Day of Ascension

Xu Ying and Guo Xiaodie wandered through the Imperial Palace. Night still blanketed the palace, leaving everything deathly quiet. Yuanqi indulged Guo Xiaodie in her wild antics. Pretending to be ghosts, they sneaked into one palace to frighten a few young eunuchs, then rushed to another to scare the palace maids.

Yuanqi would coil himself around the necks of the eunuchs or palace maids and whisper into their ears. Guo Xiaodie yanked away their blankets, frightening them so badly that they curled into tight balls.

Xu Ying did not join in their reckless mischief. Instead, he scoured the palace for the Li clan’s Dragon Tracking Technique but found nothing.

Dazhong flew around the area. Whenever he spotted a bell hanging beneath a palace eave, he eagerly floated over and struck it. Each impact sent a deep toll echoing through the palace, though the sound never reached the Second Divine Capital.

That night, the Imperial Palace was haunted.

At the Derong Palace, Guo Xiaodie peeked inside but quickly withdrew, her face flushing bright red. She stopped Yuanqi just as he was about to enter.

“Don't go inside. The emperor and his consort are sleeping inside. It's so embarrassing!”

Knowing it was an awkward situation, Yuanqi didn’t go in.

They entered the adjacent Dexin Palace. A sudden doubt gripped Yuanqi's mind. Wait a second. Didn’t Old Ancestor Guo severely injure the emperor? He should still be recuperating in the Eastern Palace. Did he recover that quickly?

A moment later, Guo Xiaodie clicked her tongue in disdain and backed out of Dexin Palace. “We can’t enter this palace either. The emperor and his consort are sleeping inside.”

Walking beside her, Yuanqi asked in confusion, “One emperor was recuperating in the Eastern Palace, and now two emperors are sleeping with their consorts. How many emperors are there in the Imperial Palace?”

Guo Xiaodie seemed to realize something. She stared at Dexin Palace with wide eyes and blurted out, “Have we encountered a ghost? Otherwise, why are there three emperors?”

Xu Ying found his way to Qinghua Palace and was shocked. Pei Du sat perfectly still. Behind him, nine grotto heavens trembled faintly.

Seated across from him was a youth in yellow robes, equally motionless. Nine grotto heavens also hovered behind him. An azure dragon stretched across them, its ferocious body winding through the grotto heavens as its claws clamped onto two of Pei Du’s.

Both men maintained faint smiles as they locked eyes, their aura fluctuating unsteadily.

Suddenly, both seemed to sense Xu Ying’s presence. They turned their heads in unison to look toward him. Although they stood in different realms, Xu Ying still felt their gazes fall upon him.

Such formidable cultivators!

He dared not linger and immediately retreated from the Qinghua Palace. However, a dragon's roar echoed through the hall and even reached the Second Divine Capital, entering his ears with clarity!

A massive dragon claw tore through the sky above the Second Divine Capital and reached toward him.

Inside Qinghua Palace, Pei Du raised a hand and made a grasping motion. He said softly, “Is there a need for you to act so mercilessly, Imperial Uncle Li?”

Before the dragon claw could descend, an invisible force seized it in midair and stopped the attack.

Inside the Qinghua Palace, Pei Du and Imperial Uncle Li exchanged several blows in an instant. Pei Du’s every strike was effortless and unhurried. Imperial Uncle Li, however, felt his vital energy churn with every collision, secretly astonished.

Prince Li Zhaolou had died at the Pei residence, prompting Pei Du to visit the palace to apologize. Imperial Uncle Li knew that there had to be something suspicious about the death, but he also knew Pei Du had erased Pei Jing's memories, leaving no trace behind.

That was why he had forced Pei Du to stay. Sitting face-to-face, he seized two of Pei Du's grotto heavens to punish him. Simultaneously, by pinning Pei Du in place, he could keep him from protecting Xu Ying and allow Emperor Shengshen to strike.

He had expected to overwhelm Pei Du with ease. Instead, even with two of Pei Du's grotto heavens restrained, Pei Du still blocked every attack and shook him badly enough to disrupt his vital energy.

