Although there were people in the Ancient Realm who devoured the Ancient Foundation Establishment Grass raw, becoming Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, commanding the winds and summoning the rains within the Ancient Realm, rallying troops and hastily forming small forces to snatch resources.

There emerged Qi Refinement Consummation cultivators who defied expectations by defeating Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, creating a sensation for a time.

There was the incident of a female cultivator being drugged by a Holy Land cultivator, and a male cultivator acting heroically to defeat the Holy Land cultivator; afterward, he shared a night of passion with the female cultivator. Filled with guilt afterwards, the male cultivator saw it as an accident while the female cultivator, in fact, harbored a budding affection.

There emerged a series of situations such as Holy Land cultivators secretly struggling amongst themselves for the position of successor.

But none of these had anything to do with Xin Ding and Yu Youlan.

In order not to leave the Ancient Realm prematurely and attract attention, the two stayed in the Inner Hall for three days without going anywhere.

Actually, it was mainly Xin Ding who feared attracting attention. As the Holy Daughter, Yu Youlan had nothing to fear from covetous stares; she stayed in the Inner Hall to keep Xin Ding company.

When the Chi Xiao Ancient Realm closed, everyone automatically left the Ancient Realm.

"How was your harvest?" Zhi Kong asked, curious about their gains upon seeing everyone emerge.

"I only found one Ancient Foundation Establishment Grass," Xin Chen took out a Foundation Establishment Grass, which he had found only on the last day as it was about to end.

"To find a Foundation Establishment Grass is already very good, put it away," Zhi Kong consoled him with a few words.

"I didn’t find any Foundation Establishment Grass, but I stumbled upon a piece of Ghost Essence while converting a lost soul."

"This piece of Ghost Essence is of fine quality, worth two Foundation Establishment Pills."

"I found one."

"I found two."

"I found six," said the Qi Refinement Consummation Martial Monk boastfully, throwing a challenging glance at Xin Ding. He was the very person who had previously suggested that the old Martial Monks teaching new ones was a tradition.

"To actually find six!"

"That’s impressive."

Voices of admiration rose intermittently from the Martial Monk Institute.

"Junior Brother Xin Ding, how about you?" asked the Martial Monk casually, as if in passing. He had not seen Xin Ding in the Ancient Realm the whole time and assumed the young man had hidden away in fear, not daring to search for the Foundation Establishment Grass.

Xin Ding hesitated for a moment, feeling as if this Senior Brother was provoking him, yet somehow not.

He took out a handful of Ancient Foundation Establishment Grass from his bosom, speaking deliberately.

"I found ten."

"Ten?!"

"How is that possible?"

The crowd was astounded, even Zhi Kong somewhat shocked. Finding Foundation Establishment Grass was not simply a matter of luck; it certainly involved competition. Xin Ding was only at the seventh level of Qi Refinement, so how could he outcompete those at the ninth level or Consummation of Qi Refinement?

Just as the crowd was filled with surprise and envy, the people not far away started to stir – it was Yu Youlan running towards them.

"Junior Brother Xin Ding, I’m leaving first. We’ll meet again!" Yu Youlan winked at Xin Ding, flashing a mischievous smile.

Not only the Martial Monk Institute but all cultivators who had come to participate in the Chi Xiao Ancient Realm were surprised – Yu Youlan had never shown such an affectionate demeanor to anyone before!

What had happened between these two in the Chi Xiao Ancient Realm?!

Xin Ding chanted an Amitabha Buddha silently, not understanding why everyone reacted so strongly. Weren’t they all monks who should regard female beauty as skeletal illusions?

…

Western Paradise Temple, Abbot’s quarters.

On the chessboard, the black and white pieces were clearly demarcated. A tall elder, draped in a lavish kasaya, held a black piece without expression, while an elder in coarse linen garments held a white piece with a smile.

