Ascension Day

"Insolent!"

Zhou Yang’s expression darkened. The Phoenix Splendor Tree erupted with his own Qi Mechanism, and in an instant, its branches brandished a hundred Treasure Swords, like a Hundred-armed Divine Demon, stabbing toward Xu Ying!

The Treasure Swords danced up and down, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, moving with a dazzling, supernatural fluidity.

Xu Ying had seen the swordsmanship of the Giant Divine Spirit. The Giant Divine Spirit could control four swords at once: one in each hand, and two Flying Swords with its mind.

Its swordsmanship had repeatedly put Xu Ying at a disadvantage; it had even pierced his shoulder blade, nearly killing him!

But compared to Zhou Yang’s Circulation Demon Slaying Sword, the Giant Divine Spirit’s swordsmanship was nothing.

When the Circulation Demon Slaying Sword was unleashed, a hundred Treasure Swords weaved through the air, executing different Sword Techniques. It was as if a hundred Divine Spirits, each capable of the Flying Sword Technique, were all attacking Xu Ying at once with different styles!

Anyone who hadn’t studied swordsmanship would have their limbs and head severed in the first exchange, their body riddled with a thousand holes!

Xu Ying, holding the Willow Branch, moved forward. Using the branch as a sword, he didn’t retreat but advanced, charging into the Circulation Demon-slaying Sword Formation to meet the hundred Treasure Swords!

DING!

His Willow Branch met the first Treasure Sword. The instant the branch collided with and deflected the sword, a Sword Aura flared from its tip, severing the smaller branch attached to the sword’s hilt!

Xu Ying took a step forward, dodging a Treasure Sword attacking from behind. He flicked his Willow Branch back to parry another sword. Sword Qi grazed the branchlet, and another Treasure Sword fell to the ground.

More than twenty Treasure Swords attacked from different directions, instantly putting Xu Ying in a perilous situation. No matter how exquisite his swordsmanship, he didn’t have Three Heads and Six Arms to deal with so many attacks at once.

Suddenly, the Willow Branch flew from his hand, tracing elegant arcs through the air. As swift as a flying arrow, it sliced through the dancing branchlets one by one!

"Flying Sword Technique!"

Zhou Yang was startled. ’In just a moment, more than thirty of the Treasure Swords attacking Xu Ying have been cut down!’ And as Xu Ying moved, more and more swords fell.

Xu Ying’s figure flipped through the air like a fish leaping over the dragon gate, weaving through the swarm of Treasure Swords. The Willow Branch danced around him, and any sword that came within a dozen feet had the branchlet behind its hilt severed!

Without the support of the branchlets, the Treasure Swords lost control and fell directly to the ground.

The sound of CLANGING and CLATTERING was incessant. The moment he landed, the ground behind him was littered with fallen Treasure Swords, all with the branchlets at their hilts severed!

Zhou Yang sneered. The branchlets on the fallen Treasure Swords burrowed into the earth and grew at an incredible speed. The new branches, growing longer and longer, moved with uncanny agility, brandishing the swords as they charged at Xu Ying from behind!

"Xu Ying, you have no idea how formidable my Zhou Family’s Circulation Demon Slaying Sword is! Forget a Demon King like you, even Demon Gods who enjoy the worship of Incense and Candlelight would fall in defeat!"

After landing, Xu Ying was only a few dozen feet from Zhou Yang. He pointed a finger, and with a WHOOSH, the Willow Branch accelerated, shooting straight for Zhou Yang!

Zhou Yang roared, "Vajra Indestructible Body!"

His body grew wildly, soon reaching about twelve feet tall. He was covered in golden light, his hands and feet massive. A thin layer of golden qi enveloped his palm as he met the Willow Branch!

The instant his palm touched the Willow Branch, the branch’s Sword Aura flared. With a PFFT, the Sword Qi pierced the golden qi on his palm.

The next moment, the Willow Branch pressed against his palm, and a tremendous force erupted. Where they met, light rippled outwards like a wave.

At the same time, Xu Ying broke through the encirclement of Treasure Swords, grabbed the other end of the Willow Branch, and thrust forward with a sudden lunge!

Zhou Yang shouted, channeling his Magical Power. With a CRACK, the Willow Branch snapped the middle finger bone in his palm and burst clean through the back of his hand. It flew from Xu Ying’s grasp once more, aimed straight for the spot between Zhou Yang’s eyebrows!

Zhou Yang hastily retreated and threw a punch with his other hand, shattering the Willow Branch. But suddenly, Xu Ying grabbed a fallen Treasure Sword, flicked it with his finger, and the Long Sword howled through the air, its Sword Qi flaring as it slashed toward him!

