Ascension Day

Xu Ying was incredibly excited, thinking, ’As a Qi Refiner, it’s only natural that I control my own Magical Power. The Magical Power of a Divine Spirit can transform into a Flying Sword, so for them, controlling Magical Power is controlling a Flying Sword. I can also control my Primordial Qi. My Primordial Qi can leak out and form the Elephant King Divine Body, so naturally, it can also form a Flying Sword!’

Full of enthusiasm, he tried to make his Primordial Qi take the form of a Flying Sword, but he failed after several attempts.

Xu Ying wasn’t discouraged and continued to practice. However, the shape of a sword was different from the Elephant King Divine Body. The Elephant King Divine Body was a path for his Cultivation Technique to run along, giving it a natural constraint. A sword shape had no such constraints. It required Xu Ying to control his Primordial Qi and force it into the shape of a sword, which was extremely difficult.

’Perhaps I can start by trying to control a Willow Branch.’

An idea sparked in Xu Ying’s mind. He immediately tried to infuse his Primordial Qi into a Willow Branch, using his Divine Sense to command the Primordial Qi within it, and then slowly opened his hand.

The Willow Branch wobbled unsteadily, but it actually floated in the air.

Xu Ying was overjoyed. With a single thought, the Willow Branch began to fly through the air, albeit erratically.

Yuan Qi was stunned. ’He actually did it... What was it I said that enlightened him? If I could enlighten him, I can definitely enlighten myself!’

He was suddenly filled with confidence.

’What’s so great about this Xu fellow? He’s just a junior who received guidance from Lord She. If he can do it, then Lord She can certainly do it too!’

Xu Ying controlled the Willow Branch, performing the Swordsmanship he had previously comprehended. The branch was too light and difficult to wield; the slightest excess force in his thoughts would ruin the Techniques.

He clumsily controlled the Willow Branch, practicing the Swordsmanship he had comprehended over and over, learning how to control his will, Divine Sense, and Primordial Qi.

He figured it out on his own and made astonishingly fast progress. Soon, he had worked out the Sword Control Technique, controlling the Willow Branch to execute all sorts of basic Sword Techniques!

Yuan Qi still couldn’t figure out which of his words had helped. Seeing that Xu Ying’s Swordsmanship was already looking quite proficient, he felt a surge of indignant grief. ’What good is this brain of mine?!’

The Willow Branch flew over and hovered about half a foot above Xu Ying’s shoulder. It followed his movements; wherever he went, the branch went.

Xu Ying frowned slightly, pondering, ’My Sword Control Technique feels as if the branch is an extension of my own arm, but I wonder if I can unleash Sword Qi and Sword Aura with it, just like when I hold a sword in my hand?’

Seeing him deep in thought, clearly stumped by this problem, Yuan Qi smiled and said, "Ying, I’ve heard that intelligent people can often draw parallels from one thing to another..."

Xu Ying’s eyes lit up. He slapped his hands together and exclaimed, "You’re so right! Thank you for the guidance! I’ve finally figured it out!"

"I wasn’t finished... Never mind. As long as you’re happy."

Xu Ying was beside himself with excitement. While controlling the Willow Branch to perform his Swordsmanship, he spoke rapidly, "You’re right, drawing parallels! I use my Divine Sense to control the Primordial Qi inside the Willow Branch, so my Divine Sense is like my arm. When I hold the branch, Primordial Qi flows through my arm and into the branch, allowing me to unleash Sword Qi. This means I can channel my own Primordial Qi continuously along my Divine Sense and into the flying Willow Branch, and thus unleash Sword Qi and Sword Aura!"

The Willow Branch zipped rapidly around Xu Ying and Yuan Qi. Suddenly, with a SWISH, an invisible stream of Sword Qi shot out from the tip of the branch, letting out a sharp, piercing whistle as it cut through the air.

Yuan Qi hastily pulled his tail back. The Sword Qi grazed past it, and a nearby boulder suddenly split open, kicking up a cloud of dust. It had been sliced in two by the invisible Sword Qi!

Xu Ying controlled the Willow Branch as it flew back and forth. From its tip, Sword Qi crisscrossed, seemingly unstoppable. With a flash of Sword Qi, the crown of a large tree was cleanly lopped off!

The treetop went WHOOSH as it flew more than ten paces through the air before finally crashing to the ground!

Yuan Qi’s heart pounded in his chest. That treetop must have weighed tens of thousands of pounds! For the force of Xu Ying’s attack to send it flying more than ten paces, one could only imagine the power contained within that single strike!

Sword Qi of this caliber could completely rival the Incense Fire Flying Swords of a Divine Spirit!

Xu Ying recalled the Willow Branch, unable to contain his joy. He laughed heartily and said, "Xiaoqi, without your guidance, I never would have been able to master the Sword Control Technique so quickly!"

Yuan Qi mustered up his courage and said, "It seems being well-read is useful after all. Ying, um... since I was the one who guided you in learning the Sword Control Technique, could you... teach it to me?"

Xu Ying nodded repeatedly. "Of course. It’s very simple."

Yuan Qi struggled to learn for a long time, growing suspicious. ’Very simple? Are you trying to trick me?’

He practiced over and over again, but still couldn’t make the Willow Branch fly.

Xu Ying had no choice but to leave him to it and continue pondering the Sword Control Technique. A sudden thought occurred to him: ’I use Divine Sense and Primordial Qi to make the Willow Branch fly. My Divine Sense isn’t bearing the weight of the branch. So... can I stand on the Willow Branch and fly?’

He immediately put his thought into action. With a stir of his Divine Sense, the Willow Branch flew up.

Xu Ying leaped and landed on the Willow Branch. THUD. It fell to the ground.

Xu Ying tried again, but the Willow Branch still couldn’t bear his weight and fell to the ground once more. Time and again he tried, but the branch was never able to carry him into the air.

"Ying, we’ve reached Wu Wang Mountain!"

Yuan Qi suddenly sped up, shouting excitedly, "Hurry! This is my home! Three generations of the Niu Family have lived on Wu Wang Mountain! To the north of our Wu Wang Mountain is the Water Gate Temple and Shun Emperor Temple, to the west is Yilin Temple, to the south is Xiaoshan, and to the east is Niaotangpu. Our mountain is full of wild fruits. Whenever the autumn leaves turn yellow, the demons who have undergone Transformation will carry baskets of ripe fruit to the markets outside the mountain to trade for rice and flour."

He rushed to the top of Wu Wang Mountain, pointed west, and said with a smile, "Look, that’s Yilin Temple over there. The abbot is the Demon God Bai Junzhi... Huh? Where’s Yilin Temple?"

Yuan Qi stood stunned on the mountain. He suddenly cried out in a panic, "Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong! Where did Yilin Temple go? It was huge! And the Water Gate Temple! Where did the Water Gate Temple go? Where is Niaotangpu? That massive Niaotangpu..."