"What's going on?"
Gu Qingfeng asked curiously.
"In a few days, the Lingluo Ancestral Realm will open, and everyone will go to pay homage!"
"Lingluo Ancestral Realm? What's that?"
Gu Qingfeng looked utterly confused. "I spent some years in the Lingluo Heavenly Domain back in the day. How come I never heard of any 'Lingluo Ancestral Realm' or 'paying homage'? Pay homage to what?"
"Nonsense! Of course, to pay homage to the ancestor of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain."
Huode asked, "You, kid, are considered a person of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain. Don't tell me you don't even know who the ancestor of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain is?"
"I have some impression," Gu Qingfeng said. "It's that legendary Lingluo Emperor who founded the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, right?"
"Exactly! That's the venerable one!"
"If I remember correctly, Lingluo Emperor seems to be a figure from the Primordial Era. Rumor has it he's long since turned to ashes, hasn't he?"
"This is the Lingluo Heavenly Domain. Can you not talk nonsense, kid? And who told you Lingluo Emperor turned to ashes?"
"What? Don't tell me he's still alive?"
"Well... how should I put it? He can't exactly be considered alive either. Rumor has it that our ancestor of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain fell into a deep slumber when the Primordial Era ended."
"What 'slumber'? Putting it nicely, it's slumber; putting it bluntly, he's just dead. What kind of bullshit is that!"
"Gu kid, can you not say it like that?"
Huode shot him a glare and explained, "Our ancestor of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain really is just slumbering. However, he awakens once every so often, and each time before he awakens, the Lingluo Heavenly Domain will be filled with Lingluo Light, just like now."
"There's such a thing? How come I never heard of it?"
"Back then, you were either busy fighting and killing everywhere or busy chasing girls. It's no wonder you didn't know. Besides, you've only been in the Great Desolate for a few hundred years at most. It's normal you haven't heard of this."
"So you know about it?"
"Of course."
Huode said rather smugly, "Don't forget, I've been in the Great Desolate for nearly ten thousand years. I dare not claim to know everything under heaven, but I do know a thing or two about many matters in the Great Desolate."
At this moment, Huode stroked his beard like a venerable senior expert and said, "Take this homage event, for example. It's a grand occasion in our Lingluo Heavenly Domain. Every time our Lingluo ancestor awakens, all the major immortal realms, great families, great worlds, and forces big and small within the heavenly domain, all the notable figures—whether they're in seclusion or out training—will rush back immediately."
"Rush back to do what? All to pay homage to the Lingluo ancestor?"
"Of course."
Huode continued, "After our ancestor of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain awakens, the Lingluo Ancestral Realm will open. Rumor has it that it's the ancestor's cultivation ground, containing precious Flowing Light Spiritual Energy. A single breath of it is worth a hundred years of arduous cultivation. Do you think that's all? No, the Ancestral Realm itself is profoundly mysterious, ever-changing. Many people have obtained great or small fortunes inside. Countless have experienced sudden enlightenment, their cultivation advancing by leaps and bounds."
"Is it that miraculous?"
"Why would I lie to you? I'm not afraid to tell you, kid. In the ten thousand years since the Modern Era began, the Lingluo ancestor has awakened three times. I've gone to pay homage each time, and... each time I benefited immensely. That feeling... how should I put it? It's like a sudden enlightenment, absolutely wonderful."
At this point, Huode lowered his voice. "Legend has it that the Ancestral Realm contains the lifeblood of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain."
"Oh? Really?"
"As for whether it's true or not, I don't know. I just heard it from others."
Gu Qingfeng rubbed his chin, gazing at the radiance enveloping the Lingluo Heavenly Domain. "After that Lingluo ancestor awakens each time, does he say anything to you all?"
"Say anything? Nothing at all."
Huode thought for a moment. "At least, in the three times I went to pay homage, I never saw the ancestor speak."
"Then what's the purpose of this ancestor awakening periodically?"
"This... I don't know either. No one bothers about that question. Anyway, every time the ancestor awakens, he bestows grace upon the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, and everyone benefits greatly. As for why the ancestor awakens periodically... probably no one knows."
Gu Qingfeng asked no more, simply staring intently at the radiance enveloping the Lingluo Heavenly Domain.
"Gu kid, what are you looking at?"
"I feel like this radiance looks somewhat familiar. Not exactly familiar... but a very... very peculiar feeling."
"What do you mean? You've never paid homage to the ancestor before, right? How could it look familiar?"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head. "That's exactly why I find it strange."
The more he looked, the more he felt the radiance enveloping the Lingluo Heavenly Domain gave him a sense of déjà vu.
Nowadays, whenever he had a sense of déjà vu, Gu Qingfeng's heart would skip a beat.
Because in his experience, whenever something gave him a sense of déjà vu, nine times out of ten it was related to the Daoless Era.
Now, this radiance of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain was giving him that same sense of déjà vu. Gu Qingfeng wondered if the ancestor of the Lingluo Heavenly Domain might also be connected to the Daoless Era?
Unclear.
Gu Qingfeng didn't press further. He figured since they happened to be here, he'd just go in and take a look when the ancestor awakened; then everything would become clear.
"How much longer before the Ancestral Realm opens?"
Huode glanced at the radiance enveloping the Lingluo Heavenly Domain. "Judging by the signs, it should be soon."
"In that case, let's first find a place to eat, drink, and get some sleep. Also, you old man promised to take me out for a good time."
"Don't you worry, kid. Once we're in the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, it's like being in our own home. Go wild, do whatever you want. If anyone dares to object, I'll finish them off myself!"
Hearing this, Gu Qingfeng, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped. He looked Huode up and down, teasing, "Well, well! Huode, quite the big talker. From the sound of it, you make it seem like the Lingluo Heavenly Domain is your turf."
"Heh heh! Gu kid, you hit the nail on the head. The Lingluo Heavenly Domain really is my turf. After all, I spent a thousand years here back in the day. You think I wasted those thousand years?"
Huode's expression was exceedingly smug, his nostrils practically flaring to the sky. "Gu kid, I'm not bragging, but although I'm not some overlord who commands the wind and rain in the Lingluo Heavenly Domain, I'm definitely a great lord who commands respect in these parts."
"Really?"
Gu Qingfeng said skeptically, "If you're really that impressive, how come those Immortals from the Lingluo Heavenly Domain on the Xuantian Vessel earlier didn't recognize you?"
"Those people were either small-fry from minor immortal realms or wet-behind-the-ears brats. Of course they wouldn't recognize me. If I had revealed my true form and announced my reputation in the Lingluo Heavenly Domain back then, hmph! I could have scared them to death!"