Day of Ascension

Xu Ying gazed at that ominous land. It was the immortal land that the Pei clan had tried to open by gathering the power of all their Exorcist Immortals.

As the oldest Exorcist noble clan, the Pei clan's heritage was beyond question. Their knowledge was equally unquestionable. Yet even after combining the wisdom of countless experts, the immortal realm they had built had rotted and decayed, overflowing with an ominous aura.

His sharp senses detected a strange, decaying power within the immortal realm, slowly spreading outward. He activated his Third Eye and saw even the surrounding space rotting under that bizarre power.

As for the Radiant Vestige land of sublimation formed by Dao avatars, it had long since become riddled with holes!

Suddenly, that giant skeleton lunged forward and slammed into an invisible sealing barrier with a deafening boom. It opened its mouth wide and stretched out a rotting tongue to greedily lick the barrier, seemingly desperate to devour them.

Xu Ying asked, “Is he an Exorcist Immortal?”

“He’s my grandfather.” Pei Du did not attempt to conceal it. “By his generation, preparations for the immortal realm plan were complete. Our clan had already been studying the demon race's cultivation techniques and had discovered the ethereal void within the human body.

“Over ten generations, we sacrificed the ethereal voids of dozens of Exorcist Immortals, exhausted our fortune, and used artifacts accumulated over a thousand years to forge this immortal realm. We named it the Peach Blossom Spring[1].”

Yuanqi raised his head. “During the Taiyuan era of the Jin dynasty, a fisherman from Wuling followed a creek until he lost track of where he was.”

Pei Du exclaimed in surprise, “You’re quite the well-read snake!”

Yuanqi replied humbly, “I read a book or two from time to time. It adds up over a century.”

Xu Ying wasn’t as well-read as Yuanqi to be able to quote various literary works at will. He gazed toward the Peach Blossom Spring, awe filling his heart.

Two to three hundred immortal mountains were floating in this immortal realm. They were arranged according to the five viscera, corresponding to the five immortal mountains within the ethereal void.

The sky was also cluttered with large fragments of artifacts. Some resembled golden mountains, others looked like celestial gates. There were shattered great bells and treasure cauldrons so badly corroded that their bottoms had disappeared.

The Pei clan’s ambition was immense. They gathered the ethereal voids and Radiant Vestige lands of dozens of Exorcist Immortals, added countless artifacts, and stationed Exorcist Immortals within the immortal realm in an attempt to achieve eternal life by guarding it.

“At its peak, the Peach Blossom Spring was home to a thousand people. Aside from the Exorcist Immortals and clan elders, many exceptionally gifted descendants studied here, learning the wisdom of their ancestors.

“The longest-lived ancestor lived to be eight hundred years old. The entire clan did not doubt that the Peach Blossom Spring was eternally secure, and that living in this immortal realm meant they would never face death.”

Pei Du’s gaze dimmed, but his expression remained the same. “For years, not a single Exorcist Immortal suffered an ominous event in their twilight years. None were devoured. My grandfather became an Exorcist Immortal here. Yet the good times didn't last. The Peach Blossom Spring suddenly collapsed.”

Xu Ying, Yuanqi, and Dazhong were stunned.

How could the Peach Blossom Spring collapse out of nowhere?

Pei Du explained, “The collapse happened in an instant. First, the immortal mountains decayed and lost all vitality. Even drawing in the primordial qi of heaven and earth could not rejuvenate the immortal mountains.

“Then, the Exorcist Immortals’ flesh broke down and rotted. Some of it died away, while the rest grew uncontrollably. Their divine senses also decayed, and they lost their sanity, becoming bloodthirsty monsters. Even the descendants who entered the Peach Blossom Spring mutated. Longevity became a curse.”

Xu Ying gazed at that giant skeleton, Pei Du’s grandfather. He was still alive, but in another form. In a sense, he had achieved eternal life.

Whether he wanted to exist like that was another matter.

