Day of Ascension

These golden-armored bean soldiers kept charging the blue mutant bird. One by one, they fell before Xu Ying, torn apart by the bird’s pecks and swallowed whole.

Still, the soldiers threw themselves at the mutant bird and battled it with their green swords. To them, the mutant bird was a boundlessly vast god, yet they fought bravely, unafraid of death.

Though they were only soybeans, their actions moved Xu Ying.

He channeled the Mud-Pill grotto heaven, plunged it into the sea of primordial chaos, and converted its energy into boundless vigor.

He had never learned exorcism techniques before, yet he intended to fight as an Exorcist. He treated these soybeans as beings with thoughts and lives.

For them, he would step into a domain he had never entered before.

Dazhong was recuperating in Xu Ying’s grotto heaven, so he was jolted awake when he sensed it operating slowly. Dense vigor surged from the grotto heaven and even seeped into him.

The vigor was useless to him, however. Without a physical body, he could not use it to heal his injuries.

Compared to the grotto heavens of the Zhou clan’s ordinary Exorcists, Xu Ying’s grotto heaven was quite small. Yet the Mud-Pill vigor it produced was exceptionally pure.

Dazhong was dumbfounded. “Is Ah Ying trying to use an exorcism technique? But he’s never learned any! He just unlocked his Mud-Pill Secret Trove. He doesn’t think he’s an Exorcist already, does he?”

Xu Ying carefully recalled the strange sensations he had experienced after shrinking. Sensing the boundless vigor within, he tried to treat it as his primordial qi and guide it to every corner of his body.

Channeling the vigor like primordial qi, the two gradually fused together. They permeated his internal organs, filling his flesh and blood. His primordial qi entered vigorous circulation, giving him the sensation of cosmic creation.

Suddenly, he unleashed the Elephant-Bull Demon Fist. His back gradually swelled, growing taller and taller. His fingers lengthened, fused, and turned into hooves.

His nose grew longer, his forehead bulged higher, and his head grew larger. Gradually, his ears flared out and flapped in the wind. Before Yuanqi’s eyes, he transformed into a demon with an elephant’s head, a human’s body, and elephant hooves. He became an elephant-king god that stood two beans tall.

Yuanqi’s eyes widened as he murmured, “Ah Ying has finally revealed his true form... The rocky mountain god was right. He is indeed a demon!”

Xu Ying dispelled his elephant king god form and returned to normal. With this test, he was sixty to seventy percent certain he could unleash the Verdant Army Technique!

In his heart, there was no such thing as exorcism art, or Qi Cultivator’s mystic art, or divine abilities. He only had one thought: follow his instinct and combine the unique strengths of his primordial qi and vigor to unleash his abilities naturally.

He simply felt he could unleash the Verdant Army or the Scattered Bean Soldiers.

A blue mutant bird stomped down, pinning a soldier under its talon. Then, it opened its beak and pecked down at the soldier’s head.

Just as it was about to crush the soldier’s head, Xu Ying extended his hand and pointed. The bean soldier enlarged rapidly, instantly growing from bean-sized to a golden-armored divine being that stood two chi tall.

The blue mutant bird pecked at his chest. The golden-armored divine soldier thrust his sword upward and pierced straight through the bird’s head.

Channeling his primordial qi and vigor, Xu Ying strode forth and entered the battlefield between the bean soldiers and the mutant birds. As he pointed, the bean soldiers grew rapidly one after another. They each became a two-chi-tall little divine being, turning the situation around in the blink of an eye.

The little golden-armored divine beings darted and leaped about, charging at the birds. Soon, they killed half of them. Realizing the danger, the remaining birds spread their wings and flew into the sky.

About a dozen little golden-armored divine beings drew their bows and fired at the fleeing mutant birds, killing them.

Yuanqi stared wide-eyed. He quickly asked, “Ah Ying, you were using an exorcism technique?”

Xu Ying thought momentarily before shaking his head. “I’m not sure it’s that. It just felt right.”

Yuanqi froze in place. After a long moment, he asked, “Which divine being’s reincarnation are you, Senior?”

Xu Ying burst out laughing. “Yuanqi, you read too many storybooks. What are you thinking? I’m just me, not someone’s reincarnation. I lived in Xujiaping Village, and my parents doted on me. I remember it very well...”

Seeing that he was about to start his spiel again, Yuanqi quickly interrupted him. “Stop! Ah Ying, since you could use Scattered Bean Soldiers on them, do you think you could also use that mystic art on us and break that evil hag’s exorcism technique?”

Xu Ying did not get lost in his memories of Xujiaping Village. His mental state was perfectly normal. He smiled. “Breaking her exorcism technique isn’t difficult. The difficult part is that my cultivation is far inferior to hers. To break her exorcism art, I’ll have to do it slowly.”

Yuanqi perked up. “As long as we can break it.”

Just then, an old woman’s voice rang out, chuckling. “What are you trying to break, Young Master Xu?”

