Day of Ascension

A single strike had split Zhou Yihang. Countless fleshy sprouts wiggled along the severed surfaces as though searching for the other half of his body to reconnect.

The foundation of his undying body was his Mud-Pill Secret Trove. Now that Xu Ying had cleaved Zhou Yihang’s Mud-Pill Secret Trove in two, severing his vitality, his undying body instantly shattered.

The two halves writhed for a moment before the fleshy sprouts lost all signs of vitality and fell to the ground like dead earthworms.

Xu Ying had comprehended this earth-shattering strike before the temple entrance. Previously, he couldn’t unleash the full might of his strike because of his insufficient cultivation.

Now, he had entered the Gate-Knocking Stage, and Dazhong was no longer siphoning his primordial qi. He could unleash the might of this move to the fullest for the first time.

This strike was upright, balanced, and magnificent. The stronger the resistance, the stronger it became. The sword qi leaking from the strike split the four towering trees, thirty-eight thousand four hundred leaves, and even strands of hair cleanly down the middle.

Xu Ying dispersed the sword qi as he thought, This move shall be called Realm Breaker.

This single strike had depleted close to half of his primordial qi. Immediately, he retreated cautiously and whispered, “Yuanqi, let’s go!”

He had already noticed that the situation was amiss. Zhou Heng was not the only one watching him; others had also fixed their eyes on him with undisguised interest.

Yuanqi leaped onto a floating boulder, slithered to the other edge, coiled his body, and sprang toward another boulder about a dozen zhang away.

Xu Ying’s gaze fell on Zhou Heng. He retreated slowly, then turned around abruptly and leaped onto a floating boulder.

He sprinted across it and pushed off with force at the final step.

Below him was a free fall of immeasurable height. Xu Ying soared through the air and landed heavily on another floating boulder over a dozen zhang away with a thud.

He rolled several times to dissipate the momentum, sprang to his feet, dashed again, and leaped into the air toward another boulder.

Zhou Heng only caught sight of Xu Ying’s back. The two stood on separate immortal mountains with a vast distance between them, yet such a gap meant little to someone of Zhou Heng’s cultivation.

Just as he was about to make a move, another figure entered his sight, forcing him to stop.

Controller General Ling. He’s here too!

He turned his gaze to Controller General Ling. The man was tall and slender like a frail scholar, yet dense incense qi swirled around him.

Within the halo behind him floated a book and an iron brush.

This was Controller General Ling, the overseer of Yongzhou Prefecture.

In the Underworld Court, gods who governed counties were called city gods. People built temples in their names, and they resided within them. Gods who governed prefectures held the title of Controller General. Prefecture offices were established for them instead.

City God Xue was in charge of matters involving gods in Lingling County, while Controller General Ling was his direct superior, overseeing the gods of Yongzhou Prefecture.

Controller General Ling’s name was Ling Youdao. He and Prefect Zhou Heng kept each other in check. Both possessed incredibly formidable cultivation.

Zhou Heng narrowed his eyes. “Although Zhou Yihang unlocked the second level of his Mud-Pill Secret Trove, he was still a branch family member and could not access the clan’s true teachings. His death is insignificant. Even so, the clan’s exorcism techniques are not to be trifled with.

“It seems Zhou Yang was right. Xu Ying is a genius at deciphering demonic arts! He has likely already found the path beyond the Qi-Gathering Stage.”

As soon as he said that, the two bull demons pulling the carriage stood up on their hind legs and looked toward Xu Ying.

For demons like them, the Qi-Gathering Stage was the limit of their lives. If someone really managed to go beyond that limit, it would be a grace equivalent to rebirth for the entire demon race.

Zhou Heng looked up at the grand temple floating between the mountains. A faint smile appeared on his chubby face as he said, “Judicial Adjutant, lead a group and apprehend him. I want him alive. If you can’t capture him, at least force him into the grand temple. I’ll head there myself and meet Controller General Ling on the way.”

The judicial adjutant was also from the Zhou clan. His name was Zhou Zheng. He bowed and said, “Your Excellency, what should we do if we encounter the gods of the Underworld Court along the way?”

The frivolous expression on Zhou Heng immediately vanished. It turned cold as he said, “Yongzhou was the first place struck during this underworld invasion. The court is likely behind this, and Ling Youdao must be involved! If those gods dare to stand in your way, kill them without mercy!”

