Day of Ascension

Dazhong immediately realized what was happening and rushed toward the coffin beneath the straw hut. Without wasting time transforming, he unleashed a great bell-shaped light wall and descended, engulfing the coffin and the straw hut with a loud clang.

Xu Ying reached behind him but grabbed nothing. The copper mirror that had been floating there had vanished without a trace.

He immediately turned to look at the straw hut beneath Dazhong’s wall of light, and his heart went cold. Without anyone noticing, the copper mirror had floated above the stone sarcophagus and was repeatedly slamming into it.

Clang!

The copper mirror emitted a crisp clang, floated back up, and smashed against the stone sarcophagus once more.

Xu Ying leaped into the air and used the Guo clan’s Cloud-Ladder Heavenly Bound to leap toward Dazhong’s wall of light.

Dazhong quickly retracted a section to ensure he didn’t get smashed into pieces. Xu Ying plunged into the light wall and grabbed toward the copper mirror. Another clang rang out as the mirror smashed against the stone sarcophagus for the second time. Simultaneously, Xu Ying also caught it.

He breathed a sigh of relief. “Luckily, I made it in time...”

He looked down, and a chill ran down his spine. A crack had formed on the copper mirror.

Inside the mirror was a room, its layout identical to the one where Xu Ying had recuperated previously. Now, the room had also cracked open, revealing a gap wide enough for one person.

The female ghost stood in the crack. She looked back at Xu Ying and waved her hand smugly, then leaped out of the crack.

The stone sarcophagus hissed as steam escaped. The chains also rattled violently as the blood curse runes engraved on them rapidly faded until their color vanished.

Just as Xu Ying stepped forward, a sharp snap rang out. One of the chains broke, and cracks spread across the stone sarcophagus.

Boom!

The stone sarcophagus shattered!

A terrifying shockwave surged out, sending the small hut flying into the air, its straw roof fluttering. The space sealed within the stone sarcophagus instantly expanded. Deafening metallic clangs echoed as rough, archaic divine weapons emerged amid rippling space and were scattered around Xu Ying.

An oversized stone ax stood embedded in the ground beside him. Its stone head was lashed to a wooden handle with coarse hemp rope.

The stone alone was taller than Xu Ying.

The ax was drenched in the blood of countless divine beasts and humans, radiating waves of malevolent qi. The moment Xu Ying’s divine sense brushed against it, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood seemed to surge toward him.

On the other side of Xu Ying was a bone spear with a wooden shaft, stuck diagonally in the ground. The shaft had been polished smooth, but it was clearly the trunk of a huge tree!

Strange patterns had been painted with blood on the trunk, and the blood seeped deep into the wood. When Xu Ying’s gaze fell on it, a crimson light flickered before dimming.

The spearhead had been fashioned from the bone of an unknown beast. Polished to a mirror-like sheen, it exuded savage ferocity.

The sight of the massive bone spear made Xu Ying shudder. He felt as though he were drifting through a sea of blood, rising and falling among countless hideous floating skulls.

The bone spear had killed too many; the malevolent qi it had nurtured was truly ferocious.

Other than these two, there were other massive weapons. They were somewhere between savagery and civilization, including a bronze battle-ax, stone arrow, stone sword, bone flute, wooden club, bronze sword, stone cauldron, and bronze cauldron. Each was incredibly massive. They didn’t seem like weapons ordinary people would use.

Only then did Xu Ying realize that the primitive ancestors depicted in the cave murals were not necessarily human-sized. They were likely a race of giant ancestors.

They had towering physiques and lived primitively. Even without cultivating, they possessed immense combat prowess. Relying solely on their brute strength, they could fight with the gigantic beasts of the primitive era!

After learning the qi cultivation techniques taught by the demoness and harvesting and refining qi, they had become unrivaled in strength.

Every one of these weapons radiated malevolent might that shook heaven and earth. Their former masters had slaughtered so many living beings that the malevolent qi lingering within the weapons caused even Dazhong to tremble slightly.

Yet at the center of these archaic weapons stood an enormous coffin that felt even more sinister than the weapons themselves.

The malevolent weapons had been driven into the ground around the coffin to suppress the malevolent qi within and prevent the supremely wicked woman from escaping.

At the center of the coffin, the handle of a bronze weapon protruded from within. Brilliant golden patterns covered its surface as it remained embedded in the coffin, radiating a vast, profound, holy aura. It repelled all evil and upheld the Heavenly Dao for eternity.

“Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact!”

Xu Ying’s gaze was drawn to it involuntarily, falling on the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact.

According to the murals, the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact was hidden behind the heavenly tribulation. After the woman survived the tribulation and lowered her guard in her weakened state, it struck with a single blow and pierced her heart.

It was the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact's strike that allowed the ferocious ancestors to suppress her with their malevolent weapons.

