Ascension Day

Xu Ying didn’t break his stride. He heard the words and exclaimed, "I’ve only just begun my Cultivation of the Elephant Power Ox Demon Fist. Yours is a legacy Ultimate Skill passed down through your family, so why would you need me to teach it to you?"

The Snake Demon fell silent. After a moment, he said, "I’ve practiced it for one hundred and twenty years. I’m currently at the third layer, but I’ve never been able to reach the Fourth Layer. My father and my grandfather never managed to cultivate the Elephant Power Ox Demon Fist to the Fourth Layer either."

Xu Ying snapped, "You don’t have hands or feet. It’s no wonder you can’t master it. Stop following me!"

The Snake Demon chuckled. "The world is a vast place, but is there anywhere you can go, Xu Ying? My Qinyan Cave, on the other hand, is an excellent hiding spot."

Xu Ying’s eyes lit up. He grinned, "Brother She, how do I get to Qinyan Cave?"

On the first day of the month, a market was being held at the Lingling City God Temple. Throngs of devout worshippers came to make offerings to the City God, creating a lively scene.

The Lingling City God’s name was Xue Lingfu. He too had awakened from his statue form, transforming into a being of flesh and blood to feast on the Incense and Candlelight and sacrificial offerings.

Suddenly, a wisp of green smoke rose from the ground and solidified into a two-foot-tall Earth God. He scurried over, leaped onto City God Xue Lingfu, and whispered a few words in his ear.

City God Xue Lingfu flew into a thunderous rage. "He killed an official of my Yin Court and violated the Celestial Rules! This cannot be allowed to stand! Xu Ying deserves a thousand deaths! Relay my order! All Divine Spirits, great and small, across the eight hundred mountains, five hundred rivers, and twelve hundred towns and villages of Lingling are to hunt down Xu Ying and execute him on sight! Make an example of him!"

"Hold on!"

A voice suddenly called out from outside the temple. City God Xue Lingfu looked toward the sound and saw Lingling County Magistrate Zhou Yang storming into the temple, leading a group of Officials.

One of the Officials stepped forward and said, "Xu Ying is a living person. He committed a crime—the murder of Landlord Jiang—so he must be judged by the laws of the Mortal World. This case falls under the jurisdiction of the Lingling County Magistrate’s Office! City God Xue, you can retract your command!"

City God Xue Lingfu sneered. "Xu Ying killed a Divine Spirit of my Yin Court, breaking the laws of my Yin Court. Naturally, he will be judged by the laws of the Yin Court! County Magistrate Zhou, I suggest you and your men leave."

County Magistrate Zhou Yang let out a hearty laugh, flicked his sleeve, and turned to leave. He paused at the temple gates and glanced back. "Ever since Prince Dongping’s rebellion, the Yin Court has been steadily encroaching upon the Mortal World, extending its reach further and further! But this little patch of land called Lingling has always been my Zhou Family’s domain. The Yin Court would do well not to interfere! Men!"

The Officials under his command bowed in unison.

Zhou Yang’s expression turned cold. "Apprehend Xu Ying and bring him to justice. If he resists, or if anyone obstructs you—be they god or man—kill them without hesitation!"

"Yes, sir!" The Officials departed at once.

City God Xue Lingfu snorted and waved a hand. The Earth God on his shoulder took the hint, immediately leaping down, transforming into a wisp of green smoke, and sinking into the ground to follow Zhou Yang.

A short while later, County Magistrate Zhou Yang led a group of Officials to Jiang Family Field Village. Upon seeing the Officials, the villagers were even more terrified than they were of the Divine Spirits, and they all fell to their knees, not daring to look up.

Zhou Yang led his Officials through the kneeling villagers. He glanced with interest at the statue of the Green-Robed Divine Spirit on the ground and gestured with his hand toward the large hole in its forehead.

"A peculiar Demon Technique that allows the body to grow much larger. It’s a type of Martial Arts Technique," he chuckled under his breath. "This Xu Ying, a mere commoner, is actually practicing a Demon Technique. How interesting."

Zhou Yang waved his hand, dispatching the Officials to their duties. He then sat down on the back of one of the villagers and asked amiably, "Uncle Yu, how was the harvest this year?"

Jiang Yubo was the Li Zheng of Jiang Family Field. He answered cautiously, "The harvest was good this year, my lord. We brought in three extra dou of grain."

Zhou Yang nodded, his face a mask of benevolence. "And how are the crops looking?"

"The crops are doing very well," Jiang Yubo replied with a fawning smile.

Zhou Yang’s expression darkened. He snapped, "The harvest is good, and the crops are fine, so why is it so difficult to collect taxes from your village? Do you not want me to live comfortably?"

Jiang Yubo pressed his face to the ground, not daring to utter a word.

Zhou Yang snorted. "When I collect taxes, am I doing it for myself? No! I’m doing it for the Court! Do I take so much as a single grain of rice from you villagers? No! My salary is paid by the Court! Everything I eat and drink is purchased with my own salary. I never take anything from you common folk!"

Jiang Yubo stammered in agreement, kowtowing repeatedly. "Your Excellency is upright and incorruptible!"

Just then, an Official approached, his arms full of Scriptures of various sizes. "Your Excellency, Xu Ying has absconded. He wasn’t home, but I found these."

These were the very Scriptures for the Guiding Skills that Xu Ying had collected. He had left in such a hurry that he didn’t take them with him.

Zhou Yang casually picked up one of the Scriptures and began to flip through it, his attitude nonchalant. But when he saw the annotations Xu Ying had written in the margins, his expression changed instantly.

He shot to his feet, snatched the other Scriptures, and began to read through them at a rapid pace.

He saw that these Scriptures were also filled with Xu Ying’s notes. They were commentaries on the strengths and weaknesses of various Demon Clan Techniques, along with his own insights. The remarks were brilliant—incredibly precise, concise, and profound!

The villagers held their breath, not daring to make a sound.

’This Xu Ying... I thought he was just a Godslayer, but it turns out he’s been cultivating Demon Techniques and has collected so many of their Scriptures!’

Zhou Yang flew into a rage and sneered, "This fiend clearly harbors the ambition to throw the world into chaos! If he isn’t eliminated, he will become a grave threat! Relay my orders! If any of my men find Xu Ying, they are not to take him alive. Kill on sight!"

The Officials acknowledged the order and sped away from Jiang Family Field to hunt for Xu Ying.

The villagers looked at one another in dismay. Was this person the County Magistrate spoke of the same Xu Xiaoruan they all knew?

Zhou Yang returned to the County Magistrate’s Office with the remaining Scriptures.

In the rear courtyard of the County Magistrate’s Office, an old man sat drinking tea beneath a pavilion. Zhou Yang placed the Scriptures annotated by Xu Ying beside the old man and stood respectfully to one side.