Xu Ying and Yuanqi’s expressions sank. A silk handkerchief fell from above, covering them and the bean soldiers.

Next, they found themselves in a basket. Granny Zhou Yu lifted the silk handkerchief and peered inside.

She chuckled. “Luckily, I have these bean soldiers. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have found you, Young Master Xu. Though, unfortunately, some beans are ruined.”

With a light shake, she threw all the bean soldiers out of the basket. She paid them no further attention and departed.

“Evil hag, I’ll fight you to the death!” Yuanqi leaped up, opened his mouth, and bit toward her finger, intending to poison her to death. However, Granny Zhou Yu pinched lightly with two fingers and gripped his weak spot.

Granny Zhou Yu sneered coldly, about to crush him to death.

Xu Ying said calmly, “The Zhou clan wants to invite me as a guest to decipher demonic arts for you, yet you want to kill my friend? Aren’t you afraid of incurring the wrath of your old ancestor?”

Granny Zhou Yu quickly paused. She smiled. “Young Master Xu, the old ancestor only said to invite you and never mentioned anything about inviting this snake. But I’ll show you some face and spare him.”

With that, she put Yuanqi down. Yuanqi sighed in relief.

Xu Ying climbed to the edge of the basket and looked out, only to see the bean soldiers following Granny Zhou Yu, dazed and at a loss as to what to do.

With a wave of his hand, the vitality within Xu Ying’s Mud-Pill Secret Trove surged out. The golden-armored bean soldiers took root and sprouted one after another, growing into healthy bean sprouts.

Xu Ying returned to the basket. Being so tiny, it’ll be very difficult for them to survive in the new lands. But now that they have returned to their true form as soybeans, they will flourish in this forest, bloom, bear new beans, and live on for generations.

Yuanqi thought, Ever since I met Ah Ying, I’ve faced so many dangers. Dazhong has also suffered injuries numerous times, yet neither of us has left this walking plague. Likely because of the humanity he shows.

Many people lacked humanity.

Sensing the vigor coursing through Xu Ying, Granny Zhou Yu was deeply shaken. She cried out in shock, “Young Master Xu, you’ve unlocked your Mud-Pill Secret Trove?”

Lying on his back in his basket, with his leg crossed, Xu Ying said leisurely, “Even your old ancestor wishes to seek my guidance. What’s so surprising about me unlocking my Mud-Pill Secret Trove?”

Granny Zhou Yu snorted and covered the basket with the silk handkerchief. Carrying it, she hurried forward, her eyes flickering.

The old ancestor is locked in a fierce battle with that massive underground creature and has shattered the new lands; the situation is unknown, and I’ve sustained severe injuries from the shockwaves. I need to find the other clansmen as soon as possible.

Inside the basket, Xu Ying asked, “Granny Yu, why did you come here? Logically speaking, shouldn’t someone of high status like the old ancestor remain behind in the capital?”

Granny Zhou Yu answered, “Young Master Xu, you don’t know how much the Hell River changing course and the invasion of the underworld have shaken the court. Now, everyone has their eyes on this new land in Yongzhou.

“Hehe, which treasure mountain or blessed land across the Divine Land hasn’t been seized by the noble clans? Only the new lands remain unexplored. All the treasures here are ownerless!”

Xu Ying came to a realization.

Men die in pursuit of wealth, and birds die in pursuit of food. With the underworld’s invasion, the new lands on both banks of the Hell River must contain a lot of treasures.

Since ancient times, treasures had moved the hearts of men. This would surely stir the various factions across the Divine Land into action, and more people would come to the new lands in search of treasures.

Granny Zhou Yu said, “Our clan rose from Yongzhou. Now that new lands have appeared here, it only makes sense that they belong to us. Naturally, the old ancestor had to come.”

Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out, “Granny, may I ask which way to Mount Wu Wang?”

Xu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. This voice is... Yuan Weiyang! Right, that green-robed elderly servant by his side, Uncle Xiao, is definitely a great expert!

Just as he was about to cry for help, Granny Zhou Yu reached into the basket with one hand and gripped Yuanqi’s neck.

She smiled. “Go that way.”

Without making a sound, Xu Ying’s thoughts stirred slightly, focused on comprehending the Realm Breaker sword intent. A faint trace of sword intent spread out from the basket.

Yuan Weiyang said, “Thank you, Granny. Let’s go, Uncle Xiao.”

Uncle Xiao’s voice rang out, “Young Master, you may go meet that Demon King Xu on Mount Wu Wang, but you must remember that you absolutely must not enter the river to catch fish or dig for loaches!”

Yuan Weiyang’s gentle voice rang out. “I’ll only exchange ideas with him regarding the refining and manipulating of divine sense. Why would I go catch fish in the river?”

They gradually walked further and further away. Only then did Granny Zhou Yu release her grip on Yuanqi’s neck and continue on her way.

Before long, her voice rang out, “Young Master Xu, there’s a dilapidated temple ahead. Let’s go there and rest while we wait for the clansmen to find us at... Water Entrance Temple! What a strange name!”