The giant skeleton roared at them furiously and hammered at the seal violently, desperate to tear through this forbidden area and escape.

Suddenly, writhing masses of flesh crawled toward him from every direction and quickly engulfed him.

Pei Du said, “We sealed off the Peach Blossom Spring. Afterward, we combined our knowledge and concluded that the ancient evils didn’t devour them because the curse of longevity had contaminated them. It seemed those ancient evils deliberately avoided the curse.”

Xu Ying understood. The ancient evils Pei Du was referring to were likely people similar to the Mud-Pill Palace Master.

Pei Du’s expression turned strange. “My father grew old and lacked vital energy. He took a risk and entered the Peach Blossom Spring forbidden zone, harvested a piece of cursed flesh, and transplanted it onto his own body. Now, he’s three hundred seventy years old, and still hasn’t been devoured. However, the curse also affected his mind, and he occasionally falls into madness.”

Puzzled, Dazhong remarked, “Strange. Qi Cultivators live even longer than Exorcist Immortals. How come they aren’t affected by the curse of longevity?”

Xu Ying nodded. Qi Cultivators weren't the only long-lived beings. Many Great Demons also enjoyed extremely long lifespans, yet he had never heard of any suffering from such a curse.

Pei Du sighed. “After what happened to the Peach Blossom Spring, our clan changed direction.”

They began studying “demonic arts.”

Around that time, Zhou Qiyun and the Zhou clan rose to prominence. Zhou Qiyun was a savage from the countryside. Unrestrained by noble etiquette, he acted with reckless abandon.

He went around digging up the Radiant Vestige lands of sublimation of Exorcist Immortals and searched for tombs and grotto heavens of ancient Qi Cultivators.

Naturally, the Pei clan stood no chance of competing against such a savage. The past two centuries had been an era of oppression under Zhou Qiyun.

Zhou Qiyun had even oppressed Pei Du’s father to the point where he didn’t dare to die. Thus, he went to the forbidden grounds to steal the undying flesh and transplanted it onto himself. He feared the Pei clan couldn’t withstand the Zhou clan after his death.

“But the two thousand years of prosperity enjoyed by our clan were no empty reputation.”

Pei Du continued to lead him, circling the Peach Blossom Spring, and arrived at another grotto heaven. This place was dedicated to storing the unique ancient texts the clan had collected.

Countless rows of bookshelves stretched out before them, packed with all kinds of books made from paper, fabric, silk, sheepskin, cowhide, bamboo, and even gold!

There were also bronze cauldrons, bells, and other artifacts that bore inscriptions recording historical events!

Yuanqi couldn’t help but stare in astonishment. He slid down from Xu Ying’s shoulder and slithered through this long grotto heaven. He blew a breath and flipped through numerous ancient texts with a loud rustle, revealing mysterious characters on their pages.

Pei Du picked up a scroll and said, “During the chaotic era of Wang Mang, this man usurped the throne and harbored ambitions of immortality. He gathered rare books from across the realm, ordering that all ancient texts from the times of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors down to the present be handed over to the state treasury.

“Later, when Wang Mang was killed, our clan’s ancestor stormed the state treasury. He didn’t seize any treasures, only the books, and made off with ten percent of the ancient texts.

“Among which was this bamboo scroll. There’s a passage on it stating that there is an immortal’s grotto heaven on Mount Song, where an Immortal Deng resides. And Mount Song happens to be right next to the Divine Capital.”

Xu Ying asked, “Could it be that the Pei clan found this grotto heaven?”

Pei Du shook his head. “Our clan searched Mount Song for years, but we never found this immortal’s grotto heaven. It wasn’t until three months ago, when the Hell River changed course and the underworld invaded, that Mount Song changed as well.

“Out of nowhere, numerous massive mountains emerged, and the grotto heaven recorded in this bamboo scroll emerged along with them.”

