Day of Ascension

Following the snake demon, Xu Ying headed toward Mount Wu Wang. The snake demon’s lair, the Qin Yan Cave, was at the foot of the mountain, which was rather far.

As they passed through Huangniqiao Village, they spotted a woman with four arms, each of them holding a sword. She was a little over a zhang tall. Standing at the village’s entrance, she scanned her surroundings.

She was the god that Huangniqiao Village worshiped.

“Guard every intersection. Don’t slack off!” the woman ordered the villagers. “Xu Ying will surely pass by here. We can’t let him get away!”

Xu Ying and the snake demon halted. Every intersection was being guarded; even the rice fields by the roadside had people watching!

The city god has issued a kill order on me! Xu Ying’s heart thumped heavily, making him feel a little dizzy.

There were too many gods in Lingling County. It had eight hundred mountains, five hundred rivers and lakes, and numerous villages and towns. They worshipped more than two thousand gods, great and small!

With so many gods, it would be difficult for Xu Ying to escape even if he had a pair of wings. It was almost impossible for him to reach Mount Wu Wang!

No matter which direction he chose, he would face death!

The snake demon chuckled. “Watch me!”

He shot forward like an arrow toward the villagers blocking their path.

Seeing an over-three-zhang-long snake barreling toward them, the villagers quickly dropped their weapons and ran for their lives, screaming and wailing.

“A snake demon! It’s eating people and taking one down with every bite! Mommy, save me! Mommy was eaten!”

To Xu Ying, the cries sounded like those of the snake demon.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Xu Ying charged through Huangniqiao Village without alerting anyone. Before long, the snake demon caught up to him, bearing two sword wounds.

“I’m fine. Their village’s god slashed me, but on account of Her being a woman, I won’t hold it against Her,” the snake demon said magnanimously.

Xu Ying said seriously, “Thank you for your help, Brother Snake. How should I address you?”

The snake demon replied with equal seriousness, “Our family practices the Elephant-Bull Demon Fist, and thus took on the surname Niu[1]. When I was born, my father said our kind of snakes were known as Yuan in the past, and since I’m the seventh-born, he named me Yuanqi.”

Xu Ying momentarily hesitated, but couldn’t hold back. “Brother Niu, the ‘bull’ in the Elephant-Bull Demon Fist doesn’t mean cultivating until you turn into a bull demon. It means becoming as fearless as one. This fist art has nothing to do with actual bulls.”

Yuanqi froze, blinking several times. “Are you saying that my ancestors didn’t just misunderstand the fist art, but they also chose the wrong surname for their entire lineage?”

Testing the waters, Xu Ying suggested, “Why not change your surname?”

The snake demon laughed. “My ancestors were surnamed Niu, and so was my father. How could I forget my roots? Real men don’t change their names. I am Yuanqi!”

He had promptly tossed his surname out of his mind.

Along the way, gods from the countryside surrounded, chased, and intercepted them. Yuanqi would charge ahead to draw their attention, allowing Xu Ying to use the opportunity to escape.

These gods stood over a zhang tall, and their appearances varied. Some had four arms, others two faces, and some even had a third eye on their forehead. A few also had eyes in their palms, which they used to scan their surroundings.

Many were the souls of the dead attached to statues, sustained by the offerings of the living. As time went on, they gained supernatural abilities and could move around freely again through their vessels.

Xu Ying avoided villages whenever possible, traveling through mountains and forests with minimal human presence. Unfortunately, even the mountains and forests were home to temples of mountain and earth gods. Moreover, the water gods resided along the rivers in the mountains. He could alert them if he were even slightly careless.

The wilderness gods were usually Great Demons who had been ordained after achieving success in their cultivation and reaching the peak of the Qi-Gathering Stage. They had reached the seventh level of their martial arts, which gave them the ability to turn into humans. After accepting the city god’s decree, they became mountain or water gods and fell under his command.

The wilderness gods were stronger and more unruly than village gods. Therefore, they posed a greater threat to Xu Ying.

According to Yuanqi, Xu Ying was currently on par with Great Demons but far from being comparable to Demon Kings.

Since they were doing their best to avoid villages and wilderness-god temples, they had only covered twenty li by noon.

Yuanqi sniffed around. “The moisture in the air is heavy on that side. Must be a water source!”