As if frozen in place, the elder in the lavish kasaya was unable to set down his black piece for the longest time. In the end, he sighed softly, no longer persisting, "Junior Brother, you have won."

The coarse-clothed elder was not surprised by the outcome of the chess game, "Master Mingyu, you play chess too hastily."

The gorgeously robed elder was none other than the abbot of the Western Paradise Temple, Master Mingyu, and the other was the temple’s hidden master, Master Ming Huai, the sweeper of the Scripture Pavilion.

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"You’re right, I have been feeling restless lately, sensing that something big is going to happen." Master Mingyu sighed, a sentiment he could only share with his junior brother, Ming Huai.

"A big event?" Master Ming Huai was puzzled, wondering what kind of significant event could possibly befall their Western Paradise Temple.

"I can’t put my finger on it, just a feeling." Master Mingyu shook his head; he had practiced Zen meditation his entire life and often had a certain premonition about things in the unseen world, especially concerning the Western Paradise Temple.

"Then again, it may be that I have been too impatient with my cultivation lately, and my mind state is somewhat unstable," Master Mingyu said with a self-deprecating smile.

"Speaking of issues with the mind state, it’s not just me. Have you heard of Ye Zijin?" Master Mingyu brought up another matter.

"I have heard of him. Isn’t he the one who has been causing trouble across the Buddha Country, building temples, forging Buddha statues, and promoting false Buddhist teachings?" Master Ming Huai didn’t pay much attention to External affairs.

"That’s about right, but the most important thing is that he talks in a very irritating manner, and the elders all have grievances against him, eager to catch him."

Master Ming Huai smiled nonchalantly, seeing it as a minor issue, "How can words be irritating? It seems the younger generation’s cultivation still falls short."

Master Mingyu nodded, "That’s what I think, too, which is why I’ve left Ye Zijin alone, hoping the elders would realize their shortcomings and cultivate their mind state through this."

Master Ming Huai picked up the broom and stood up to take his leave, "Enough chat for now, there’s an intruder in the Scripture Pavilion. I’ll go back and check."

...

In the first level of the Scripture Pavilion, a shifty figure was skulking about, searching for something.

"Ha, such a daring youth, coming to steal from the Scripture Pavilion."

The figure jumped in fright, not expecting to be discovered.

Turning around, he saw an elderly sweeper at the end of the hallway, who had appeared there without notice.

"I take my leave!"

The figure turned and ran.

"Young man, don’t rush off. Why not keep this old man company for a game of chess?"

The figure’s expression flickered, only to find a chessboard set up before him, with the elderly sweeper sitting opposite him.

"Are you Ye Zijin?" The sweeper’s eyes were cloudy, yet he saw through the identity of the shadowy figure at a glance.

"Yes." Ye Zijin knew he could not escape, so he resigned himself to playing chess.

The two chatted while they played chess.

"To reach the mid-stage of Unification at such a young age, with so many unable to catch you – you’re quite capable."

"Do you know that playing chess is much like life itself? Whether a black stone or a white, each requires careful consideration so that you place your pieces without regret."

"I’m old, so I tend to ramble on."

"What are you saying, senior? To receive guidance from you is my good fortune," Ye Zijin replied respectfully.

"Not many young ones are willing to listen to an old man like me. In Go, the initial setup dictates the game; in life, planning determines the future. You’ve strayed off the path and joined the Seek Dao Sect; life is an endless sea of suffering, but it’s not too late to turn back…"

The sweeper seeing that Ye Zijin was polite and not as annoying as the rumors suggested, wanted to persuade him a bit more.

Ye Zijin placed the last white stone, looking somewhat embarrassed, "Uh, elder, I’ve won."

The sweeper was taken aback; he loved chess and had never lost before, but today, he had unexpectedly been defeated by a junior.

It was only a game of chess, after all, and the sweeper did not take it to heart; he stroked his beard and laughed heartily, "Old and no longer useful."

Ye Zijin hurriedly offered a smile, "You’re still spry."