Ascension Day

’So this man is called Yuan Tiangang,’ Xu Ying thought.

But he had no idea who Yuan Tiangang was.

He was just a boy from the countryside, ignorant of the Court’s affairs, nor did he know about Yuan Tiangang’s glorious past.

Yuan Qi, being well-read, knew of Yuan Tiangang’s great name. He was shocked and uncertain. "To think it’s this legendary figure!"

The bearded man threw his head back and laughed. "By order of Emperor Wenwu the Great Saint, I severed your Dragon Vein to prevent you from gaining power and bringing chaos to the world. This is a matter of duty, not a personal grudge! But if you want a fight, then let’s fight! What do I have to fear?"

A ray of light leaped from his Sword Box. The wind and rain instantly vanished, revealing a clear sky for thousands of miles, as blue as if it had been washed clean. This no longer looked like the Underworld; it was as if they had returned to the Mortal World!

Xu Ying and Yuan Qi were shocked beyond belief. They looked up to see the bearded man, sword in hand, soaring into the air to battle the giant. Sword light danced and soared, weaving together like bolts of lightning!

Suddenly, the giant’s form changed drastically, transforming into a colossal dragon of mountain rock, dozens of miles long, its every move shaking the heavens and the earth. But they had not fought for long before the bearded man sent his sword flying. The Sword Qi, like a long rainbow, struck a weak spot on its neck, severing its head in a single blow!

The dragon’s head came crashing down with a deafening RUMBLE, landing not far from the house. Blood flowed like a river.

Xu Ying and Yuan Qi were dumbstruck. They watched the bearded man land, the sword light returning to his Sword Box. The box closed, and the light vanished.

The bearded man said, "This dragon was formed from a mountain range. It had two bodies, a mother and a child. I slew the mother body years ago. It tried to seize the imperial family’s fortune and would have brought disaster to the Divine Land after its birth, but I killed it, so it never became the Emperor. Its child body succeeded in its Cultivation and came seeking revenge on me. You two can bathe in the Dragon Blood. It will do you good."

Xu Ying and Yuan Qi went to the dragon’s head and bathed in the Dragon Blood. They immediately felt their wounds healing at an incredible rate, even faster than if they had taken an Elixir of Life!

Xu Ying’s injured left shoulder was now completely healed. He felt his Qi Blood surging through his body, stronger than ever before!

He quickly placed Da Zhong in the Dragon Blood as well, letting it soak. ’I hope Da Zhong can also absorb the Primordial Qi from the Dragon Blood and recover faster,’ he thought.

The bearded man saw this and clicked his tongue in wonder. He sized up the Copper Bell for a moment, then smiled. "This treasure has quite the origin, but it also comes with significant trouble. Young man, if you aren’t blessed with great fortune, I’m afraid it will drag you down with it. It would be wise to get rid of it sooner rather than later."

Xu Ying’s heart stirred. ’Da Zhong was forged to suppress the ancient well on Stone Mountain. Inside that well was a Black Coffin, and the young girl inside escaped when the Naihe River changed its course.’

’Could the trouble the bearded man mentioned be related to this?’

The bearded man didn’t explain further. "The Dragon Blood contains Dragon Essence, which can heal your injuries. But absorbing too much Dragon Essence is harmful to the human body. Young man, once your injuries are healed, it’s best you stop absorbing it to avoid future problems. As for the Exotic Snake, it should absorb as much Dragon Essence as it can. It will be of great use to it."

So Xu Ying stopped bathing in the Dragon Blood, leaving only Da Zhong to soak in it.

Yuan Qi, on the other hand, submerged his entire body in the Dragon Blood. He felt an incomparably pure Primordial Qi surging into him—this must be the Dragon Essence the bearded man spoke of. He was both shocked and delighted!

"Ying, it won’t be long before I can achieve Transformation into a human!"

Yuan Qi exclaimed in delight, "Once I achieve Transformation, I can properly practice the Elephant Power Ox Demon Fist!"

Xu Ying was also quite excited. He asked, "Xiaoqi, after your Transformation, will you be male or female?"

"Male or female? I’m a snake, not a person!" Yuan Qi shouted. "And I’m male, obviously!"

"What a shame," Xu Ying said regretfully.

Yuan Qi glared. "You, Xu! I treat you like a brother, and this is what you’re thinking?"

Xu Ying stammered, "Of course I see you as a brother, too! What else would I be thinking?"

"You’re not being sincere! You definitely have some other, filthy ideas!"

"I do not! Don’t you dare slander me!"

"Slander? The reputation of the Xu Family has never been good among my Snake Race!"

...

Yuan Qi absorbed the Dragon Essence from the Dragon Blood until he quickly reached his body’s limit, feeling as if he might burst. The bearded man said, "On the path of Cultivation, you must not be insatiably greedy. Absorbing too much will only harm you."

Yuan Qi reluctantly climbed out of the Dragon Blood Pool, then lay down at its edge and took several large gulps of Dragon Blood.

Seeing this, the bearded man shook his head and said, "You’ve needlessly added obstacles to your Transformation. How foolish. Young men, follow me. Although this is a path to the living, whether the old woman at the Naihe Bridge will let you pass is still unknown. Once you reach the bridge, it will all depend on your good fortune."

Xu Ying lifted Da Zhong with his left hand and hurried to catch up.

Yuan Qi glanced back at the dragon’s head, his heart full of regret, but he still followed. ’If only I could eat it...’ he thought.

Along the way, the bearded man searched for a path. Whenever they seemed to reach a dead end, he would find a new way forward. Xu Ying and Yuan Qi followed him, horrified by the terrifying and gloomy hellscape of ghosts on either side of the road.

If they had been on their own, they likely would not have made it out alive!

Finally, the Naihe River came into view ahead. A rope bridge stretched across it, connecting to the opposite bank.

But the Naihe River was empty, leaving only a riverbed shrouded in mist.

The bearded man escorted them to the spot and said, "Cross this rope bridge, and you will be in the Mortal World. If there is an old woman selling tea at the head of the bridge, do not drink her tea. Just cross the bridge. If you drink her tea, you will never be able to return to the Mortal World! Remember this! You must remember!"

Xu Ying thanked him and bowed. "Thank you, Senior. Do you have any unfulfilled wishes? If I make it out of here alive, I will surely repay you!"

The bearded man hesitated for a moment before saying, "I came to Wangxiang to extend my life, but here I am trapped, unable to truly live or die. Although I can often see my homeland, my family doesn’t know if I am safe."