Xu Ying said rapidly, “It was likely that those primitive ancestors captured her soul and suppressed her within the copper mirror! Master Zhon, the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact has suppressed her all these years, continuously wearing down her power. Even if her soul returns, she won't be able to escape.”

Trembling nervously, Dazhong had hid behind Xu Ying. Upon hearing this, he immediately gained courage and flew out from behind Xu Ying and praised, “You’re right, Master Ying!”

Crash!

The wooden coffin suddenly shattered, sending splinters flying everywhere.

Dazhong shuddered and hurriedly flew back behind Xu Ying to hide. He cried out, “Ah Ying, this place is bad news. We’d better escape!”

Xu Ying also jumped in fright and bolted away. Suddenly, the malevolent weapons in the surroundings hummed. Their overwhelming malevolent qi shook the place of ascension.

The numerous malevolent weapons combined forces to suppress it. Blood fiends within the malevolent weapons surged out. In the blink of an eye, the place of ascension seemed to have turned into a surging sea of blood.

Standing amid the sea of blood, Xu Ying felt like a tiny boat tossed by towering waves, barely able to keep his footing.

He looked back and caught a glimpse of an enormous female immortal standing amidst the sea of blood. A Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact pierced through her chest as her black hair streamed in the wind. She stood against the countless archaic malevolent weapons with peerless grace.

Suddenly, a bell tolled. The layers of illusion shattered, restoring Xu Ying's clarity. Only then did he see the truth: a female immortal's corpse stood where the coffin had shattered. Although the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact was still impaled in her chest, she looked almost alive.

Her black hair was indeed flowing, yet she could not move.

The colossal malevolent weapons around her kept trembling, as if struggling against her. However, the surging sea of blood had already disappeared.

The malevolent weapons had affected Xu Ying's divine sense, burdening his mind with immense pressure and countless illusions. Dazhong's tolls shielded his mind, preventing those malevolent objects from influencing him further.

“Ah Ying, quickly leave this place!” Dazhong urged, “The demoness is trying to destroy these malevolent weapons. We are doomed once she breaks the seal!”

Xu Ying walked toward the exit. After taking a few steps, he suddenly stopped. “Master Zhong, the straw hut was shattered, but the tea table is still intact.”

Dazhong was taken aback.

The straw hut had already shattered into pieces, yet the tea table, teapot, and teacup remained undisturbed.

Even the steam rising from the teacup seemed untouched. Its shape hadn't changed in the slightest.

Dazhong urged, “Ah Ying, the demoness is battling those archaic malevolent weapons. It won’t be long before she breaks free! Let’s leave now. Call those three Niu guys and quickly escape. We can still make it!”

Xu Ying asked in confusion, “Master Zhong, who exactly left the teacup and teapot behind? Let’s go take a look.”

He stepped forward. Left without a choice, Dazhong followed him, constantly ringing to help him resist the malevolent weapons.

Suddenly, the female immortal's corpse, surrounded by the countless malevolent weapons, shrank to the size of an ordinary person and slowly sat up. She was a breathtaking beauty with flowing black hair, exquisite features, and eyes overflowing with emotion.

She called out to Xu Ying, “My dear, my chest hurts so much. Please rub it for me.”

Xu Ying was completely mesmerized. His heart pounding wildly, he immediately changed direction toward her. “Alright, I’ll help you.”

Clang!

A bell toll rang out. Only then did Xu Ying realize that the black-haired beauty was gone. He had unknowingly walked next to the female immortal corpse. He had gripped the handle of the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact and was pulling at it!

Cold sweat broke out on Xu Ying’s forehead. If Dazhong hadn’t shattered the illusion in time, he would have pulled out the artifact!

He quickly let go, feeling a lingering fear.

Dazhong said, “Ah Ying, that demoness is messing with your mind. Your Visualization skills are lacking, and she’s influencing you. You need to manifest an avatar in the void to anchor your divine sense!”

Xu Ying visualized the myriad mountains worshipping Jiuyi to reinforce the Dao avatar. Indeed, his divine sense was stabilized.

No matter how much the female immortal tried to tempt Xu Ying, he remained unmoved.

The female ghost emerged from the female immortal’s forehead, looking pitiful. “My dear, I’ve been suppressed here for tens of thousands of years. No matter what sins I committed, they should have been washed clean by now! How can you bear to let me suffer?”

Dazhong said anxiously, “Ah Ying, manifest an avatar in your void, anchor your divine sense!”

Xu Ying firmly guarded the grand unity[1], remained unaffected, and then walked over to the tea table.

The female immortal corpse tried various temptations. When none of them worked, she resorted to threats, conjuring apocalyptic visions to intimidate Xu Ying.

Xu Ying picked up the teacup and examined it closely.

The female immortal corpse suddenly moved. Resisting the artifact’s suppression, she forcibly sat up and grabbed an archaic longbow planted next to her.

That longbow radiated overwhelming malevolent qi and immediately shook violently in resistance. The skin on the hand and arm gripping it exploded, exposing bloody flesh.