He marveled in silent admiration, The chancellor’s primordial qi is so robust that it’s truly like the sea!

“An evil entity is lurking within the Second Divine Capital, spying on the Imperial Palace!”

Despite his admiration for Pei Du's profound cultivation, Imperial Uncle Li still attacked without showing any mercy. He said coldly, “I am capturing an evil entity. Are you going to stop me?”

Pei Du hesitated briefly before withdrawing his hand into his sleeve.

The pressure on Imperial Uncle Li suddenly disappeared. He immediately channeled his exorcism technique, Azure Dragon’s Grasp, and clawed toward Xu Ying!

Clang!

A violent tremor tore through the Second Divine Capital as Dazhong flew in from the side to intercept the oncoming dragon claw. A resonant toll boomed, shattering the Azure Dragon’s Grasp!

The impact knocked the great bell off his balance, sending him crashing toward Xu Ying. Xu Ying thrust out both hands to brace against the bell's surface, but the overwhelming force drove him backward.

He crashed into Qinghua Palace with a loud bang. The momentum drove him right through the space between Pei Du and Imperial Uncle Li. A powerful gust swept through the hall, scattering papers everywhere, yet no one could be seen.

Imperial Uncle Li let out a muffled groan and clutched his right hand. Blood streamed from the wound Dazhong had inflicted when he shattered the Azure Dragon's Grasp.

Boom!

A wall inside Qinghua Palace collapsed from the impact. Only then did Xu Ying successfully dissipate the force from Dazhong.

Imperial Uncle Li’s mind raced with profound suspicion and alarm. “The evil entity is this formidable?”

He stopped suppressing Pei Du and stood up. Taking a stick of incense from the burner, he smeared it with the blood from his right hand. He formed a sword-finger with his left hand, held it before his lips, and chanted softly.

As Xu Ying rushed out of Qinghua Palace with Dazhong, he looked up. Incense qi swirled across the sky, gathering into Imperial Uncle Li's face as it peered down at the Second Divine Capital. He sneered, “I’ll see who exactly you are!”

Xu Ying quickly grabbed a piece of cloth to cover his face. Dazhong pulled down a curtain and draped it over himself, hiding his appearance.

The man and the bell hurried away and soon ran into Guo Xiaodie and Yuanqi, who were also fleeing. Guo Xiaodie had a scented handkerchief covering her face, while the huge snake had picked up a quilt from somewhere and hung it over his face, but it wasn't even big enough to cover his forehead.

They fled the Imperial Palace in panic, only to find the incense smoke that formed Imperial Uncle Li's face still drifting across the sky, searching for them.

Without the divine sages of Lingyan Pavilion to guide him, he couldn’t descend upon the Second Divine Capital in his true form.

After avoiding the giant face's gaze, they all breathed a sigh of relief and removed their disguises.

Xu Ying said, “We shouldn't stay here any longer. Let’s return to the Guo residence first!”

When they passed by the Yuan residence, Guo Xiaodie suddenly smiled. “I wonder if Brother Weiyang is bathing or already asleep now? I’ll go take a look!”

She slipped into the Yuan residence.

A moment later, Guo Xiaodie emerged from the Yuan residence, looking dispirited. Xu Ying waved his hand in front of her face, but she didn’t react.

“She’s[1] bathing.” Out of nowhere, Guo Xiaodie blurted out, “She even plucked her hair, you know? She just yanked it hard, like this.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her face was filled with sorrow. Resting her elbow on Xu Ying’s shoulder, she burst out crying.

Choking, she said, “She pulled out her hair so roughly! I don’t like her anymore!”

Her heart was in turmoil; she felt very sad. A voice screamed in her mind. None of this matters! Why is Brother Weiyang a girl?

Unaware of the internal battle going on in her mind, Xu Ying patted her shoulder, unsure of how to comfort her.

Guo Xiaodie cried for a long time, soaking the fabric on Xu Ying’s shoulder. Once she had completely vented her unhappiness, she wiped away her tears and snot.