Carrying the basket, Granny Zhou Yu made her way toward the Water Entrance Temple. Xu Ying’s heart tightened. “Oh no! The Zhou clan might not want me dead, but the white-clothed Exorcist Immortal definitely does!”

Yuan Weiyang’s gentle voice rang out, “Granny, that temple ahead is the Radiant Vestige’s land of sublimation of Exorcist Immortal. He met a violent death and harbors deep resentment. It would be unwise to proceed any further.”

Granny Zhou Yu halted and smiled. “Thank you for the guidance. Weren’t you going to Mount Wu Wang? Why have you returned?”

His tone somewhat cold, Yuan Weiyang answered, “That friend of mine is in your basket. Why would I need to go to Mount Wu Wang?”

Inside the basket, Xu Ying heard deafening roars from outside, as if the earth had split and mountains had collapsed. The basket also shook violently. Uncle Xiao must have suddenly attacked Granny Zhou Yu.

“Yuan clan’s exorcism art?”

The basket rocked unsteadily. Blocked by the basket walls, Xu Ying couldn’t see the situation outside.

With a whoosh, Xu Ying sensed the basket rising into the air. It didn’t seem like someone was holding it. He hurriedly called out to Yuanqi, and the two leaped out of the basket.

Indeed, the basket was flying through the air, and Granny Zhou Yu was nowhere nearby. One could only feel the violent fluctuations of divine abilities in the distance.

Xu Ying and Yuanqi plummeted from the sky, screaming in terror. Xu Ying shouted, “Ants don’t die from falls. We’re not much bigger than ants, so we won’t die either!”

They whistled through the air and crashed into the ground, creating a small pit.

Xu Ying sprang to his feet, grabbed Yuanqi, and ran. He did not stop for what felt like an eternity. Only when they could no longer run did they finally halt to rest.

Even after running for so long, they had only crossed a small hill.

Suddenly, Granny Zhou Yu’s resentful voice rang out. “Young Master Xu, why did the Yuan clan’s expert attack me all of a sudden? Can you offer me an explanation?”

Xu Ying’s heart tightened. He rose to his feet and looked over, only to see Granny Zhou Yu approaching, covered in blood.

The fluctuations of the divine abilities from the Zhou clan’s old ancestor and the massive underground creature had already injured her. Not even the Mud-Pill Secret Trove could heal her completely. Now, Uncle Xiao had injured her further.

Burning with rage inside, she said viciously, “Young Master Xu, you may be full of tricks, but you still won’t escape from me! My exorcism art has hit you. So, no matter where you run, you will never escape my senses! Since you insist on doing things the hard way, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Her expression sank. “The old ancestor only instructed me to bring you back. He never specified whether he wanted you alive, dead, or crippled!”

Xu Ying channeled his vital energy. He grew from the size of a soybean to two or three cun tall. “Granny Yu, did it ever occur to you that you didn’t track me here? I lured you here.”

Granny Zhou Yu sneered coldly. She reached out to grab him and shouted, “You think you can break my exorcism technique? You’re dreaming! So what if you lured me here?”

Just that, she sensed danger and hurriedly leaped up. A white-bone, soul-striking whip silently swept from behind and flew past under her.

That was close, but it missed me!

Just as she thought of this, four similar whips struck her, making her scream in agony and fall to the ground!

Xu Ying sighed in relief and looked behind her. Five burly bull demons stood amidst sinister winds, each holding a soul-striking whip. They surrounded Granny Zhou Yu and raised their whips, striking her repeatedly.

Yuanqi felt immense satisfaction and shouted, “Serves her right!”

Xu Ying smiled faintly and murmured, “You’re finally here.”

After he escaped the basket, he fled in the direction of the broken Mount Wu Wang, as he knew that as long as the five bull demons were still alive, they would definitely chase after him relentlessly.

Sure enough, just as Granny Zhou Yu caught up to them, the five bull demons also got here.

Granny Zhou Yu screamed miserably from the lashes and rolled around on the ground. Her cries were so agonizing that Xu Ying could not bear to listen. So, he plugged his ears with his fingers.

If he couldn’t hear her, he wouldn’t feel any sympathy.

Just then, Xu Ying spotted a youth nearby. His brow radiated a heroic spirit. Yet his eyebrows were snow-white, giving him a peculiar appearance.

The youth stood in silence, watching the bull demons whip Granny Zhou Yu without interfering.

Yuanqi also spotted the white-browed youth. A hint of terror rose from his heart for no reason, as if he had met his natural enemy.

Xu Ying raised his brow slightly. He saw something familiar in this white-browed youth.

The youth walked over and said softly, “The reason I didn’t stop you from whipping her was that she disobeyed my orders. I ordered her to invite you, yet she used humiliating methods and shrank you, not showing any respect to my distinguished guest. So, she deserves to get hit.”

He arrived in front of Xu Ying and said calmly, “I am Zhou Qiyun. More than three hundred years ago, I was a snake catcher just like you.”