Day of Ascension

A chill ran through Xu Ying. He composed himself and reviewed the sequence of events.

Zhou Qiyun chased a strange snake and accidentally entered Qin Yan Cave. Being exceptionally smart, he tracked the Mud-Pill Palace Master’s aura to the stone chamber within the stone wall and obtained the Mud-Pill Palace Master’s legacy.

He assumed the skeleton within the stone chamber was the Mud-Pill Palace Master and kowtowed to him, taking him as his master.

The skeleton helped him unlock his Mud-Pill Secret Trove. Later, Zhou Qiyun realized it was a trap and destroyed his own grotto heavens. He reopened his Secret Trove and escaped the trap.

The Mud-Pill Palace Master’s second trap lay in the cultivation technique. He intentionally left a flaw within it.

However, Zhou Qiyun discovered this trap as well. Over the next eighty years, he found the Radiant Vestige lands of sublimation left behind by seventeen Exorcist Immortals. There, he uncovered a conspiracy targeting Exorcist Immortals, perfected his cultivation technique, and became an Exorcist Immortal.

Nevertheless, Zhou Qiyun remained dissatisfied with being only an immortal in the mortal realm. He sought true ascension and began searching for other paths, researching the so-called demonic arts.

The invasion of the Hell River and the underworld was a series of events that drew Zhou Qiyun to the new lands of Yongzhou. At Mount Wu Wang, he encountered the Mud-Pill Palace Master’s skeletal remains riding a massive creature, charging out of Qin Yan Cave in pursuit of Xu Ying.

During that first encounter, neither master nor disciple dared prolong the battle.

Later, Zhou Qiyun lured the Mud-Pill Palace Master beneath the great locust tree and killed him, finally eliminating the threat. Only then did he devote himself fully to preparing for his tribulation to ascend.

“But, what if Zhou Qiyun didn’t kill the real Mud-Pill Palace Master?” Lost in thought, Xu Ying suddenly said to Dazhong, “Master Zhong, what if Zhou Qiyun never actually escaped the second trap?”

The second trap was the flaw in his cultivation technique.

Zhou Qiyun believed he had fixed the flaw in his exorcism art, but what if his master had deliberately exposed that flaw to keep the real one hidden?

Zhou Qiyun failed to notice the deeper flaw and had personally slain the “Mud-Pill Palace Master.” Filled with confidence, he wouldn’t be on guard against the Mud-Pill Palace Master.

In that case, he would be at his most vulnerable while undergoing his ascension tribulation.

Perhaps that was when the Mud-Pill Palace Master intended to reveal himself and harvest the crop.

The stronger Zhou Qiyun was, the sweeter it would taste, leaving one salivating!

Dazhong pondered for a moment. “You’re overthinking things, Ah Ying. How monstrous a figure is Zhou Qiyun? Could he possibly fail to notice the flaws in his own cultivation technique? Besides, from what I've seen, his Radiant Vestige land of sublimation has already taken shape as the landscape of the entire Divine Land.

“His cultivation technique is clearly no longer the one the Mud-Pill Palace Master taught him. Since the techniques are different, the original flaw shouldn't exist.”

Xu Ying realized something and smiled. “You’re right, Master Zhong. I was overthinking things. The Mud-Pill Palace Master is likely dead.”

He looked down at the teacup and teapot on the table, then looked at the female immortal corpse, which was reduced to dust. He was still somewhat dazed.

A single cup of tea had allowed him to scheme against a female immortal who had survived her heavenly tribulation but had yet to ascend. Could such a figure really be the skeleton who died beneath the great locust tree?

Mount Wu Wang’s place of ascension was now safe. Xu Ying stepped outside and instructed Niu Zhen and Niu Qian to go in and clean the area. From now on, this would be their sacred cultivation ground.

Of the archaic malevolent weapons in the place of ascension, only the massive stone ax remained. Niu Zhen and Niu Qian were incredibly strong, but the ax's overwhelming malevolence terrified them, and neither dared use it.

Bringing the stone ax with him, Xu Ying went to find Yuanqi. The latter was immersed in comprehending the sword qi within the sword case. Carrying the case on his back, Yuanqi came to the broken peak of Mount Wu Wang and jumped off.