Unaware of the reason for her sadness, Xu Ying smiled. “Let’s go take a look at the Solitary Willow.”

Guo Xiaodie voiced her assent and followed him silently. Only then did she notice how solid the young man's arms were and how broad his shoulders felt. Remembering how she had just leaned against him and cried, an inexplicable sense of security welled up inside her.

She secretly pulled her bodice down a little with her index finger. Demon King Xu isn't any less charming than Brother Weiyang. Unfortunately, Brother Weiyang is a girl... Wait, don't tell me Yuan Weiyang has set her eyes on Demon King Xu too? That little minx!

They passed by the Solitary Willow. It seemed even more massive in the Divine Capital. Towering into the clouds, it radiated a ghostly aura that made it inexplicably terrifying.

Willow branches danced through the air, and stuck upon the tips of those branches were the severed heads of ghosts.

The headless wandering spirits stood on the thick willow branches, as steady as birds. Their headless torsos faced Xu Ying's group. Wherever the group moved, the ghosts turned to face them.

Yet, the severed heads on the tips of the branches didn’t look at them. Instead, they faced the willow tree, each wearing a strange smile, whispering to one another, as if sharing secrets with the Solitary Willow.

Xu Ying’s heart stirred slightly. They are making offerings to a god. This willow tree is controlling these beheaded ghosts to cultivate. It is trying to become a god through offerings!

The path it had chosen was clearly one of ascension through worship. Over the years of chaos and rebellion, many had been beheaded beneath the Solitary Willow and left on public display. The resentment that had accumulated there was beyond imagination.

He’s using the headless ghosts’ resentment to cultivate. If He succeeds, He will be extremely evil! Xu Ying thought, But with the sages of Lingyan Pavilion keeping Him in check, He wouldn’t be able to stir up much trouble.

Guo Yue had been waiting for a long time. Catching sight of their arrival, he finally let out a sigh of relief and urged them to hurry. The group quickly left the Second Divine Capital in a rush.

Once they got outside, they saw the heavy rain had stopped. The weather had cleared up, and the night sky looked clean, illuminated by countless scattered stars.

The Guo clan’s steward came over to arrange a place for Xu Ying to rest. The rest of the night passed without incident.

When Xu Ying woke up the next day, he didn't eat breakfast. Instead, he practiced breathing exercises and cultivated in the courtyard. In the sky above, his Dao field manifested to the size of five or six mu, and Dao seeds fell like a shower of light.

Xu Ying channeled his vital energy and circulated the Grand Unity Guiding Method. The power of his Mud-Pill Secret Trove was triggered, sending ripples across his primordial chaos sea.

A mass of chaotic qi manifested behind him, within which a grotto heaven was faintly visible. Rooted in the chaos, it drew power from it like a dragon drinking water.

His Jade-Pool and Crimson-Palace Secret Troves had also been unlocked. However, he lacked the Pei and Guo clans’ top-tier exorcism arts, so he could not systematically harness the power of those two Secret Troves.

He could only draw upon a small portion of their energy. Even so, his cultivation advanced at an astonishing pace. Despite cultivating outside a spiritual sanctuary, his progress remained remarkably fast.

The six secrets of the human body are equivalent to six spiritual sanctuaries one carries with them at all times, constantly supplying energy for Qi Cultivators. Could this be the true method for qi cultivation?

A profound epiphany suddenly dawned upon Xu Ying, as if the fog that clouded his vision were gradually scattering. A path that unified Qi and Exorcism cultivation gradually became clear!

He practiced until late morning before stopping. Only then did he notice Old Ancestor Guo standing not far away. It was impossible to tell how long he had been there.

“What a profound cultivation method!”

White-haired and powerfully built, Old Ancestor Guo strode toward Xu Ying. Xu Ying was not short, yet standing beside the old man made him look like a child.

Old Ancestor Guo sighed in admiration. “Wonderful, wonderful! Old Senior Xu, how did you unify the powers of different Secret Troves?”

