Elder Qing Yan had reached the stage of Transcendence Tribulation not solely because of his terrifying talent, amazing strategic mind, relentless perseverance, and luck.

At critical moments, he knew when to cave in.

"Not bad," Lu Yang said as he strolled with his hands behind his back, inspecting the small cabin with a refined air.

After all, it was a Great Power from the stage of Transcendence Tribulation that had constructed it, making it extraordinary. The workmanship of the small cabin was exquisite, devoid of even a single splinter.

The cabin contained everything, including tables, chairs, benches, beds, and wardrobes.

"Wait, why is there only one bed?" Lu Yang frowned. If he was to sleep here, where would Fairy sleep?

Elder Qing Yan was surprised, "Given your relationship with Great Immortal, aren’t you supposed to share the same bed?"

"Hm?"

"Hm?"

Realizing his mistake and having a disagreement with the leader, Elder Qing Yan knew the fault was his and quickly corrected himself, "It was my oversight. I’ll make another bed right away."

"One bed is just fine," Immortal Fairy floated out and thought the small cabin was acceptable. Although it was nowhere close to Zhu Tian, it was still decent; even the Great Xia Palace was made by someone at the stage of Transcendence Tribulation.

"This..." Elder Qing Yan’s gaze wandered uncertainly, not sure whom to listen to. Logically, he should heed Great Immortal’s words, but offending Great Immortal’s favored one also seemed to promise no good ending.

"Fairy, if there’s only one bed, where would I sleep?"

"Isn’t this bed quite large, too large for us both?" Immortal Fairy gestured, indicating the bed was even larger than those in the Spiritual Space.

"As the Emperor of the Great Bean Dynasty, with a body worth thousands in gold, it would be presumptuous and terrifying for me to share a bed with Your Majesty. That’s what male consorts do."

"Are you a male consort?" Immortal Fairy hadn’t heard this term before and asked out of curiosity.

Lu Yang replied seriously, "No."

"Well, alright then, let’s have two beds."

Seeing this, Elder Qing Yan thought it might be better to follow Lu Yang’s lead in the future.

After one night, the Elders of the Western Paradise Temple were still tirelessly searching for any trace of Ye Zijin, having turned Western Heaven City upside down without success.

Xin Ding’s life became more interesting due to Yu Youlan’s one-sided flirtation, leading to frequent challenges from Cultivators, not few of whom held enmity towards Yu Youlan. They were all at the Consummation of Qi Refinement level, and to fight Xin Ding at their level would be seen as bullying the weak, so they sent subordinates equivalent to Xin Ding’s seven layers of Qi Cultivation.

With the Yinglong Visualization, having learned the Arhat Fist and Lion Roar Skill, Xin Ding was invincible at his level.

Cultivators of the seventh layer of Qi would be defeated, then those of the eighth, followed by the ninth, until the ones at the Consummation of Qi Refinement themselves stepped into the fray.

Xin Ding fought like a force of nature, growing stronger with each battle, nurturing his combat skills and understanding of the Arhat Fist and Lion Roar Skill, which was awe-inspiring.

"With such talent, he surely has a place in the Upper Temple of Martial Monks in the future," someone commented.

"It’s hard to say; he has the lowest tier, the Five Spirits Root. Although he excels in the Qi Cultivation Stage, that is just because of the limited techniques available in this stage, and he just happens to have learned the Lion Roar Skill, which isn’t typically accessible during the Qi Cultivation Stage."

"Once he reaches the Foundation Establishment Stage, he will falter. It’s only a matter of time before the glory fades."

"True, did you think a mere Servant Monk could strut around indefinitely?"

"Even if he has a relative at the Divinity Transformation Stage, what of it? He is still just a Five Spirits Root. Can he really surpass our Four Spirit Roots in cultivation talent?"

Xin Ding faced various gossip about him indifferently, disregarding it and focusing on his cultivation.