Zhou Zheng bowed again and departed with a group of guards.

Elsewhere, Controller General Ling was also looking at Zhou Heng. He gave orders to the city gods under his command, and they immediately departed with their experts.

Only a few people remained beside Controller General Ling and Prefect Zhou’s sides. Ling Youdao smiled faintly at Zhou Heng, then strode forward into the sky.

The incense qi beneath his feet turned into a mist of clouds that supported him, allowing him to walk through the air.

Step by step, Ling Youdao advanced leisurely toward the grand temple. Incense clouds continuously formed beneath him as he crossed the sky.

“Cloud riding? Just a petty trick among mystic arts.” Zhou Heng laughed as he rose from his seat. He pushed himself upright with both hands while his potbelly jiggled like a water balloon. He stepped down from the carriage with difficulty and came to the edge of the mountain, where an endless expanse of sky stretched below him.

Zhou Heng paid it no mind and strode forward. A golden-winged roc’s avatar manifested behind him, fat and large. It beat its wings to take flight, and Zhou Heng also took to the sky.

Controller General Ling raised his eyebrow slightly and smiled. “The Zhou clan’s Thirty-Six Heavenly Spirits Radiant Vestige Cultivation Method? Lord Zhou, how far have you progressed in it?”

Zhou Heng chuckled. “Why don’t you try me and find out for yourself?”

***

Xu Ying looked back and saw Zhou Heng’s guards pursuing him. Some cultivated martial arts, while others cultivated exorcism techniques. Each had their own forte.

The exorcists among them animated thick vines that rapidly grew across the floating boulders, linking them together.

The immortal mountains had collided, leaving countless floating boulders suspended throughout the sky like a winding ribbon. Once the guards connected them with vines, they could cross swiftly as though traveling over bridges.

These guards’ pace increased sharply as they rapidly closed in on Xu Ying.

Just then, Xu Ying saw another group pursuing him, though they were approaching from a different direction.

“It’s the gods!”

Seeing those towering figures and the ribbons formed from incense qi, Xu Ying immediately realized their origins, though he had never seen those gods before. Judging by their attire, there were at least four city gods among them!

Puzzled, Dazhong said, “Ah Ying, something is wrong. You’re just a Qi Cultivator, so you should be just someone ordinary practicing demonic arts to them. Why are they placing so much importance on you? Where did you get your Grand-Unity Guiding Method?”

Xu Ying dashed and jumped onto another boulder as he said, “I can’t remember that. I only know it has existed in my mind ever since I was old enough to remember things.”

Dazhong said, “Try to think. When did you first recall this cultivation technique? What happened that day?”

Xu Ying tried recalling. His childhood days in Xujiaping Village came to mind. His parents, his childhood friends, the uncles and aunties on the village streets, their voices, their smiles, and their appearances all remained vivid.

“I still remember my father is Xu Zhigang, and my mother is Liu Sanniang. We also have a dog, four ducks...”

A blissful smile appeared on Xu Ying’s face as he recalled those memories.

Suddenly, another scene surfaced in his mind: the streets, the private tutor, and the gentle woman from Homeward Pavilion. Their faces remained blurry, yet Xu Ying instinctively knew they did not look like Xu Zhigang and Liu Sanniang.

His thoughts immediately descended into chaos.

“They are my parents? No, that’s not it! In my memories, Father and Mother don’t look like that!”

Xu Ying said, “I remember now! I lived in Xujiaping. My father is Xu Zheng, my mother is Yue Rou. I had a happy childhood...”

A splitting headache assaulted him. He abruptly raised his hand and smacked his own head hard. A muffled groan escaped his throat, and his eyes turned bloodshot.

Gritting his teeth, Yuanqi rushed forward with all his might. He coiled his body and leaped from one floating boulder to another.

The instant he landed, he slid forward briefly before continuing ahead while gathering strength for another jump. He noticed something strange. Why isn’t Ah Ying following?

He quickly turned around and saw Xu Ying clutching his head mid-leap before tumbling from the sky.

“Ah Ying!”

Yuanqi quickly threw himself to the edge of the boulder and looked down. He saw Xu Ying plummet, still punching his head as he fell.

Dazhong flew out of the back of Xu Ying’s head and caught him. Yuanqi breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Xu Ying was plummeting with such momentum that he pulled Dazhong down with him. Yuanqi’s heart leaped up to his throat. Bell tolls rang out in succession as Dazhong tried his hardest to stabilize his descent, allowing Yuanqi to breathe easy.