Looking up, Xu Ying couldn’t help but exclaim, “Master Qi has such courage and will; he’ll surely master the Sword Kinesis Mantra!”

Thud.

The huge snake crashed to the ground nearby and twitched twice. The sword qi inside the case remained completely still.

Xu Ying approached. “Master Qi, why don't you give up on the sword and practice the ax instead? I just got a good one.”

Yuanqi glanced at the stone ax disdainfully. “Only big, dumb, and clumsy fools would use such weapons.”

Seeing that Yuanqi wasn’t interested, Xu Ying had no choice but to drop the matter. He didn’t fancy the stone ax himself either, and casually set it aside in a corner.

Yuanqi continued climbing up the mountain, intending to give it another try. Before long, he plunged from the sky with another thud. After lying there for a while, he got back up and started climbing once more.

Xu Ying settled down in the ascension site. Most days, he cultivated there. When he had free time, he taught the two bull demons cultivation techniques and gave Yuanqi pointers on swordsmanship.

Occasionally, he thought of Yuan Weiyang, stirring a sense of unease within him.

The bull demons improved rapidly. Soon, they opened their ethereal void and regulated their five qi. Their yin qi gradually faded, and their cultivation grew increasingly stronger.

Yuanqi practiced the sword every day. His routine of contemplating the sword before jumping off the cliff had become a familiar sight on Mount Wu Wang. Demons and monsters often stopped to watch, and even Dazhong couldn't help admiring his persistence.

He said to Xu Ying, “Yuanqi may simply lack the aptitude for this. Tell him to stop.”

Xu Ying shook his head. “He practiced the completely incompatible Elephant-Bull Demon Fist for a hundred twenty years. Once he gets stubborn, not even an ox can pull him back.”

Yuanqi jumped for days and was covered in bruises. On this particular leap, a flying sword suddenly shot up from below, nearly severing his neck.

He twisted in midair, narrowly avoiding that flying sword. However, he saw streaks of sword light racing toward him, intent on cutting him into pieces.

Alarmed, his scales flared instinctively. Even so, he forcibly restrained himself from using the Dragon-Snake Spring Awakening Cultivation Method. Instead, he focused entirely on visualizing and sensing sword qi.

A whistling sword light lit up by his side, resonating with the sword qi inside the sword case. With a swish, the sword qi within the case flew out, transformed into swirling white light, and enveloped him.

The oncoming sword qi collided with Yuanqi’s protective sword qi, wearing it away until he could no longer remain airborne.

Yuanqi plummeted from the sky, yet he was overjoyed inside. I mastered it! I mastered it!

He suddenly came to a realization. Could it be Ah Ying using sword qi to sneak attack me? Did he think of this method to force me into breaking through in a desperate situation...?

Before he hit the ground, he saw another dozen or so streaks of sword light rushing at him. The sword qi that had shattered a moment ago turned into wisps of green smoke, emitting the scent of incense.

Yuanqi was startled. It’s not Ah Ying. It’s the gods of the Underworld Court!

He quickly revealed his true form, transforming into a giant snake over twenty zhang long. In midair, he circulated the True Cultivation of Ba Snake and expanded into a colossal creature over a hundred zhang long. His vital energy blazed like a burning forest, and his aura surged into the heavens.

He whipped his thick, massive tail skyward and latched onto the cliff with a loud smack. Hanging upside down, he raised his head and circulated the Dragon-Snake Spring Awakening Cultivation Method. His vital energy surged, forming the dual Dao avatars of a dragon and a snake behind him.

The Dao avatars dwarfed even Yuanqi. They coiled around the broken cliff of Mount Wu Wang as clouds and mist churned, creating a terrifying spectacle.

The flying swords struck Yuanqi with a series of clinks before dissolving into wisps of incense qi. They couldn't even pierce his scales.

Niu Zhen and Niu Qian rushed out. Looking up, they saw Yuanqi’s true form and were stunned at the sight. An inexplicable fear rose within them.

This was Yuanqi after he awakened his primordial bloodline and inherited Zhou Qiyun's cultivation.