Yuanqi was browsing the ancient texts on the bookshelves, reading them at lightning speed. Upon opening a certain ancient text, he was startled by an illustration within and hurriedly shut the book.

Seeing that Pei Du and the others weren’t paying attention to him, he flipped it open and continued reading it.

This ancient text recorded the tribute of rare texts from across the land after Wang Mang usurped the throne. Among the offerings was an undying man. The presenter told Wang Mang that although the man looked like a boy, he had already lived for more than a thousand years, and his appearance had never changed.

Wang Mang was overjoyed and ordered his men to cook the undying man for him to eat. The record ended there. It was unclear whether Wang Mang had actually eaten him.

Yuanqi’s heart pounded as he turned to look at Xu Ying. The illustration of the undying man in the ancient text bore a striking resemblance to him.

He stealthily licked Xu Ying’s portrait, blurring the illustration, thinking, The Pei clan must never learn of this. Otherwise, even if they don't eat Ah Ying, they'll treat him like a monster and dissect him. Their obsession with immortality is too deep.

“Fortunately, you’re here!” Pei Du’s expression turned fanatical once more. “I’ve noticed that you’ve unlocked your Mud Pill and Crimson Palace. The powers of the two Secret Troves run in parallel within your body.

“You can also decipher Qi cultivation techniques. With your help, our clan will surely break free from the curse of longevity and escape the fate that awaits Exorcist Immortals in their twilight years!”

Yuanqi was taken aback. “How did you know Ah Ying has unlocked his Mud Pill and Crimson Palace? He had only used them once on the way to the Divine Capital.”

Then, he came to a realization. “I get it now. You've been watching us from the shadows all along, haven't you? Nearly three hundred of your clansmen died because of it, yet you stayed hidden and never showed yourself...”

Pei Du’s expression darkened.

Xu Ying coughed dryly, interrupting Yuanqi. “I wouldn’t dare refuse Patriarch Pei’s warm invitation. Whatever you wish for me to do, just say the word.”

Pei Du took a scroll made of thin gold foil from a bookshelf and handed it to Xu Ying. “I’ve heard your knowledge is unmatched. Our clan obtained this Qi cultivation technique by chance. We've studied it for years with little progress. Young Friend Xu, please help us decipher it.”

Xu Ying received the scroll and let out a gasp of surprise. This scripture served as a method for tempering the soul and the Primordial Spirit. He understood the tadpole script at a glance; it was titled "Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture!"

Pei Du’s eyes flickered as he stared intently at Xu Ying. “Young Friend Xu, can you decipher it?”

Xu Ying remained calm, “I’ll need a few days.”

Pei Du let out a sigh of relief and smiled. “We’ve waited for two thousand years; a few days won’t matter. Why don’t you stay at my place for the next few days?”

Xu Ying smiled. “I’m afraid your Pei clan won’t find peace if I stay here. It’s safer if I stay at the Yuan residence.”

Pei Du nodded. “Indeed, it’s not very safe if you stay here. Others might think I've claimed you for myself. In that case, I won't insist.”

Xu Ying asked, “Patriarch Pei, I would like to receive your Pei clan’s Jade-Pool Secret Trove.”

Pei Du smiled. “Haven’t you already obtained it, Young Friend Xu? This forbidden ground is also where my clansmen unlock their Jade-Pool Secret Trove.”

Xu Ying’s heart stirred slightly. He had indeed found the location of his Jade-Pool Secret Trove in the forbidden ground by tracing its peculiar energy!

Pei Du said, “Others cherish the Secret Trove and deem them as secrets never to be passed to outsiders, but that logic doesn’t exist within our Pei clan. The Jade-Pool Secret Trove spread throughout the world long ago. Many minor noble clans and martial sects cultivate it. Our Pei clan simply preserves the orthodox lineage.”

He personally escorted Xu Ying out of the forbidden zone and ordered Pei Jingting to send him back to the Yuan residence.