Xu Ying had already finished the fruits he had brought with him and was parched. Following Yuanqi, he heard the flowing water before long. Yuanqi was about to head over, but decided to stop instead. Ahead of the stream was a pond. A carriage was parked nearby, with a master and a servant drawing water.

Not far off was the postal road.

It’s fine. It’s Vice Prefect Liu! Xu Ying was slightly stirred inside and walked over.

Liu Zongyuan’s carriage had heavy chests on it, making it seem as though he was going on a long journey.

Xu Ying approached and bowed. “Vice Prefect Liu, are you leaving Lingling County?”

Though shocked to see Xu Ying and the snake demon, Liu Zongyuan still smiled. “Oh, it’s you, Xu Ying. I received an imperial edict from His Majesty, summoning me to the capital.”

Xu Ying was happy for him. He said sincerely, “When you return to the capital, His Majesty will surely entrust you with an important position, Vice Prefect Liu. I’m not well-read and don’t know how to put it into words, but you must have seen how the people of Yongzhou are living. Please don’t forget them after your rise to prominence. Make sure they at least have enough to eat.”

Liu Zongyuan replied solemnly, “Rest assured, Young Brother. When I arrive, I will eliminate long-standing abuses, reduce harsh taxes, and push reforms to restore prosperity. I won’t let my fellow villagers down!”

Xu Ying was moved beyond words. He bowed deeply. “I shall await your good news.”

Liu Zongyuan returned the bow. “I don’t deserve such courtesy.”

Having finished drawing water, the servant took the reins. “My lord, we should hurry!”

Liu Zongyuan got on the carriage. Xu Ying waved him goodbye, seeing the carriage off.

Xu Ying smiled at Yuanqi. “Vice Prefect Liu cares for the world. His life will surely get better!”

Unfortunately, he had no idea what the future held.

Liu Zongyuan would not be given an important position in the capital. Instead, he would be ostracized repeatedly before being banished to Liuzhou. He would die in despair a few years later at just forty-eight.

Yuanqi was puzzled. “Xu Ying, since you’re acquainted with that government official, why don’t you ask him to plead your case and clear you of the charges?”

“Brother Niu, you said earlier that a real man doesn’t change his name. I have beliefs of my own.” Smiling slightly, Xu Ying declared with heroic fervor, “A real man must take responsibility for his own actions. Why should I rely on others? I killed the god; I’ll shoulder all consequences myself!”

“Well said!” someone exclaimed in admiration from the other side of the waterfall, startling the mountain birds into flight.

Xu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. He looked toward the sound and saw a low-ranking government official in blue. Seemingly in his twenties, he looked refined and exuded a scholarly aura. Evidently, he had a much better upbringing than a countryside boy like Xu Ying.

Xu Ying’s heart thumped heavily. A government official!

He feared people like him the most.

He had seen too many of them storm into villages, forcing rent and donations, dragging away livestock, and ignoring desperate cries as if they had no hearts at all.

Moreover, some government officials were also Exorcists, who wielded unfathomable mystic arts!

Xu Ying’s heart pounded wildly. I hope he’s not an Exorcist...

“Very well said!” The low-ranking official in blue clapped his hands in admiration. “Xu Ying, since you said that you would take responsibility for your actions, you’d better surrender yourself for your heretical act of killing a god, violating the law of heaven, and killing Chief Jiang.”

“Surrender your mom!” Xu Ying laughed out loud. “I killed a god. Aren’t you scared that I’ll kill you too?”

The official in blue smiled faintly. Reaching with his thumb and index finger, he picked a tender leaf from a vine by the pond. The leaf sprouted and grew rapidly in his hand. In mere moments, it turned thick and lush, climbing up the willow tree by the pond.

Xu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. The government official before him was an Exorcist!

Having unlocked the Secret Trove within them, they wielded unfathomable mystic arts and possessed power most couldn’t even imagine. As the strongest combatants in the world, they commanded ghosts and spirits to subdue demons and evil!

Snap!

The willow tree fell!

The vines conjured by the blue-robed official coiled like a colossal python, tightening with brutal force until the trunk, thick as a water bucket, splintered.

Xu Ying’s eye twitched.

“I am Ding Quan, a judicial assistant of Lingling County. Xu Ying, you practice demonic arts, don’t you?”