Alarmed and confused, Yuanqi wondered, What happened to Ah Ying? Why did he suddenly lose his footing?

Seeing Dazhong carrying Xu Ying, Yuanqi no longer lingered. He quickly made his way toward the grand temple. When Ah Ying wakes up, he will surely head to the grand temple. An immortal protects that place. I’ll go there first and wait for him!

Atop Dazhong, Xu Ying gradually regained consciousness. He nearly fell from the bell and hurriedly clung to him, exclaiming in shock, “How did I end up here?”

He couldn’t remember what had just happened.

Dazhong noticed Xu Ying’s abnormal state and wondered curiously, Ah Ying’s mind doesn’t seem normal. Something extraordinary must have happened to him!

Mounted on the bell, Xu Ying felt terrified and said, “Master Zhong, please don’t sway.”

Dazhong snapped furiously, “You’re so heavy, it’s really tiring carrying you, alright? Why don’t we swap positions and you carry me!”

Xu Ying snorted, “It’s not like I’ve never carried you before. I was the one holding you up when you were injured and unconscious. I didn’t even let go while fighting.”

Dazhong swayed violently, “Because you were using me to hit people!”

Xu Ying nearly fell off and hurriedly grabbed onto him tightly.

Dazhong struggled to maintain flight. Xu Ying soon cautiously climbed up to his feet and stood on the bell’s loop. His feet trembled, yet he faced the wind.

Confused, Dazhong asked, “What’s wrong with you?”

As Dazhong flew through the air, Xu Ying stood atop the loop with forced composure. He looked somewhat imposing despite his trembling hands.

Xu Ying whispered, “Riding on a bell doesn’t look elegant. So, I wanted to try and see if I could fly while standing. It feels cooler that way. Recently, I’ve been trying to learn sword flight, but I was worried I’d panic if I flew too high, so I decided to practice on you first.”

Dazhong said, “I thought you needed to pee. If you do, tell me first. Don’t face the wind while doing it.”

Xu Ying spotted several divine dragons flying in his direction. They were four stone dragons. As they raised their claws, cloud mists rose underneath, holding up the stone dragons.

The four stone dragons tread upon green clouds, chasing Dazhong.

Xu Ying furrowed his brow. He had less than half of his primordial qi remaining. If the four stone dragons attacked together while he was riding Dazhong, he would have no way to resist them.

Xu Ying quickly urged, “Master Zhong, go to that immortal mountain below!”

A majestic immortal mountain drifted beneath them. Dazhong quickly descended toward it. Looking down, Xu Ying saw that the dense forest of that immortal mountain had many ancient altars, with towering divine statues standing beside them like the altars’ guardians.

“Strange. If this is an immortal realm, then why are there divine statues and altars?”

Xu Ying was baffled. There were no ordinary mortals in the immortal realm to offer worship, so incense qi should not exist here. How could gods be born here?

Did immortals pray to gods?

***

The underworld, Hell River, Homeward Pavilion:

Yuan Tiangang sat before his thatched hut, practicing his breathing technique. He saw someone approaching along a small path of Homeward Pavilion, holding a green paper umbrella.

Yuan Tiangang narrowed his tiger-like eyes. “This person is back.”

Ever since he had arrived and settled down here, he had seen that green paper umbrella dozens of times. Every so often, this person would pass by here, holding an umbrella.

Yuan Tiangang watched him as he walked away. That person with the green paper umbrella reached the Bridge of Oblivion and joined the queue for Meng Po Soup.

Yuan Tiangang retracted his gaze. “What a strange person.”

The line moved slowly. After waiting for a long time, the umbrella-holder finally reached the front.

Meng Po was just about to pour the tea when she saw the person beneath the umbrella. Her hands immediately began trembling uncontrollably.

A calm voice rang out from under the green paper umbrella. “Granny, a bowl of tea, please. Make it strong.”

As Meng Po poured the tea, she couldn’t hold it in and asked, “Emissary, you’ve been coming for tea rather often lately.”

The figure accepted the bowl. The voice beneath the umbrella carried a trace of annoyance. “Isn’t it because your tea isn’t strong enough? It always fails to seal that person’s memories. The higher-ups said that you’ve been watering down the soup.”