Ascension Day

Outside Lingling City, a chariot surrounded by a host of guards exited the city, heading toward Water Gate Temple. The carriage was incredibly ornate. It had a Golden Summit topped with a Golden Phoenix, and Golden Bells hung from its four eaves.

The carriage’s body was lacquered red and traced with gold. The shafts were about a foot thick. A guard sat on each of the four sides below the carriage, warily scanning their surroundings. Pulling the carriage were two Demon Kings with the heads of oxen and the bodies of men. They stood nearly twenty feet tall, their musculature menacing, and they possessed boundless strength. A demonic wind billowed around them as they walked, smoke snorting from their nostrils.

They had traveled only a few miles from the city when the carriage suddenly halted. A guard bowed and said, "Your Excellency, some of Lingling’s starving citizens are blocking the road to petition you."

Seated inside the carriage was the Governor of Yongzhou, Zhou Heng. He was a pot-bellied middle-aged man in his thirties or forties, with two wisps of a mustache drooping from the corners of his mouth.

Governor Zhou Heng lifted the curtain and glanced outside. He saw a long line of starving citizens with sallow faces kneeling by the roadside for several miles, all of them crying out "Lord of the Blue Sky!" like a flock of ducks greeting their master.

Governor Zhou Heng asked, "What is their petition? I am a just and incorruptible official. As long as their request isn’t too outrageous, I will grant it."

The guard went to investigate and returned to report, "They say they cannot pay the taxes and cannot afford to eat. They also mention disasters from the Naihe River, the New Land encroaching on their fertile fields, and Ghost Souls running rampant. They wish to ask Your Excellency to waive this year’s taxes."

"Insolent peasants!"

Governor Zhou Heng flew into a rage, a vein throbbing on his forehead. He slammed his hand on the table and roared, "A truly insolent bunch of peasants! They’re farmers! They grow food, yet they have the gall to say they can’t afford to eat! It’s just an excuse to avoid paying taxes! The Naihe River is invading and Ghost Souls are running rampant... Do Ghost Souls eat grain? How utterly shameless!"

He stood up and sneered. "Besides, if they don’t have money, why not rent out their houses in the city? Then they’d have money! Why not use their carriages as taxis? Then they’d have money! These old farmers leave their city houses unrented and their horses idle, yet they kneel before an Official’s carriage to beg. The nerve!"

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. "Today they dare to block my path to demand tax exemption," he fumed. "Tomorrow, they’ll demand that we Officials just hand them money! Relay my order! If they continue to block my path, we will raid their homes and confiscate all their property!"

The guard hurried out and ordered the other guards to disperse the crowd. A moment later, the miles-long line of starving citizens had vanished completely.

Governor Zhou Heng chuckled. "I just can’t stand the sight of poor people. Much more refreshing now. Those insolent peasants heard ’confiscation’ and fled in a panic. It just goes to show they still have money at home. If they were truly penniless, why would they run so fast?"

"Your Excellency is brilliant!" the guards proclaimed in admiration.

The carriage resumed its journey, plowing ahead recklessly as dust billowed in its wake, making a beeline for Water Gate Temple.

Inside Water Gate Temple, Zhou Yihang’s hearty laughter boomed, so loud it made Xu Ying’s Qi and Blood churn. "Send me on my way?"

Most of the other Nuo Masters who had come to the New Land seeking adventure were also shaken off-balance by the sound. Some grew dizzy, lost their footing, and tumbled directly off the Immortal Mountain, letting out a long, bloodcurdling scream.

Zhou Yihang paid them no mind. Before his laughter could even fade, the old man bent his back and then snapped upright. His body swelled, and he instantly activated his Vajra Indestructible Body, transforming into a sixteen-foot-tall figure that glowed with a golden light.

He had cultivated his Vajra Indestructible Body to the point of having four arms, far surpassing Zhou Yang. Zhou Yang had not manifested the four arms and could only be considered a novice in the technique, but Zhou Yihang had already perfected his Vajra Indestructible Body!

He unleashed the East Lord Heaven-Suppressing Seal. As his Palm Seal formed, fierce flames flowed beneath it.

His Mastery in the East Lord Heaven-Suppressing Seal also far surpassed his son, Zhou Yang. Xu Ying had once seen him clash directly with City God Xue Ling Mansion. With a single move, he had damaged City God Xue’s Golden Body!

Back then, Zhou Yihang had achieved Soul and Body Unity, his Flesh Body and soul perfectly integrated. It had truly astonished Xu Ying, leaving him with a sense of the man’s invincibility.

But now, as Xu Ying watched Zhou Yihang execute the Vajra Indestructible Body and the East Lord Heaven-Suppressing Seal, a different thought arose in his mind. ’He doesn’t seem as strong as I remember.’

He activated the Celestial Eye, a technique taught to him by the girl in the coffin, and observed Zhou Yihang’s Flesh Body and the Techniques of his East Lord Heaven-Suppressing Seal. Even Zhou Yihang’s Hidden Scenery was laid bare before him, rendered in perfect clarity!

Within Zhou Yihang’s body, a four-armed Vajra figure was fused tightly with him, as if they were one and the same. This four-armed Vajra was his Hidden Scenery, formed through Contemplation by drawing upon the Secret Power of the Mud Ball Secret Treasury.

Under the gaze of the Celestial Eye, he could perceive the flaws in Zhou Yihang’s technique.

Zhou Yihang stepped forward and struck out with his four palms in succession. His Palm Power was trailed by clouds and fire that billowed like banners. The Palm Power was nimble, yet it contained immense strength.

He was like a four-armed Sun God, driving clouds of fire before him!

This technique was the Cloud Banner Winding Snake of the East Lord Heaven-Suppressing Seal.

In that instant, Xu Ying pushed his Elephant Power Ox Demon Fist to its absolute limit. Behind him, Pure Yang Yuan Qi condensed into the Elephant King Divine Body. He threw a punch, and with a booming Thunder Sound, struck directly at the flaw in Zhou Yihang’s Cultivation Technique!

Simultaneously, Yuan Qi coiled the tip of his tail into a fist and executed White Elephant’s Trunk Swing. His massive body whipped around, sweeping forward with a whistle like a sky-propping pillar.

"BANG!" "BANG!"

The dull thud of heavy impacts echoed. Xu Ying and Zhou Yihang collided. The Elephant King Divine Body behind Xu Ying seemed to take a heavy blow, its Qi Blood scattering backward in the fierce gale like so much dust and sand!

The Elephant King Divine Body was formed from Qi Blood, composed of Primordial Qi and atomized blood mist. For its Qi Blood to scatter like dust was a sign that the divine body was being dispersed by the force of the impact.

Xu Ying grunted. A tremor ran through his entire frame, and his Qi and Blood roiled like a boiling cauldron. He stumbled back several steps.

Yuan Qi’s Cultivation was still inferior to Xu Ying’s, so the Elephant King Divine Body behind him shattered completely!

The giant snake’s skeleton rattled loudly. The draconic mane on its back rippled like a wave, and its entire body was nearly shaken apart by the force of Zhou Yihang’s blow!

Zhou Yihang’s flow of Qi and Blood was cut off by Xu Ying’s strike, making it impossible to sustain his Cloud Banner Winding Snake technique. His own Qi and Blood surged violently for a moment before he managed to suppress it.