Day of Ascension

On Mount Jiuyi stood two of the most terrifying figures in the world. One stood beneath Cangwu Sect’s main hall, radiating the majesty of an emperor. The other stood calmly before a cliff.

Emperor Shengshen’s aura grew increasingly powerful as he sneered. “Zhou Qiyun, you have always been the one using and scheming against others. I never expected you to be the one getting played today.

“Xu Ying used nothing but a deciphered scripture to keep you here, forcing you into a duel with me. Yet, you walked into his trap willingly, content to dance in the palm of a boy still wet behind the ears. What a disgrace to your reputation as the White-Browed Ancestor.”

Unperturbed, Zhou Qiyun said, “Your Majesty has been brilliant since childhood, with the ambition to reach the heavens. You seek to surpass Wenwu Dasheng and Zhidao Dasheng and be remembered throughout history and worshipped for eternity.

“You possess extraordinary skills and great intelligence, yet to ascend the throne, you have no choice but to rely on the Li and Guo clans. Despite that, you seek to reduce the noble clans’ powers. Isn’t that like looking for a donkey while riding on one[1]? How could you possibly keep them in check?”

The corner of Emperor Shengshen’s eye twitched. Zhou Qiyun had struck a sore spot.

However, Zhou Qiyun didn’t seize the opportunity to strike. “People call you the ruler of restoration, but you’ve merely avoided causing trouble. As for restoring the empire... Hehe, what does that have to do with you?

“You have the ambition but nowhere to apply it, and the will but not the power to carry it out. You think it’s our noble clans who are standing in your way, but you’re the one holding yourself back.

“You believed I was blocking your path, so you learned qi refinement and alchemy. Yet your talent fell short, and your efforts ended in chaos, leaving you in a miserable state.”

Emperor Shengshen burst out laughing, his aura fluctuating.

Still, Zhou Qiyun didn’t strike. Calm and composed, he said casually, “Your ambition is higher than the sky. You have widely accepted the people’s worship while opening the Jade Capital and Crimson Palace Secret Troves, dreaming of unlocking all nine levels of both.

“On top of that, you cultivated qi. By all logic, your cultivation should have long surpassed mine. Yet you’ve never exceeded me. Why? Because your fate is as thin as paper, and your intellect is lacking.”

Emperor Shengshen’s aura grew turbulent.

“You said Xu Ying has me dancing in the palm of his hand. Yet the moment he learned you were on Mount Jiuyi, he began scheming against you. He imparted the Sword Kinesis Mantra to the Guo clan and revealed his Qi cultivation techniques, deliberately drawing attention to himself to bait you into taking the hook.

“He needed someone capable of dealing with me, and the moment you sought him out to decipher qi cultivation techniques, you had already fallen into his trap. Yet, Your Majesty still smugly believes everything unfolded according to your plan and that he is in your palm.”

Emperor Shengshen laughed out loud. “You think a mere countryside brat could possess such cunning? He would dare to scheme against me?”

Zhou Qiyun said, “He’s a snake catcher. Meticulousness is a prerequisite for survival in that profession. I was also a snake catcher. I’ve lived from Emperor Zhidao Dasheng’s reign until today because I was meticulous enough. Your Majesty, I shall head to Wutong Palace now to take your Nine Heavens Yang Spirit Mystic Altar Technique.”

He no longer looked at Emperor Shengshen and walked straight toward the parasol tree at the peak of Mount Jiuyi.

He said unhurriedly, “Your Majesty may descend to the underworld to pursue Xu Ying. Once I obtain your Nine Heavens Yang Spirit and balance Yin and Yang, my cultivation will advance by leaps and bounds. I’ll complete the final step toward ascension. By then, Your Majesty will be no different than someone in the palm of my hand.”

Emperor Shengshen clenched his fists tightly.

“Your Majesty, you can also attack me. My back is wide open. It’s your best chance to kill me. Yet the moment you strike, you’ll have fallen into my trap.”

Zhou Qiyun continued walking up the mountain calmly. “My words have shaken Your Majesty’s mind. With your mind unsettled, attacking me recklessly would only lead to a swifter defeat. What will you choose, Your Majesty?”

Emperor Shengshen’s expression flickered between bright and dark. As Zhou Qiyun neared the summit, he could no longer hold back and lunged at his back.

The mountaintop fell silent for a moment. In the blink of an eye, a bizarre wave erupted silently. In the distance, a mountain peak exploded, sending boulders flying into the air.