He casually raised his foot and set it on the pond surface. The pond rippled lightly, and a lotus grew rapidly underwater!

One of its leaves rose just in time to catch his foot!

Ding Quan raised his other foot and stepped forward. Another lotus leaf sprouted, supporting him.

“Xu Ying, practicing demonic arts has granted you immense strength. Still, you merely killed a village god, yet you have grown arrogant. Do you know what we call them? Grassroots gods.”

Lotus flowers blossomed beneath his feet as he crossed from the opposite bank, serene and unhurried. “Humanity has its rightful path of cultivation. Why practice demonic arts? No matter how hard you practice them, the highest you’ll reach is the Qi-Gathering Stage. The human body holds six secrets. Unlock any one Secret Trove, even just the first level of one, and you surpass village gods and Demon Kings.”

As he advanced, lotuses bloomed endlessly beneath him. Meanwhile, the ones behind him withered rapidly, turning to black ash!

Xu Ying clenched his fist tightly. With a smile, he asked, “May I ask what the six secrets are? Which have you unlocked, and to what level?”

He suddenly froze. The space beside him was empty. Yuanqi had long since slipped away without a trace.

Xu Ying felt a little disappointed, but he quickly relaxed. This was his problem to begin with. He didn’t want to drag Yuanqi into this matter.

Ding Quan stopped only two zhang away from him. He stood atop the water, while Xu Ying stood on the shore.

Taking his time, Ding Quan explained patiently, “The six secrets of the human body are the Crimson Palace[2], Yellow Court[3], Jade Capital[4], Gushing Spring[5], Jade Pool[6], and Mud Pill[7]. A person can only unlock one of the six, and even locating one is no easy task.

“The exact location of each person’s Secret Troves differs. You would need the help of a Great Exorcist with profound cultivation to perform Dragon Tracking to pinpoint the location and unlock it—an opportunity that ordinary people would never have. Only those born into distinguished families, with Great Exorcists in their lineage, can step onto this path, become an Exorcist, and wield exorcism techniques.”

He sighed faintly.

“That’s why it’s extremely difficult to become an Exorcist. Not just anyone can do it.”

Xu Ying smiled. “I’ve heard that Magistrate Zhou came from a distinguished family, but I’ve never heard of any prestigious Ding family. Looks like there’s another path: become a dog for those clans.”

Ding Quan’s expression sank. “You’re courting death!”

Xu Ying had struck his sore spot!

The earth beneath Xu Ying’s feet churned. Thick green vines erupted from the ground, coiling around his legs and locking him in place.

Growing wildly, they surged up and wrapped around him like a venomous python. They twisted tighter and tighter until he was bound like a knotted rope.

With a dark expression, Ding Yuan raised his hand abruptly. The vines lifted Xu Ying more than ten zhang into the air, hefting him past the treetops!

Then, Ding Yuan brought his palm down fiercely. The vines whipped Xu Ying through the air and smashed him into the jagged rocks by the pond.

The rocks shattered, blasting their fragments all over the place!

Ding Quan spread his fingers. All around, razor-sharp vines burst out and shot forward with shrill hisses. Like green blades, they thrust toward Xu Ying, who had fallen to the ground.

Countless more rocks were destroyed and blown in every direction!

Ding Quan clenched his right hand. The vines tightened around Xu Ying, compressing into a dense green sphere that had a diameter of almost nine chi. The mass twisted. Tightened. Crushed.

Even a rock would have been squeezed dry and shattered!

“Don’t blame me.”

Ding Yuan slowly unballed his fist. The corner of his mouth twitched. “Strike a man, but not his face. Curse a man, but not his shame. Since you did exactly the opposite, you have to die!”

As he loosened his hand, the vines within the green mass shattered one after another, turning into dust.

His exorcism technique was too powerful, unleashing a force beyond the vines’ capacity. After the exorcism technique’s power was released, the vines naturally shattered from the force!

Such was the power harnessed from a human’s Secret Trove!

1. It literally means cow or bull. ☜

2. Middle Dantian, heart area. ☜

3. Center of the body. ☜

4. Top of the head. ☜

5. Bottom of foot. ☜

6. Mouth, under the tongue. ☜

7. Upper Dantian, center of the brain. ☜