The Tianxuan Holy Land Six Thousand Years Ago

"Brother Luo Yan, do you think we can pass the holy land's trial and become its disciples?" A young child was traveling with him.

Luo Yan looked composed. "You'll definitely pass!"

The boy, named Wei Yi, brightened. "With your assurance, Brother Luo Yan, I can stop worrying!"

The two headed toward the distant immortal mountains. Even from afar, they could feel the drifting immortal aura and its mystery upon mystery. The auras of countless dragon veins soared into the clouds. Wave after wave of seekers of immortality arrived, drawn by its fame, and immortal cranes and divine treasures abounded.

This was the Tianxuan Holy Land six thousand years ago, before it had mobilized its entire sect to attack the Desolate Forbidden Zone-one of the transcendent holy lands of the Eastern Wasteland.

It was the third year since Luo Yan had fallen out of the River of Time. The Time Mirror had yet to awaken; it was still refining the origin of time to repair itself. With his current strength, Luo Yan could not force his way into the River of Time. Only when the Time Mirror revived could he enter it again.

Luo Yan did not belong to this stretch of history. The myriad Daos suppressed him severely, leaving him able to use less than a tenth of his strength, though that was still enough to protect himself.

The Tianxuan Holy Land possessed Nine Secrets: Xing, one of the Nine Secrets. Once mastered, it allowed one to ascend to the nine heavens or descend into the Yellow Springs-where in the world could one not go? Cultivating Nine Secrets: Xing to its pinnacle would touch upon the domain of time. Luo Yan was determined to obtain it.

Having arrived in this stretch of history, Luo Yan could hardly just sit around waiting, could he?

His lifespan was finite. He could not afford to squander his precious time.

This was undoubtedly the best time to successfully cultivate Nine Secrets: Xing. After the Tianxuan Holy Land later mobilized its entire sect to attack the Desolate Antiquity Holy Land, Nine Secrets: Xing would be lost. Its next appearance would be at Saint Cliff. Saint Cliff had originally been part of the Undying Mountain, severed and taken away by a great accomplishment sacred body. Later, Great Emperor Wushi had inscribed an Emperor Formation there to suppress a demonic being.

Anyone who was not a grandmaster of formations would face a near-certain death there. Strong as Luo Yan was, he did not dare boast that he could contend with the peerless Emperor Formation left behind by a Great Emperor. Even if he won, it would only be a bitter victory.

The Tianxuan Holy Land's trial was relatively simple, emphasizing affinity with immortality. Put plainly, it tested one's roots for immortal cultivation and one's temperament. Those two things were the keys to whether a person could cultivate.

"Peerless aptitude for immortality! Acceptable temperament! Peerless potential!" The elder conducting the test held Wei Yi's hand, so shocked that he could barely speak, his eyes fixed on the pillar of light piercing the sky.

The seekers who had come to be tested and the Tianxuan Holy Land disciples nearby all looked envious. The former lamented their lack of such talent-even a tenth of it would have been enough to enter the Immortal Gate. The latter knew that from this day onward, the Tianxuan Holy Land would have another genius disciple without equal in the world, another figure they would one day have to look up to.

Luo Yan remained calm in the face of their shock.

Wei Yi would become a Saint six thousand years later and would be one of the Tianxuan Holy Land's few survivors. Alongside the Mad Old Man, who cultivated the Six Paths of Reincarnation Fist and part of Nine Secrets: Xing, he was counted among the Tianxuan Holy Land's three outstanding talents of the age. Apart from the Tianxuan Saintess, he was one of the strongest youths of his generation.

Figures flickered, descending one after another, all with white hair and beards and kindly faces. They had come from the depths of the holy land and were rarely seen in ordinary times.

Their gazes all landed on Wei Yi, astonishment on their faces.

The moment that fleeting pillar of light had appeared, they had turned their attention here. Naturally, they knew exactly what had happened.

