Chapter 21: Setting Out for the Sacred Ground of Yaoguang

In Mo City, Luo Yan opened his eyes and gasped, "That was close!"

Had he not sensed his exposure in advance and manipulated the Mirror of Time to retreat into the river of time, he would have been erased by the laws of the world in an instant. After steadying his state of mind, Luo Yan stepped out of his room.

"Ancestor! You have emerged!" Luo Zongqi had been waiting outside for quite some time.

"What is with that expression? Have I been in my room for that long?"

"Not too long, about ten days or so."

Luo Yan did some mental calculations. There was still a time discrepancy; his time in the real world was not constant. "Has anything happened in these ten days?" he asked, noting that Luo Zongqi seemed to have something on his mind.

Luo Zongqi’s eyes filled with tears. "Ancestor, the Yaoguang Sacred Land has gone too far. Three days ago, they sent people to forcefully break into our Luo family home, killing our clansmen and snatching away our Hunyuan Divine Body—my poor niece, Luo Yixian! They even declared that they would raze the Luo family to the ground in a month!"

It was truly unsettling to watch a grown man sobbing before him. "I understand."

Ignoring the display, Luo Yan headed to the backyard. The donkey was lounging comfortably, munching on spiritual herbs, its legs crossed in a human-like posture with its hooves tucked behind its head. Beside it were Luo Youyou and Luo Qing; one was holding a pile of precious herbs while the other fed the animal solicitously. Nearby, Luo Huaimu and Luo Tianyuan were diligently fanning it with spiritual breezes.

Luo Yan walked up to the donkey with a dark expression, remaining silent.

The four of them stopped what they were doing the moment they saw him, and seeing the Ancestor’s foul mood, they dared not utter a word.

Sensing the sudden stillness, the donkey asked, "Where did everyone go? Why the silence? Do you not want this Divine Donkey to guide your cultivation anymore? If you ask me, your Ancestor is far too unreliable. He leaves behind a few tattered books and vanishes, leaving it to me to guide you..."

As it spoke, a chill crept up the donkey's spine. It hurriedly opened its eyes. "Something is wrong!"

"Senior! You’ve finished your seclusion? I’ve missed you so much!" The donkey scrambled to its feet, revealing large, dark eyes and twitching its ears, putting on a submissive display.

Luo Yan looked at the four attendants. "Did it force you?"

The four shook their heads frantically. "We did this voluntarily! Senior Donkey guides our cultivation, so we help it relax."

Seeing the Ancestor reaching for his sword, the four grew pale. Luo Yan let go of the hilt. The sword was merely a common holy weapon he had picked up from a ruin; it had only gained a hint of spiritual essence because he had carried it with him, and now, it was beginning to evolve into something greater.

The donkey nearly collapsed but maintained a look of grievance. "Senior, how could you think that of me? Am I that kind of donkey?"

Luo Yan glanced down at it. "Take me to the Yaoguang Sacred Land."

The donkey’s expression turned joyful. "As you wish, Master!"

Luo Yan hadn't punished it, which meant he accepted it. Why not seize the chance to build a connection? The donkey had realized that the Luo family was wealthy and had an endless supply of herbs. If it became the pet of their Ancestor, the family would surely pamper it, and it would enjoy a life of luxury. Plus, it could have a group of human servants waiting on it, all for the price of spouting a few cultivation tips. Having grown accustomed to being the center of attention, it shuddered to think of its past life eating grass in the mountains.

"Is the Ancestor setting out?"
"Wonderful! Sister Yixian is saved!"
"The Yaoguang Sacred Land has bullied us enough. Now that the Ancestor is acting personally, they will surely pay the price!"

Just then, a man with donkey-hoof prints on his face rushed out from a corner, looking excited. "The Ancestor is leading us to attack the Yaoguang Sacred Land? Honestly, I’ve despised those people for a long time! Now I can finally teach them a lesson!"

"Tianlin, you should really stop provoking Senior Donkey..."
"What do you mean 'provoke'? It’s the one who keeps threatening to keep me as a human pet! Just because I rode it once in secret!"

The four of them rolled their eyes.

"Wait, where is the Ancestor?" They suddenly realized he was gone.

***

Daluo City, also known as Luo Family City, was one of the premier cities in the Southern Domain, governed by the Luo family—a top-tier clan second only to the ancient aristocratic families.

In the silent main hall of the Luo estate, the first voice broke the quiet. "Zongqi sent word that the Ancestor has come out of seclusion. He must have repaired the Mirror of Time; I hear he has already departed for the Yaoguang Sacred Land."

"Should we go to support the Ancestor?" Everyone looked toward the head of the family.

"Go! And not just go—make it a grand display! Tell the world we are attacking the Yaoguang Sacred Land!" the clan head commanded.

"What... isn't that too much? That is a Sacred Land!" Someone worried aloud, knowing how many ancient monsters must be hidden within those walls.

The clan head’s eyes were sharp as blades. "We have been threatened with the extinction of our clan. If we shrink back now that the Ancestor has stepped forward, do you all believe it was right for the Yaoguang Sacred Land to break down our gates and slaughter our kin?"

His retort left everyone breathless. It was an intolerable shame. "Then we fight!"

The Luo family's decision was soon discovered. Facing the threat of a transcendent Sacred Land, instead of cowering, they mobilized all their disciples and marched toward Yaoguang, armed and ready, as if they intended to perish alongside them.

Rumors flew, and countless cultivators speculated. The Luo family was a top power in the Southern Domain, though no match for a behemoth like Yaoguang. Still, they boasted three ancient monsters in the Hualong Realm, and it was said the current clan head was a powerhouse at the ninth level of the Hualong Realm.

"Is the Luo family making a last stand? To exhaust the whole clan in an attack on a Sacred Land is pure overreach!"
"I think they’ve decided to go down fighting. Since they are doomed either way, they might as well go out with a roar to leave a name behind."
"They are fools to offend such a giant over a so-called Divine Body. It’s no surprise they are being crushed like ants."
"But that is a Divine Body! Once matured, it can make a family prosper for five thousand years."
"You said it yourself—'matured.' That Divine Body hasn't grown up yet, has it?"

As the crowd debated, one man shook his head. "You clearly don't know—the Luo family's Ancestor has returned to the world!"

"The Luo Ancestor? Which one? You mean *that* one?"
The man nodded. "Who else could make a Sacred Land so wary that they dare not touch the Divine Body they captured, keeping it locked away instead?"

"If it is truly that Ancestor, then the Yaoguang Sacred Land has kicked a steel plate... we might even witness a Holy War!"

"Are you talking about the one rumored to have passed away, the one whose life-bound weapon was shattered?" someone asked.

"Naturally. He is the only one who deserves the title of Ancestor. Rumor has it that the Luo family's Ancestor is a Saint who has lived for thousands of years!"