Only then did Zhou Yang notice that more than ten Treasure Swords were now hovering behind Xu Ying, flying around the young man and blocking all the swords sent by the Phoenix Splendor Tree!

These Treasure Swords weren’t Magical Treasures; they could be used by him, and they could also be used by Xu Ying.

Zhou Yang tried to grab one with his bare hand. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his palm, and his five fingers went flying!

Zhou Yang activated his Mud Ball Secret Treasury, regenerating his severed fingers. At that exact moment, Xu Ying’s fist came crashing in. The form of the Elephant King Divine Body appeared behind him as he unleashed his Divine Power.

The punch landed on Zhou Yang’s head. His massive body was launched backward!

"You bastard official! When you were bleeding the people of Lingling dry, did you ever imagine this day would come?"

Xu Ying charged forward like a Fragrant Elephant crossing a river. The ground exploded where his feet landed, a terrifying display of power. The Treasure Swords behind him shot out like streams of light, imbued with the power of dragon and elephant, stabbing toward Zhou Yang!

Zhou Yang was both shocked and furious. He quickly shouted, "What are you waiting for? Help me!"

The Treasure Swords reached him, and he hastily raised his hands to block. He had just deflected three of them when Xu Ying spun and kicked him across the face.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Zhou Yang tumbled head over heels, crashing into the mountain forest. Immediately, streaks of sword light shot into the woods, and Sword Qi erupted, slicing through everything and felling tree after tree!

The Officials from the Lingling County Magistrate’s Office rushed over, shouting, "Criminal, cease your rampage!"

Before the words had even faded, a cyan light flashed, and a Willow Branch pierced through one of the men’s heads!

The cyan light moved like a Spiritual Snake, darting through the air at a dazzlingly fast speed. The remaining twelve Officials hastily activated their Nuo Techniques. Cyan Vines danced around them, trying to block the cyan light.

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! The cyan light zipped through, emitting a strange whistle. It was so fast that wherever it passed, the Cyan Vines exploded into pieces.

Suddenly, one Official’s head jerked to the side as the cyan light passed through his left temple and out the right. The Cyan Vines around him instantly went out of control, writhing like mad serpents until his brain died. Only then did the countless dancing vines lose their energy and collapse to the ground.

An Official in cyan robes heard a sound to his left and turned to look. He suddenly felt a sharp pain in his back. The Willow Branch had pierced through his back and out his chest.

The Sword Qi raging within the Willow Branch shattered the cyan-robed Official’s heart. He vomited blood and collapsed.

The cyan light was like a Life-Extending Talisman, quickly sweeping through the forest. Its sharp whistle gradually softened as its speed slowed, and it came to a calm stop behind Xu Ying.

Behind Xu Ying, giant Cyan Vines that had shot through the forest, growing and writhing madly, gradually lost their strength and collapsed.

Beneath the Cyan Vines lay the bodies of thirteen Officials.

Ahead of Xu Ying, Zhou Yang, covered in blood, had been smashed against the face of the opposite cliff by a punch.

On the cliff face, written by some unknown hand, was the word "Wuyang."

WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Four Treasure Swords shot out and pierced Zhou Yang’s limbs, pinning him to the cliff.

Zhou Yang struggled, roaring, trying to break free.

"County Magistrate Zhou, I used to be very envious of you Officials."

Xu Ying’s violent aura gradually subsided. He looked at Zhou Yang pinned to the cliff, his expression calm as he spoke. "You ride fine horses in fancy clothes, high and mighty, the so-called parent-officials of the common people. Wherever you go, everyone kowtows and pays their respects, fearing you as they would a Divine Spirit. With a single order, a single document, you can make the people offer up their family wealth, even their wives and children! You live more comfortably than any Divine Spirit!"

Zhou Yang stopped struggling and laughed. "Xu Ying, if you wanted to be an official, why didn’t you say so sooner? I am a disciple of the Zhou Clan. Arranging a position for you would be a simple matter."

His eyes flickered. The Phoenix Splendor Tree silently began to gather the scattered Treasure Swords, its branches dancing. At that moment, a flash of sword light severed the Demon Tree at its roots.

Zhou Yang’s face fell, and he didn’t dare make another move.

Xu Ying recalled his life in the Jiang Family Field and said, "A Divine Spirit just sits behind an offering table, upon a Shen Kan, accepting people’s worship and Incense and Candlelight. They only eat two meals a month, on the first and fifteenth day. They have to listen to the people’s prayers, regulate the wind and rain, and grant their wishes. But you Officials, you take a salary from the Court, wear fine clothes, and eat delicacies. Wherever you go, people kneel. You’re far better off than any Divine Spirit! When I was a child, you would ride past on your fine horses in your fancy clothes. I’d be standing by the road, my face covered in mud—muddy water kicked up by your horses’ hooves. I was so envious of you. I used to dream that I could be just like you."

