and find that the people of later generations no longer know of me?"