My Dreams Connect to Ancient Times-Chapter 168 - 22: Sanqing Daoist Ancestor

"Professor."

Chen Ye studied the documents that had been sent over and said:

"Most of the documents and ancient texts from this excavation point to a single individual: ’Lu Zi’ from the Zhou Dynasty."

"I know." The Langya headmaster’s expression was solemn. "The excavation is ongoing. The bamboo slips and other artifacts from that historical site are the best-preserved we’ve found to date. I have a feeling we’re about to pull back a part of the curtain on the Ancient Era."

After a moment, he changed the subject, asking:

"By the way, Xiaoye, did anything unusual happen over at your place last night?"

"Huh?" Chen Ye, who had been engrossed in the documents, froze for a second and looked up in surprise. "No, not really. I just didn’t sleep very well. I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night—it felt like a fierce gust of wind had kicked up... Why, Professor? What’s wrong?"

"It’s nothing."

The old headmaster waved his hand, lost in thought.

"It seems a Great Celestial Human, or perhaps even an Earth Immortal, was practicing their Cultivation in your area yesterday. It caused a bit of a stir, but don’t worry about it. It has nothing to do with us."

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"Next month, students from Shengjing University are coming for an exchange program. Get ready. You’ll be one of our key participants, and we have to win this time."

Chen Ye scratched his head, looking baffled.

"Isn’t it just an exchange program?"

"No, this time is different." The old headmaster sighed softly. "You know about the Great Wall. The peace talks went awry a while back. A visiting Demon Immortal and a prodigy of the Demon Race died in East Sea City. As far as I know, the Federation has been put on the defensive."

He paused, then went on.

"It shouldn’t have been a major issue, but for some reason, the Great Wall let another batch of the Demon Race through the pass. Some of their prodigies are now enrolled at Shengjing University. The situation there is dire. And this exchange next month..."

"You’re saying the Demon Race will be there?" Chen Ye’s gaze sharpened abruptly.

"More than just them." The old headmaster shook his head. "Prodigies from every university will be attending. It’s billed as an exchange between us and Shengjing University, but in reality, it’s more like..."

"An exchange between the prodigies of the Human Race and the Demon Race," Chen Ye finished for him.

The old headmaster nodded silently.

...

The paperwork at the Comprehensive Management Bureau went surprisingly smoothly. After quickly clarifying the process, Lu Xuan left with Qing Ping and Qing He.

All that was left was to return in a few days under a different identity to complete the remaining paperwork. Then, he could finally establish his Daoist Lineage.

Whether it was just a feeling or not, Lu Xuan had a premonition. Establishing this Daoist Lineage... the consequences would be immense.

...

On the top floor of a skyscraper in the city’s affluent district.

"Sweetheart, that’s enough, you’re bustling around so much..." Yan Huang said with a helpless air. "You certainly weren’t like this when I arrived."

"How can you compare the two!" Xiaoyan retorted confidently. "I learned these recipes specifically to cook for Xiaolu!"

"Alright, alright..." Old Yan sighed, pressing his forehead.

He’d felt this jealousy so often it was starting to lose its sting.

After a moment’s thought, Old Yan added:

"You need to speed up your Cultivation. It would be best if you could become a Celestial Human before the end of the year."

"A Celestial Human!" Xiaoyan’s eyes widened. "It’s not that easy! Besides, what’s the big rush...?"

Yan Huang’s expression grew solemn.

"Several of the research institutes under my command have concluded that a new wave of worldly ’recovery’ is highly likely to occur late this year or early next. Only by becoming a Celestial Human will you be able to seize as much Divine Essence as possible during this great opportunity. The benefits are immense!"

"Another recovery?" Xiaoyan’s mind went down an odd path. "If this keeps happening, does that mean all those Immortals and Buddhas who vanished in Ancient Times will be coming back soon?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Yan Huang fell silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "They probably will be, soon," he said quietly.

"In the past thousand years, there have been three great waves of this ’recovery.’ At this rate, the return of the Immortal Gods is likely not far off."

Xiaoyan just said, "Oh," and paid it no mind, continuing to putter around in the kitchen.

She wasn’t concerned with any of that. Her only focus was on perfecting the braised pork ribs.

Yan Huang sighed again, a pained, sorrowful sound.

’My precious girl has been completely snatched away... Then again, Lu the Kid is worthy of her. His origins are a total mystery... that Daoist Palace in the Kongtong Mountain Range, and those Celestial Humans, Earth Immortals, and even True Immortals who call him ’Old Ancestor’... ’

Just as a thousand thoughts were swirling in Old Yan’s mind,

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK!

A knock came at the door. Xiaoyan tossed her spatula aside and shot out of the kitchen like an arrow, quick as a flash. She nervously smoothed her hair, then yanked the door open.

"Xiaolu!"

With a whoosh, she leaped forward.

A moment later, Yan Huang saw the kid walk in with a wry smile, his darling daughter clinging to him like a koala. Yan Huang’s brow twitched, and he felt his teeth ache.

Then, Old Yan’s expression hardened. He shot to his feet, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he stared at the two middle-aged men following behind Lu Xuan.

"Uncle Yan..." Lu Xuan gently pried the girl off him, set her down on the sofa, and ruffled Xiaoyan’s hair with a smile.

"These two are friends of mine from the Kongtong Mountain Range."

Yan Jiangxue didn’t resist as he tousled the hair she had just so carefully styled. She squeezed her eyes shut in bliss, her delicate nose twitching slightly.

Yan Huang, for his part, relaxed slightly, but his gaze remained locked on the two middle-aged men—especially the more stoic-looking one.

’A True Immortal.’

’A Ninth Grade True Immortal.’

’Although Ninth Grade is in the Lower Three Grades, the very entry-level of the True Immortal realm, this stoic man before me gives off a dangerous aura... ’

’That’s just absurd.’

Lu Xuan gave Xiaoyan’s head another affectionate rub, then made the introductions.