Chapter 22: Excuse me, is this the Sacred Land of Yaoguang?

The Yaoguang Holy Land.

A group of elders gathered together. These individuals belonged to the lineage of the Ruthless Emperor, their expressions solemn and their countenances cold. They had been monitoring every move of the Luo family, and reports reached the Holy Land quickly.

Three days ago, when they abducted Luo Yixian from the Luo family, they could have easily wiped out the entire clan. It would have been swift and decisive, utilizing an expert at the third level of the Sendai realm—a Great Accomplished King. Under normal circumstances, such a figure could easily annihilate a family that lacked even a single practitioner in the Sendai secret realm. However, a piece of news forced them to halt their plans: the Luo family’s ancestor, a Saint, was suspected to be alive.

A living contemporary Saint, and an ancient sage at that—no one knew how far he had progressed. Ultimately, the Yaoguang Holy Land did not dare to exterminate the Luo family. If they acted and the Saint were still alive, it would spell catastrophe for the Holy Land, an irredeemable disaster. Thus, they announced that they would raze the Luo family in ten days, a move intended both to intimidate the Southern Region and to indirectly test whether the ancestor truly lived.

Now, the Luo family had mobilized their entire strength to march on the Yaoguang Holy Land, signaling a terrifying truth: the ancestor was alive and currently on his way. The Luo family was demonstrating their stance, rallying in support of their progenitor.

"It seems the Luo family's Saint is truly alive! And he is likely on his way here. Time is running out, gentlemen. We must decide on a course of action," one elder said.

Another elder of the Ruthless lineage spoke with disdain: "What is there to fear? If he dares to come, we dare to keep him here! Does he think the Holy Land is some ordinary place? Though Saints are rarely seen in this age, our Yaoguang Holy Land is not without true Saints of our own!"

"Do not forget, Yaoguang has more than one Saint. If it comes to a fight, that so-called Luo ancestor will only meet his death here. I refuse to believe he would dare to challenge an entire Holy Land alone!" another added confidently, certain the ancestor would not dare to strike.

"Precisely! At worst, we pay a small price."

From the beginning, they had looked down upon this so-called top-tier clan of the Southern Region. How could a few thousand years of heritage compare to their own history of over a hundred thousand years? They possessed the Ultimate Emperor Weapon, the Dragon-Patterned Black Gold Cauldron. Could a mere family that had produced a single Saint really overturn the heavens? At worst, they would unleash the power of the Ultimate Emperor to slay a Saint! They had that level of confidence.

At this moment, the man sitting at the head of the table, pristine and wrapped in divine light like a banished immortal, spoke: "What if the Saints of the Yaoguang Holy Land do not act?"

This man was the Yaoguang Saint Son. Chosen by the Ruthless lineage at the age of five, he inherited the legendary Undying Heaven Art. Though he appeared young, his mind was steady, and he possessed the aura of a true leader, his body wreathed in divine radiance.

The room fell silent. A high-ranking elder spoke: "Saint Son, do not worry. At least two of the Saints sealed within the Yaoguang Holy Land belong to our Ruthless lineage; when the critical moment arrives, they will surely stand to support you! You are the most suitable successor for the Undying Heaven Art in ten thousand years, the one with the potential to become the second Ruthless Empress!"

This was the appraisal given to him by the Ruthless lineage, revealing the immense value they placed upon him. Now, even such secrets were being laid bare. Within the Yaoguang Holy Land, among the Saints sealed in divine sources, at least two were of the Ruthless lineage and practiced the Heaven-Swallowing Demon Art!

The crowd was astonished. It was clear they had not known of this secret, though they had heard rumors and harbored suspicions. Hearing it confirmed was another matter entirely—it was truly shocking. The Ruthless lineage had roots that ran deep within the Yaoguang Holy Land.

"With this, we can rest easy. With the support of two Saints, what waves could a single Saint from the Luo family possibly stir up?" The elders breathed a sigh of relief, their panic instantly vanishing.

...

"Excuse me, is this the Yaoguang Holy Land?"

A disciple of the Yaoguang Holy Land stared with suspicion at the man leading a donkey. He could not fathom how someone could ask such a foolish question. If this wasn't the Yaoguang Holy Land, what was it? Were they here to cause trouble?

Just as he was about to berate the man, he caught a glimpse of the donkey. It held its head high, looking remarkably extraordinary, and exuded an aura of strength comparable to some of the Holy Land's elders. He suppressed his anger and explained, "This is indeed the territory of the Yaoguang Holy Land. If you continue straight ahead, you will see the Holy Land shortly."

"I see. Finally here. You’re not bad—you know the way and haven't led us astray," Luo Yan praised the donkey.

The donkey immediately claimed credit: "Of course! Knowing you were returning to the Yaoguang Holy Land, Master, I spent the entire morning memorizing the map of the Eastern Wasteland in my brain! I’m not bragging, but as long as you name any place marked on the map, there isn't a single one I don't know!"

A donkey that could talk?

The Yaoguang disciple’s pupils constricted. The donkey’s lineage was exceptional, its cultivation was not low, and it could actually speak human language! What was the origin of the man riding this donkey? He speculated that he must have encountered an old master. Though he appeared to be a youth in his twenties, perhaps it was merely a veil to conceal his true appearance.

"May I ask what business brings you to the Yaoguang Holy Land, Senior? Do you need this junior to announce your arrival or guide the way?" the disciple asked. If he could befriend such a powerful figure and leave a good impression, he might even be taken on as a disciple!

Although he was a disciple of the Yaoguang Holy Land, his true status was quite low; his talent was the weakest among his peers.

Luo Yan looked at him and said, "I am here to cause trouble for your Yaoguang Holy Land. You need not inquire about my identity any further."

Hearing this, the nearby disciples, including him, quickly gathered around and stared intensely at Luo Yan. "Senior, please, do not joke!"

Luo Yan stepped forward, clenched his fist, and swung.

In an instant, a divine punch struck the mountain gate of the Yaoguang Holy Land with the force of a decaying forest being swept away.

"Boom!"

"Crack!"

"Who dares to destroy the stone plaque of our Yaoguang Holy Land!" A roar echoed from within.

For tens of thousands of years, no one had dared to provoke the Yaoguang Holy Land. Yet now, someone had used their fist to destroy the gate's facade. This was not merely breaking a plaque; it was a slap to the face of the Holy Land! As one of the Holy Lands of the Southern Region, effectively the master of this vast territory, to be humiliated in such a way was unthinkable.

Facing that voice, Luo Yan glanced up: "Just entered the Sendai realm?"

He threw another punch.

The blow contained supreme divine power, wreathed in the laws of the Great Dao. Even a Saint would not dare to claim they could easily catch it.

"Bold! You seek death!" the voice cried out, flying forward to meet the blow head-on.

"Ah..."

"No..."

A miserable cry rang out. The crowd watched in shock as the figure above was blasted into fragments.