Zhou Yang secretly activated his Nuo Art and said with a smile, "It’s not too late. The Zhou Family has no real grudge against you. It was just that you are a talented person, so we planned to use force to make you submit. Since it’s all a misunderstanding, why must we tear things apart? The Zhou Family can arrange an official position for you."

Xu Ying continued as if he hadn’t heard, "When I was a Snake Catcher with my godfather and grandfather, I could never sleep soundly at night. I would always be startled awake, hearing the Officials arresting people, women screaming in misery, children crying in the night, and old women climbing over walls to escape. During the day, I saw Officials on horseback entering the village, so imposing, looting like bandits. Back then, I had a dream. I wanted to be as imposing as an Official."

Zhou Yang smiled. "You can be. As long as you pledge your loyalty, the Zhou Family won’t treat you poorly."

Xu Ying continued, "But the next day, I saw a woman throw herself into a well and a man hang himself at his own front gate. That’s when I felt that becoming an Official might not be so great after all."

Zhou Yang sighed. "I, too, often lament the hardships of the people. Corrupt ministers abuse their power, and their subordinates follow suit. Xu Ying, since you have ideas about reforming the government’s failings, you should become an official all the more. Once you hold great power, you can cast out the old and bring in the new, govern the people’s livelihood, and fulfill your ambitions, can you not?"

Xu Ying’s expression grew somber. "Later, my grandfather was catching snakes, got bitten, and died from the poison. My godfather then took on the responsibility of caring for me. He wasn’t my real father, but he took very good care of me. He worked himself to the bone for a few years, saved up a little silver, and bought two mu of land. He told me, ’Ying, don’t be a Snake Catcher anymore. If you keep catching snakes, sooner or later you’ll die from a snakebite.’ He said, ’You should be a farmer.’ The day after he bought the land, the Officials came to collect the green-shoots tax."

His lips twitched. He was silent for a moment before saying, "He didn’t have the money to pay. The land was taken away and sold to Landlord Jiang."

Zhou Yang frowned slightly. "Paying taxes is the law of the king. It has nothing to do with me or the Officials of Lingling."

Xu Ying said, "My godfather cried for a long time. He said the money for the land was what my grandfather had paid for with his life, and that it should have been saved for me, so I could get married when I grew up. He said he had failed me, and failed my grandfather. He said he had to earn that money back. So he went into the mountains to catch an Exotic Snake. He didn’t come back for several days. Later, I found him. He was dead, from poison. Not even the demons dared to eat his corpse. I carried him back and buried him with my grandfather."

Zhou Yang said, "With such a tragic past, you have all the more reason to join my Zhou Family and become an Official. If you become an official, you can prevent more people from suffering your fate."

"Master Zhou, you’re mistaken. I didn’t tell you all this to play the victim and beg for a government post."

Xu Ying looked up, his gaze locking onto Zhou Yang’s eyes, and said softly, "The reason I’ve said so much is because the villagers told me that if a person dies under unclear circumstances, they will become a Fierce Ghost. And my good friend, Yuan Qi, told me that explaining things to a corpse is redundant."

The Willow Branch slowly flew out from behind him.

"So, before I kill you, I am explaining clearly why I am killing you."

Xu Ying turned away. The Willow Branch, like a cyan rainbow, pierced through the center of Zhou Yang’s brow.

Wuyang means utmost sincerity.

The so-called Wuyang is to be utterly true to one’s heart.

Xu Ying’s actions were merely him being true to his heart and swift in his deeds. He said he would let him die with understanding, so he let him die with understanding.

Zhou Yang’s eyes went wide. He let out a world-shaking roar and died with his eyes open.

Xu Ying glanced back at his expression and shook his head. "The villagers were probably lying to me. I explained everything so clearly, and he still died with his eyes open. From now on, it’s probably safer to kill first and explain later."

Just then, Da Zhong flew out from behind Xu Ying’s head and said, "Ying, do you know why your power has increased so rapidly, allowing you to kill so many Nuo Masters so quickly?"

Xu Ying was confused.

"Because you are a Qi Refiner."

Da Zhong said in a low, ethereal voice, "Your Qi Collection Stage has already reached the absolute peak. You have seen the Profound Gate within your body and are about to succeed at Knocking at the Gate to reach the Celestial River. Once you take that step and master Divine Power, you will be a true Qi Refiner."

"Once you take this step, you will be different from ordinary people."