Ascension Day

This Profound Gate was actually showing signs of being broken through.

Da Zhong froze, stunned. A low rumble of thunder echoed from within Xu Ying’s body as clusters of inch-long rays of light bloomed outward.

It was even possible to see a Great Dragon radiating brilliant light inside his body. Like a waterspout, it descended, striking at the tailbone at the very base of his spine in an attempt to breach the Profound Gate!

That Profound Gate was located at the tailbone, and it was called the Tailbone!

Once this gate was opened, one could traverse life and death, comprehend Yin and Yang, unseal the Celestial River, receive the jade dew of the Celestial Court, and open the Celestial Mountain within the body!

One Heaven, One Mountain. From this point on, one’s Cultivation would have a clear path!

Da Zhong jumped in alarm. ’If I hadn’t siphoned off fifty percent of his Qi Blood to heal myself,’ it thought, ’he probably would have shattered the Profound Gate in one go! This is my fault. I must make up for it.’

It activated its own Breathing Technique. As Da Zhong inhaled and exhaled, its form grew and shrank. The half-mu field of light in the sky instantly expanded to the size of a full mu!

Xu Ying’s Qi Blood instantly surged. With a deafening boom, his Pure Yang Yuan Qi finally blasted open the Black Iron Profound Gate!

The surging waters of the Celestial River rolled ever eastward!

Inside the Mysterious Domain, the waters of the Celestial River, originating from Above the Nine Heavens, surged out of the Profound Gate. They flowed majestically into the domain, coursing over the continent below. The river passed through mountains and valleys, forming cascading waterfalls from the highlands and vast lakes on the plains. Suddenly, the Mysterious Domain burst with vibrant life and color!

Xu Ying felt his internal organs being nourished by the Celestial River. His Primordial Qi flourished, and the previous limits on his Primordial Qi Cultivation vanished without a trace!

His Cultivation rose rapidly, and his Qi Blood was far more abundant and pure than before!

Fueled by this ever-strengthening Qi Blood, the rainbow-like streak of Sword Qi within his Mysterious Domain grew increasingly distinct.

Xu Ying halted his retreat and looked up at Zhou Yihang, whose wounds had already healed. He saw him as little more than livestock waiting for slaughter, and he was itching for a fight. "Lord Zhong," he said, "let me face him at my peak condition."

Da Zhong hesitated, then said, "Be careful."

Xu Ying immediately felt his Qi Blood continuing to rise. This was the first time since meeting Da Zhong that his Qi Blood had been restored to its absolute peak!

Suddenly, a voice drifted over from the distance. "Yihang, why do you look so battered?"

A fifth Immortal Mountain slowly rose, floating in the distance. Governor Zhou Heng’s carriage was parked at its base. The curtains were drawn, the window screens removed. The pot-bellied Zhou Heng sat inside and chuckled. "So, this is the fiend, Xu Ying? The one who can decipher the Demon Clan Technique?"

Many onlookers had gathered to watch the fight. Upon hearing this, they all turned to look at Xu Ying, their gazes peculiar.

When Zhou Yihang saw Governor Zhou Heng, his heart went cold. Fearing the Governor would stop him from killing Xu Ying and avenging Zhou Yang, he let out a furious roar. Pushing his Vajra Indestructible Body and East Lord Heaven-Suppressing Seal to their absolute limits, he charged at Xu Ying!

He would end this in a single, decisive blow, kill Xu Ying, and take his head as an offering to Zhou Yang!

Suddenly, a blindingly bright flash of Sword Qi lit up the sky, so brilliant it completely obliterated the shadows of the surrounding trees!

The Sword Qi tore through the air with a piercing shriek. WHOOSH! In a single flash, it vanished without a trace.

In the nearby forest, the leaves of countless trees now hung suspended in the air!

Then, all at once, the leaves split apart, as if an invisible Sword Qi had sliced them cleanly in two!

Every single leaf was the same—split perfectly, without the slightest deviation!

The bisected leaves fluttered in the wind, then drifted to the ground.

A cool breeze swept through, but the onlookers felt a bone-deep chill, as if a peerlessly sharp blade was pointed right at them, about to pierce their skin.

A stray lock of one man’s hair, lifted by the breeze, silently parted down the middle, as if split by that same invisible blade.

A young man stood amidst the shower of falling leaves. Before him, Zhou Yihang’s Divine Demon-like body split down the middle, the two halves slowly toppling to either side.

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Author’s Note: Yesterday, I (Zhai Zhu) suddenly found I couldn’t feel any joy. I was feeling really down and couldn’t find any inspiration to write, so I apologize to everyone. I’ve adjusted my mindset and am doing fine now.