Her reckless action drove the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact even deeper into her, piercing further toward her heart.

Had she ignored Xu Ying and focused on resisting the surrounding archaic malevolent weapons, she could eventually have worn down the nearest weapon's suppressive power. Although it would have taken time, she would have broken free in the end.

However, she was adamant about eliminating Xu Ying. She ignored the consequences, willingly worsening her injuries to eliminate him.

Consequently, Xu Ying was even more convinced that something was wrong with the tea table. He cried out quickly, “Master Zhong!”

The female immortal corpse drew the bow and shot a streak of arrow light at him, fast as a shooting star, only to hear a loud clang. Dazhong did everything he could to block the strike and was thrown back by the immense force.

Clang!

The bell crashed into the place of ascension’s jade wall.

Black blood flowed from the female immortal corpse’s seven orifices. She drew the bow once more and shot at Xu Ying.

Dazhong lunged forward. With another clang, he was sent flying again. This time, the bell’s surface was dented!

The female immortal corpse bled even more from her orifices. She drew the bow again and fired it.

Struggling to lunge forward, Dazhong cried out, “Ah Ying, are you done yet?”

Xu Ying put down the teacup and picked up the teapot, examining it closely. He didn’t notice anything special, but when he looked down, he discovered a drawing beneath the teapot.

The image was extremely simple, with just a few strokes. It depicted a giant bowing to the stone sarcophagus.

“This is a drawing of an apprenticeship!”

Xu Ying paused in surprise. Then he felt engraved writing beneath the table. He quickly flipped it over. The writing on the table was clear. It recounted a past event.

The giant race had survived countless ancient catastrophes and continued to live in the Divine Land. As the greatest genius of his people, the writer had been entrusted with guarding the evil female immortal imprisoned in the place of ascension.

After discovering that the place of ascension was an exceptional place to cultivate, he gathered qi there, allowing his cultivation to progress twice as fast with half the effort.

However, the female immortal in the coffin often tempted him. His resolve wavered. He accepted her as his master and promised to free her.

To break free, the female immortal imparted an incomplete immortal art to him, intending to control him. He played along with her scheme and swindled her out of the incomplete ascension technique. Then, relying on his own wits, he completed the immortal art.

A thousand years passed. He had long since broken free from the shackles of the ascension technique and attained profound knowledge of heaven and humanity. Yet he still could not ascend.

The reason was simple: a great villain blocked the path to ascension. Attempting it meant certain death.

Disheartened, he secluded himself here. Eventually, tired of the female immortal’s chatter, he completely shattered her cultivation technique.

He left behind a cup of tea, which could have refined the female immortal to death if he had splashed it. Yet, considering that she was his master and showed him kindness after all, he left the cup untouched.

Xu Ying looked at the signature beneath the inscription: left by the master of the Mud Pill Palace.

He paused in surprise. A chill crept through his heart as he slowly turned toward the teacup he had set aside.

Clang!

Another shot threw away Dazhong. His surface was now covered in little dents. He cried out, “Ah Ying, are you done? I can’t hold on much longer!”

Xu Ying composed himself, raised the teacup, and poured out its contents!

Immediately, heaven and earth changed colors. The water in the cup transformed into a surging torrent, swirling through the place of ascension and unleashing the might of the archaic malevolent weapons. The torrent carried the weapons aloft as it circled the female immortal's corpse.

As if wielded by a giant with thousands of arms and faces, the malevolent weapons unleashed a range of extremely profound moves, flying toward the female immortal corpse.

Realizing that death was imminent, the female immortal abandoned her resistance against the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact. She stood up and cried out fiercely as blinding immortal light erupted from her, fighting back with all her might.

The terrifying pressure repeatedly forced Xu Ying and Dazhong back. Shielding Xu Ying, Dazhong was slammed against the jade wall of the place of ascension. Both were horrified.

Suddenly, the female immortal’s defense was breached. Carrying the malevolent weapons, the torrent washed over her and entered through her seven orifices.

She trembled violently, and her flesh completely melted, leaving only a towering skeleton standing.

Immediately afterward, the skeleton shattered as well.

The malevolent weapons dropped to the ground and embedded themselves in the earth before shattering one after another. Only the stone ax remained intact. It was simply too powerful, although its might had diminished greatly.

Even the Heavenly Dao Divine Artifact was in tatters from the corrosion. It rose unsteadily into the air and soared along the rosy light of ascension.

Carrying Xu Ying, Dazhong fell to the ground, both unable to get back up.

Dazhong cried out, “Ah Ying, the injuries I sustained today won’t heal with just half of your vital energy!”

Xu Ying composed himself and struggled to his feet. He murmured, “Since the Mud-Pill Palace Master is a giant, why was the skeleton atop that massive creature so small?”

He was filled with shock and suspicion.

Would such a powerful figure really die at Zhou Qiyun’s hands?

1. Taoist concept that can be treated as guarding the mind ☜