Without anyone needing to explain, the disciples standing respectfully nearby guessed what was going on.

These people all wanted to take Wei Yi as their disciple!

Every one of them was a towering figure, yet today they had all come for a single person!

Everyone could foresee that this child would one day soar into the heavens and become a supreme figure. He had no cultivation whatsoever, which also meant that his background was exceptionally clean! He was the ideal choice for a personal disciple.

"Child, would you be willing to take me as your master? I am a supreme elder of Rock Peak, and I happen to be in need of an heir. If you become my disciple, I will teach you everything I know!"

"Child, if you join our Thunder Peak lineage, I can teach you supreme lightning arts. Once you master them, you can even harness the divine lightning of the heavens!"

"Child..."

Clearly, all of them had set their hearts on him. This child's talent was extraordinary. If he did not perish along the way, he would surely become one of the Tianxuan Holy Land's greatest figures, and his strength might even surpass theirs.

Faced with the enthusiasm of all these old men, Wei Yi was clearly frightened. He timidly hid behind Luo Yan.

"Brother Luo Yan..."

Luo Yan stroked his head. "Don't be afraid. These seniors mean you no harm. They want to teach you supreme divine abilities so that one day you can become an immortal who soars through the skies and burrows through the earth!"

"If I become an immortal, can I go find my mother and father?" Wei Yi asked.

"Of course!"

Only then did Wei Yi muster his courage and step forward.

The elders finally noticed that this seemingly ordinary man was anything but ordinary. A mysterious resonance of the Dao surrounded him, manifest yet concealed, concealed yet manifest, wholly natural!

Had it not been for Wei Yi's actions, they would never have noticed him!

"Where do you hail from, fellow Daoist?" they asked, though their attention remained more on the child.

Luo Yan returned their greeting. "I'm merely an unaffiliated cultivator wandering the world. A year ago, I found this child in a forest outside the holy land. Vicious beasts roamed everywhere there, and he had the misfortune of becoming separated from his parents."

He said they had become separated, but everyone understood that the child's parents had most likely died.

"Have you come to visit our Tianxuan Holy Land, fellow Daoist?"

Luo Yan said, "I wouldn't presume to call it a visit. I have long admired the Tianxuan Holy Land's Saintess and wished to glimpse her sacred countenance!"

As he spoke, Luo Yan released the aura of someone at the perfected Sea of Bitterness realm, lowering his own standing.

He did not belong to this stretch of history and could not draw too much attention. If the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao set its sights on him, he would be in trouble.

The old men were strong enough to recognize that Luo Yan was concealing his cultivation, but none exposed him.

Had he come for some other purpose, they might have been suspicious. But if he had come for the Saintess, it was most likely true!

Their Saintess was renowned as the greatest beauty of the age. Her talent was outstanding, her beauty could topple cities and kingdoms, and her grace was peerless. Countless holy lands' Holy Sons yearned for her. Even the current Yaochi Goddess fell slightly short of her, and she stood above the Saintesses of other holy lands and the divine maidens of the Desolate Ancient Families.

"Wherever Brother Luo Yan goes, I'll go too!" Wei Yi was young but clever. He could tell that these people seemed unwilling to accept Brother Luo Yan.

Hearing Wei Yi's words, Luo Yan took the offered opening. "If you seniors are willing, I would be happy to cultivate alongside Wei Yi."

The elders were speechless, but they agreed nonetheless. The holy land already had "suitors" like Luo Yan! One more would do no harm.

Their most pressing concern was which lineage Wei Yi would join. This child possessed peerless talent. Though he could not compare with the Saintess, he was on par with the Holy Son! Properly nurtured, he would become another prodigy of Holy Son caliber.

The great figures argued until their faces flushed, drawing the Tianxuan Holy Land's elders and disciples to gather and watch. When had they ever seen such a spectacle? Any one of these figures could shake the outside world merely by stepping out, yet now they were squabbling over a child like old men in the mortal world.