A long time later, Pei Jingting returned to the Pei residence, only to see Pei Du washing his hands. The water in the basin had turned completely black. The maidservant replaced it several times as Pei Du washed his hands again and again until the water finally ran clear.

Pei Jingting was shocked to realize the water had been tainted with deadly poison.

He asked, “What happened, Patriarch?”

Pei Du replied calmly, “I was poisoned by snake venom while turning the pages of a book. It's incredibly potent. Even I had to expend some effort to purge it.”

Pei Jingting glanced at the table and saw an ancient text lying open.

The book contained an illustration of a young man with blurred features. For some unknown reason, the page was soaked with liquid. Apparently, it was snake venom.

Pei Jingting was bewildered. “Even someone as careful as you was poisoned!”

Pei Du dried his hands. Then, he carefully picked up the ancient text. “This book tells the story of Wang Mang cooking the undying person. It is absurd, but very interesting.

“Jingting, I want you to pick out a hundred clansmen to browse through the ancient texts in the Archive Grotto and search for all books that record stories regarding the undying person. Compile them for me!”

Although Pei Jingting didn’t understand his intention, he bowed, expressed his compliance, and immediately set out to carry out the order.

Pei Du set down the book and muttered, “Are you the undying person?”

***

Xu Ying returned to the Yuan residence and slept soundly. The next morning, just after washing up, he heard a light tapping on the window lattice, like a bird pecking at it.

He pushed the window open and saw Yuan Rushi standing prettily beneath it with her hands behind her back and her posture perfectly straight.

She said softly, “I changed to a different rouge today. Do you want to taste it?”

“I haven’t had my breakfast yet.”

The maiden leaned in closer, standing on tiptoes. Her breath was as fragrant as orchids. “It will be gone after breakfast. Taste it first.”

Xu Ying leaned half of his body outside and tasted it.

A cough suddenly sounded. Like a startled little bird, Yuan Rushi ran off in a hurry.

A moment later, Uncle Xiao approached with a dark expression. He said slowly, “Young Master Xu, it’s time for breakfast.”

Xu Ying’s heart pounded wildly as he gave a quick reply. We were almost caught. I can’t act recklessly in the Yuan residence. If Brother Yuan finds out what I've been doing with his sister, we won't even be able to remain friends... Right, I still have important work to do. I need to decipher that scripture for the Pei clan.

After breakfast, Xu Ying bathed, lit some incense, and changed his clothes, preparing to decipher the Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture.

Just then, Yuan Rushi asked from outside, “Brother Xu, do you want to go out and play? Let’s go buy some new rouge!”

Xu Ying stuffed the scripture into the mouth of the giant snake basking in the sun and called out, “Wait for me!”

That afternoon, Xu Ying returned after eating a lot of rouge. This won’t do. I’m betraying Brother Yuan. I cannot do this again tomorrow.

On the third day, Yuan Rushi took him out to eat rouge again. They only returned after playing around until evening. At night, Xu Ying lay in bed, reflecting on himself.

“I absolutely cannot do this again.”

On the fourth day, he ate rouge all day again. Xu Ying said in frustration, “I still have proper business left undone. Chancellor Pei is still waiting for me to decipher the scripture.”

On the fifth day, Xu Ying thought, Chancellor Pei said that their clan has been waiting for two thousand years. A day or two shouldn’t make any difference. I wonder what Sister Rushi’s rouge will taste like tomorrow...

On the sixth day, Xu Ying said, “I need to pull myself together!”

***

At the Pei residence, Pei Jingting stacked the thick ancient texts together, covering the desk in the study.

Pei Du raised his head in surprise and looked at him. Pei Jingting nodded. “Patriarch, these are the records regarding the undying person found in the Archive Grotto.”

1. It refers to an ethereal utopia where people lead an ideal existence in harmony with nature, unaware of the outside world. The phrase can describe an idealized place of beauty and repose, though it is sometimes used to refer to an unrealistic dream. ☜