Large boulders flew wildly through the sky. Though they traveled at incredible speed, they seemed to move in slow motion, as if they would remain suspended for an eternity before crashing down.

A second shockwave swept across the ground like an unstoppable tide. It tore trees from the mountainside and turned them into a roaring torrent of tumbling trunks.

Numerous Jinwu Guards were at the foot of the mountain. They were horrified by the sight and fled in panic. Some jumped off the cliff and narrowly escaped the disaster, while the torrent of uprooted trees swallowed others, their fates unknown.

When the third wave erupted, all mist between the mountains was swept away. The sky above became unimaginably clear. The horizon stretched in a flawless azure, deep and unfathomable like the heavenly abyss.

Only then did the sound of clashing divine abilities echo from the summit of Mount Jiuyi.

Once, twice, thrice...

Each sound felt like a blow to the chest or a knock on the soul. No matter if it was the Jinwu Guards or the Guo clan experts, they all fell to the ground and dry-heaved from the impact.

An iridescent cloud flew over, tattered and riddled with holes. Beneath it, Emperor Shengshen’s attire was in disarray, and his complexion had turned pale. He flew toward the Cangwu Sect and landed before the main hall.

“Where is Eunuch Chen?”

“I am here,” replied Eunuch Chen, clad in his purple robes and covered in blood. He frantically scrambled toward the Cangwu Sect, shocked and in disbelief.

“Prepare to return to the capital immediately!”

“I obey!”

The imperial carriage soon set off, escorted by a crowd of Jinwu Guards and the Guo clan’s experts. The thick curtains were drawn, hiding everything from view. Inside, Emperor Shengshen coughed up mouthful after mouthful of blood; his aura withered.

On the parasol tree at the summit of Mount Jiuyi, a white-browed youth pushed the gates of Wutong Palace open. He found the book Xu Ying left behind and sat down quietly.

He read through it briefly, confirming that it was indeed the complete Nine Heavens Yang Spirit Mystic Altar Technique. At one point, Xu Ying had even left red-ink annotations, noting that this section was the key to compensating for the flaws in the Granny Tuo Immortal Book.

Zhou Qiyun read this section carefully. Indeed, it could make up for the flaws in that book.

On the last page, Xu Ying added, “I wish Old Ancestor Zhou good health and success in overcoming your tribulation.”

“This guy...” Zhou Qiyun showed a faint smile. Then, he began reading from the beginning, thinking, For that line alone, I’ll give him a little more time to run.

This time, he read every page carefully, comprehending the technique bit by bit. By the time he finished, a full day had passed.

“I probably won’t find him if I go pursue him now, will I?”

Zhou Qiyun straightened his back. A commotion came from the foot of the mountain. He came to the window of Wutong Palace and pushed it open to look. The Zhou clan’s Exorcists had already arrived at the foot of the mountain.

These Exorcists were transporting all kinds of supplies and treasures, preparing to construct an altar to Heaven at the peak.

He would face his tribulation in this place!

He looked down at the busy crowd below. Where would the other snake catcher flee to?

***

“Master Qi, Master Zhong, Brother Yuan is going to introduce his younger sister to me. Since he looks so handsome, his sister must be a beauty.”

Overjoyed inside, he said, “Maybe I’ll even save the money for the bride price.”

Yuanqi revealed his true form and ferried the youth through the mountains, rushing toward their new destination. He chuckled. “Guo Xiaodie looks very pretty too, but her older sister is still two hundred jin. Even if Yuan Weiyang’s younger sister is beautiful, would it really be your turn to marry her? Ah Ying, you’d better have a backup plan.”

Dazhong floated in the air, circling Xu Ying. “Yuan Weiyang is fifteen, a year older than Ah Ying. So, his sister is either the same age or younger than Ah Ying. Even if she’s pretty, she’s still just a kid. Moreover, the Yuan clan is a noble clan. The bride price will only be higher.”

Xu Ying pondered for a moment. “What if I skip the bride price and kidnap her instead?”

“Yuan Weiyang will kill you!”

Xu Ying burst out laughing. Standing between the giant snake’s black-and-white horns, he gazed across the boundless mountains and rivers of the new lands.

He cried out loud, “Let’s go! We’ll go find my hometown!”

“Ah Ying, can we really find Xujiaping Village?”

“We will, for sure!”

Since Yuanqi started practicing the True Cultivation of Ba Snake, he had grown increasingly larger. Now, he slithered through the mountains faster than Exorcists running at full speed.