He had already fused the True Cultivation of Ba Snake and the Dragon-Snake Spring Awakening Cultivation Method into one. Even if Xu Ying personally used those cultivation techniques, the power he could unleash would pale in comparison.

Yuanqi's vital energy was even more astonishing, so vast that it rivaled Xu Ying's.

A dignified voice called out from the foot of the mountain, praising, “I thought you were just an ordinary Demon King. I didn’t expect you to be this formidable. I’ve underestimated you.”

Yuanqi looked toward the source of the voice and saw a tall scholar emerging from the forest. Following behind him were the city gods from various counties of Yongzhou Prefecture, each enveloped in swirling incense qi and radiating a heavy aura.

The one who sneak-attacked Yuanqi earlier was none other than the city god of Lingling County, Xue Lingfu.

Xue Lingfu stepped forward and shouted, “This is Yongzhou Prefecture’s Controller General Ling. By order of the emperor, he has come to summon Xu Ying to the underworld to answer for his crimes!”

Yuanqi’s heart skipped a beat. Controller General Ling? This is bad!

In the Underworld Court, controller generals ranked above Ghost Kings. They were high-ranking regional officials!

Controller General Ling rivaled the prefect of Yongzhou, Zhou Heng. Zhou Heng had received the true teachings of the Zhou clan and opened five levels of grotto heavens for his Mud Pill. Despite his enormous girth, he had escaped the attacks of the ghost Exorcist Immortal through sheer skill.

His arrival here certainly harbored ill intent!

Just then, laughter drifted over from the distance. “Controller General Ling, what a small world! Greetings!”

Yuanqi jumped in fright. This voice belonged to Zhou Heng!

He thought, If Zhou Heng found this place, does that mean Old Ancestor Zhou is here as well?

A fat bird flew through the sky, carrying Zhou Heng's bulky frame in its talons. Panting heavily, he said, “I came here on the order of our old ancestor to deliver a letter to Xu Ying. Controller General Ling, the Underworld Court Emperor’s matter will have to wait.”

Controller General Ling looked toward Zhou Heng, sneered coldly, and turned to leave with his entourage.

Xue Lingfu hurriedly said, “Controller General, we outnumber them. Let’s join forces and take him down!”

Controller General Ling shook his head. “Of course, I’m not afraid of Zhou Heng, but the Underworld Court is terrified of Old Ancestor Zhou and doesn’t wish to offend him. I had thought that he didn’t know Xu Ying was here and thus came to snatch an easy victory, but I didn’t expect him to find Xu Ying!”

On Mount Wu Wang, Xu Ying received Zhou Qiyun’s letter from Zhou Heng. He unfolded it to read. It said that to read the letter was like meeting him, followed by a bunch of polite pleasantries.

Zhou Qiyun stated in the letter that he had comprehended the Nine Heavens Yang Spirit over the past few days and had some areas he didn’t understand. He had therefore sent Zhou Heng to convey his greetings and seek Xu Ying's guidance.

Xu Ying set down the letter. “Lord Zhou, when did your old ancestor discover I was hiding here?”

Zhou Heng answered, “He’s known for over ten days now.”

A chill ran down Xu Ying’s spine. He smiled. “Why didn’t Old Ancestor Zhou come to capture me?”

Zhou Heng chuckled. “I also asked him this. He said it makes no difference whether you're here or by his side. He's busy building an altar to offer sacrifices to Heaven and preparing for his ascension, so he doesn't have time to come.”

Xu Ying laughed out loud, though he remained wary on the inside. “Old Ancestor Zhou thinks too highly of me. I’ll write a reply letter for you to bring back to him.”

He picked up a brush and penned a letter, answering Zhou Qiyun’s questions.

After a moment's thought, Xu Ying fetched the teacup left behind by the Mud-Pill Palace Master. He poured a cup of tea from the teapot and handed it to Zhou Heng. “Lord Zhou, bring this back and show your old ancestor. Remember: don't pour out the tea.”

Zhou Heng received the teacup and hurried to Mount Jiuyi with the letter. When he saw Zhou Qiyun, he presented the letter. Zhou Qiyun unfolded it, read it carefully, and asked, “What did Xu Ying say?”