Two months later, Master Mingyu summoned all monks at the Qi Cultivation Stage to enter the Western Heaven Secret Realm, from the Servant Monk Institute, Martial Monk Institute, Dining Hall, Precepts Court… It was an annual summoning by Master Mingyu, but no one in the Western Paradise Temple knew what was inside the Western Heaven Secret Realm, and even if they questioned the monks afterward, it was futile, for they had all forgotten.

All monks of the Qi Cultivation Stage entered the secret realm, leaving the Western Paradise Temple eerily empty, prompting two managers of the Martial Monk Institute to start a casual conversation.

"Is there some sort of realm restriction for this Western Heaven Secret Realm, otherwise why only allow cultivators in the Qi Cultivation Stage and not let us enter?"

"Is it possible that we entered when we were at the Qi Cultivation Stage?"

"Ah, you have a point."

...

For many, it was their first time seeing Master Mingyu. The monks could hardly hide their excitement, although they had no idea where Master Mingyu was leading them.

It was also Lu Yang’s first encounter with the ruler of Buddha Country.

Master Mingyu, towering and prominent in the crowd, wore an ornate kasaya that underscored his high status.

Recently, Xin Ding had become notably prominent, attracting both admiring and envious gazes.

Master Mingyu led everyone behind the Abbot’s Courtyard, to a place shrouded in chaotic mist, a forbidden area where all Spiritual Sense was banned, accessible only to Master Mingyu himself. The Western Heaven Secret Realm was hidden somewhere within this chaotic mist, making its exact location unknown to all.

"The realm is open, right within the mouth of a stone lion," said Fairy Eternity, and apart from Master Mingyu, only the Immortal Fairy could discern what was happening in the entire chaotic forbidden area.

Master Mingyu tweaked a tooth of the stone lion and the entrance to the Western Heaven Secret Realm opened, with all the monks entering in succession.

"Such a thick Buddha Breath." Upon entering the secret realm, through his Green Blade Sword Small World, Lu Yang could feel the Buddha Breath from the outside world, leaving him astounded.

This was Buddha Breath used for purification and deliverance, but Lu Yang had never encountered such intense Buddha Breath before.

All the monks stood blankly with empty eyes.

"Are they under the influence of Buddha Breath, entering an illusion?" Lu Yang speculated as his cultivation technique was highly sensitive to illusions; it seemed that facing illusions was the test of the Western Heaven Secret Realm.

"I wonder if anyone from this batch will pass the test," Master Mingyu was uncertain, as it had been a long time since any monk had passed the secret realm test, not even he had passed, tracing back 12,000 years when his own master was at the Qi Cultivation Stage.

"Perhaps Xin Zhen of the Precepts Court holds some hope," Master Mingyu looked towards a monk with large ears, whose face resembled a Buddha statue. He had heard from the head of the Precepts Court that this Xin Zhen was a rare and admirable seedling, naturally resembling a Buddha, proficient in Buddhist doctrine, and a person of integrity, praised by all who knew him.

As for Xin Ding, he had also heard of him, but Xin Ding was famous for his combat power rather than for Buddhist teachings.

To pass the test of the secret realm, one’s cultivation level wasn’t important—it was the understanding of Buddhist teachings that mattered.

"Let’s see their choices in the illusion," Master Mingyu chanted a Buddhist invocation, merged with the Buddha Breath, and entered the illusion.

In the illusion, Xin Zhen was baking in the harsh sun, shirtless, bearing heavy rocks to construct a deity statue. Accidentally, a rock fell and broke a corner. Seeing this, the overseer was furious and began whipping him. Xin Zhen pressed his palms together, chanted sutras, and entered a state of self-transcendence, oblivious to the physical pain.

"To endure such pain without a change in expression—impressive," Master Mingyu praised.

"Have I heard that Xin Ding is also a promising seedling from the Martial Monk Institute?" Master Mingyu remembered Xin Ding and entered his illusion.

As soon as he entered the illusion, he heard a series of agonizing screams, distressingly acute.

Master Mingyu frowned. How could Xin Ding have such a disposition, unable to bear even a bit of pain?

Then he saw Xin Ding whipping the overseer with a lash.