As Yuanqi carried Xu Ying onward, they searched along the way. From time to time, Xu Ying rode sword qi into the sky to survey the surrounding terrain, searching for anything familiar.

They traveled this way for who knew how long, crossing countless mountains and rivers. Yet nothing matched the places in Xu Ying’s memories.

The landscape in the new lands was wildly different compared to before. Many terrifying creatures roamed the mountains. At night, the underworld invaded, turning the mortal realm into a bizarre and surreal place.

Xu Ying also sensed the Underworld Court gods lurking about, watching from the shadows and monitoring his every move.

Dazhong said worriedly, “Ah Ying, the Underworld Court hasn’t given up on capturing you. When Zhou Qiyun was still around, They didn’t dare to lay a finger on you. Now that he’s gone, I’m afraid they’ll mobilize city gods and Controller Generals to hunt you down.”

About half a month passed like this, until they came across a county standing in the new lands. Surprisingly, it hadn’t been destroyed by the underworld’s invasion. Only upon drawing near did they realize it was Qiyang County—a rare paradise in the mortal realm.

Qiyang County had been completely cut off from the outside world. Its residents were astonished to see Xu Ying and poured into the streets to watch him.

Xu Ying ate several large bowls of rice noodles at a roadside stall. The spiciness left him sweating profusely as he exclaimed how satisfying it was.

During his days on Mount Jiuyi, he had eaten nothing but food prepared by the imperial kitchen. He had long since grown tired of it. Tasting Yongzhou’s rice noodles again made him feel as though he had finally returned to the mortal world.

Xu Ying paid the bill and said excitedly, “Master Zhong, Master Qi, while I was in the sky earlier, I saw some familiar landscape to the east. Let’s head there and take a look.”

After leaving Qiyang County, they traveled eastward. Dazhong and Yuanqi saw many towering mountains and surging rivers, which left them in doubt.

Dazhong asked quietly, “Master Qi, your ancestors have lived in Yongzhou for three centuries. They’ve never seen such ancient mountains before, right?”

Yuanqi shook his head. “Other than the county itself, none of this is Qiyang.”

“That’s strange, then. Ah Ying says this place looks exactly like the one in his memories, but we’re in the new lands. Could the Xujiaping Village he remembers really be this Xujiaping?”

Yuanqi couldn’t help but worry.

However, Xu Ying was very excited. He kept pointing at the nearby mountains or rivers, saying they were exactly as he remembered them.

Dazhong whispered, “What if the Xujiaping Village in his memories isn’t the one from seven years ago? What if it’s from three thousand years ago?”

Xu Ying cried out excitedly, “Here, here! I remember this place. There’s a village ahead, with a small river at the entrance. Xujiaping Village is right on the other bank!”

He jumped off Yuanqi’s head and hurried forward.

Yuanqi quickly transformed into a tiny snake and jumped onto Xu Ying’s shoulder. Dazhong hurried after him before slipping into the back of Xu Ying’s head.

Indeed, there was a small river ahead and a village. It was small, simple, and unadorned. Thin wisps of smoke rose from its low houses as the villagers prepared their meals.

They were likely Qiyang County residents who had become trapped when the new lands emerged, losing all contact with the outside world.

Xu Ying quickly walked up to the river and gazed across. It was a desolate wasteland with absolutely nothing. There was no trace of a great fire either.

Several old men sat under a tree at the village entrance, cooling themselves under the shade. Xu Ying composed himself and approached them. “Old Sirs, may I ask if there’s a village across the river by the name of Xujiaping?”

“Xujiaping?” The old men shook their heads. “There’s never been a place called Xujiaping Village here.”

Xu Ying shook his head, dizzy.

There was no such place?

“Right, we’ve lived in this area for generations and have never heard of Xujiaping Village. Boy, who are you?”

“Who... am I?”

A deafening roar exploded in his mind as all kinds of memories flooded his thoughts. He murmured, “Who am I? Yes, who am I exactly...”

“I’ve seen you before!” An old man with bad eyesight studied Xu Ying’s face repeatedly. Finally, he made out his face and exclaimed in shock, “I’ve seen you before when I was young! You looked exactly the same then as you do now! Yes... it’s you!”

He was so agitated that he nearly fainted. He cried out, “A ghost, a ghost! I saw you when I was barely ten years old. Now I’m seventy-six, and you haven’t changed at all!”

1. You can’t have your cake and eat it too. ☜