Startled, Xu Ying smiled. “Elder Guo, I might not be that undying person from the ancient texts. Just call me Xu Ying. Moreover, Xiaodie doesn’t call me senior either. If you don’t mind, you can call me Demon King Xu as well.”

Deep down, he could not help worrying that he really was a demon.

Old Ancestor Guo grew solemn and shook his head. “The rules of seniority cannot be broken. Just call me Xiao Guo, Elder Xu.”

Xu Ying was taken aback.

Then, Old Ancestor Guo asked him how he unified the different Secret Troves again. Xu Ying didn’t hold back and explained that he used the Grand Unity Guiding Method as the foundation, and the Mud Pill, Jade Pool, and Crimson Palace as nourishment, drawing upon the power of Secret Troves to aid his cultivation.

Stunned for a moment, Old Ancestor Guo asked, “Did Zhou Qiyun cultivate in this way as well?”

Xu Ying shook his head. “He regarded qi cultivation as the root and trunk, with the Secret Troves as the fruit. That was the path he cultivated.”

Old Ancestor Guo sat on the ground and traced two cultivation paths onto a stone with his fingertip. One depicted a man with six grotto heavens scattered across up, down, left, and right of the body. The other depicted a tree with six fruits hanging off it.

The first represented the six Secret Troves as grotto heavens that continuously supplied energy for a Qi Cultivator's practice. The second represented refining qi as nourishment to cultivate the six Secret Troves until they matured into Dao fruits.

“These are two different paths of the Dao,” Old Ancestor Guo murmured. “One centers on Qi cultivation, while the other centers on the six Secret Troves. Each has its own emphasis.”

Old Ancestor Guo pondered aloud, “Of the two Dao paths, which is the correct one?”

Xu Ying shared his deduction, saying, “Judging from raw power, treating the six secrets as Dao fruits grants greater power. One’s strength, primordial qi, divine sense, and physique could all be easily trained to the level of an immortal.

“By comparison, the Qi cultivation path requires steady progress, advancing one realm at a time. It's nowhere near as fast as the path of exorcism.”

Old Ancestor Guo nodded lightly and sighed. “The white-browed ancestor Zhou Qiyun was a peerless prodigy. His cultivation progressed very quickly, didn’t it? In the end, wasn’t he still devoured?”

Furrowing his brow, he said, “The key problem lies in the second path. Who is the Dao fruit on that tree actually being refined for? What if ultimately the Dao fruit was never yours? Everything will be over the moment its true owner comes to harvest it.”

Xu Ying’s heart stirred slightly, and he asked, “Elder Guo, when you received the legacy all those years ago, did you sense that something had their eyes on you when you first practiced your cultivation technique?”

Old Ancestor Guo’s face turned ashen as he murmured, “That’s right. Back then, I obtained the legacy for the Crimson-Palace Secret Trove by chance and began cultivating it in delight. But the moment I circulated the cultivation technique, I felt a pair of eyes staring at me. In recent years, that feeling has grown increasingly intense.”

He said softly, “My Dao fruit has probably ripened, and that unknown master of mine is about to harvest it.”

Suddenly, he rallied his spirits and laughed out loud. “But my fate is in my own hands, not in the heavens, let alone others. I will definitely crush this death tribulation and transcend it! Old Senior Xu, the first cultivation path you pioneered has given me hope. By following this path, I will surely escape the cursed fate of Exorcist Immortals!”

Xu Ying fell silent for a moment, then shook his head. “When I first opened the Mud-Pill Radiant Vestige Longevity Mantra and unknowingly circulated its cultivation method, I also felt someone staring at me from behind.”

The smile on Old Ancestor Guo’s face stiffened. His grand bravado deflated; after a long moment, he exhaled a breath of turbid air. “You mean, the first path isn’t immune to being harvested?”

Xu Ying nodded lightly.

Old Ancestor Guo slumped, muttering, “Then, where is our chance to survive?”

1. He and She sound the same in Mandarin. ☜