“Xu Ying said you think too highly of him.”

Then, Zhou Heng presented the teacup and smiled. “He also told me to bring this cup of tea to show you.”

Zhou Qiyun motioned for him to set it aside. He continued studying the contents of the letter and gradually became completely absorbed in it; by the time he came to his senses, three days had passed.

The teacup that had been sitting on the table was gone. A maidservant had cleared it away and poured out the tea.

Zhou Qiyun remembered the teacup but couldn't find it. He gave it little thought.

“Heng’er, make another trip to Mount Wu Wang.”

Zhou Qiyun wrote another letter and handed it to Zhou Heng, saying, “When you see Xu Ying, be sure to be polite.”

Zhou Heng bowed in assent and departed with the letter.

When he arrived at Mount Wu Wang, he saw Xu Ying teaching two bull demons how to refine away their incense qi.

Zhou Heng waited until Xu Ying was done teaching before approaching and presenting Zhou Qiyun’s letter.

Xu Ying took the letter and asked in confusion, “Lord Zhou, don’t you have to tend to official matters?”

Zhou Heng smiled. “With the emergence of the new lands, the Yongzhou prefectural office no longer exists. The counties have all been divided up. I'm now a prefect in name only, with no official business to handle.”

Xu Ying smiled. “The people of Yongzhou Prefecture can enjoy a few days of peace now.”

Zhou Heng felt humiliated and infuriated; recalling Zhou Qiyun’s instructions, he didn’t dare to act up.

Xu Ying unfolded the letter and read it carefully. Zhou Qiyun raised several more questions in the letter. He experienced discomfort while fusing the Nine Heavens Yang Spirit and the technique in Granny Tuo Immortal Book. He wrote to ask Xu Ying how to deal with them.

Xu Ying picked up a pen to answer. “Lord Zhou, what was the old ancestor’s reaction after examining that teacup and tea? Did he ask you to convey any message?”

Zhou Heng was slightly taken aback and shook his head. “No.”

Xu Ying pondered for a moment. Was I overthinking?

With that, he no longer dwelled on the matter.

The two exchanged letters. Through Zhou Qiyun’s questions, Xu Ying discerned his progress. He was fusing the two cultivation techniques very quickly, and his cultivation advanced rapidly. In just two months, Zhou Qiyun had reached the Jasper-Pool Realm.

Gradually, Zhou Qiyun sent fewer letters, and the gap between each one grew longer and longer.

The questions he asked also gradually strained Xu Ying, becoming increasingly difficult to answer.

Zhou Heng came to Mount Wu Wang again to deliver Zhou Qiyun’s letter and told Xu Ying, “The old ancestor has reached the Divine Bridge Stage. The sacrificial altar is also completed.”

Slightly shaken inside, Xu Ying asked, “When does your old ancestor plan to kill me?”

Zhou Heng shook his head. “The old ancestor didn’t mention anything about that. He only told me to bring this letter.”

Xu Ying unfolded the letter. It was the same, familiar words, stating that reading the letter was as good as seeing him in person, followed by pleasantries. This time, Zhou Qiyun didn’t ask him any questions regarding his cultivation techniques. Instead, he described in detail his method for facing his tribulation.

He had excavated ancient tombs and discovered numerous texts collected by ancient Qi Cultivators. Among them were some records regarding the heavenly tribulation.

The heavenly tribulation originates from the human heart, establishing a resonance between heaven and man to form a Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact to mete out the tribulation.

The heavenly gods wield these divine artifacts. Whenever a Qi Cultivator undergoes their tribulation, the tribulation might erupts from the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact. Therefore, before attempting the tribulation, one must first offer sacrifices to heaven.

For over a hundred ten years of my life, I have collected countless treasures of the world, preparing to offer them to the heavenly gods as sacrifices to weaken the might of my heavenly tribulation to aid my ascension! Mister Xu, if I succeed in ascending, your life will be safe. If I fail, I will have Zhou Heng bring another letter.

At this point, the letter came to an abrupt end.

Clutching the letter, Xu Ying fell silent for a moment. If he fails, the next time Zhou Heng comes will be on his order to kill me.