Day of Ascension

Pei Du composed himself and leafed through the books. Most predated Emperor Zhidao Dasheng. Some even trace back before Wang Mang, to pre-Qin texts collected during his reign.

The first book was an anecdote from the Book of Sui[1]. It recorded that in the second year of Kaihuang, a child surnamed Xu had lived in a village in Jiangnan for more than ten years without his appearance changing.

Then he suddenly vanished without a trace. More than thirty years later, a merchant from the same village traveled to a distant land more than a thousand li away and encountered a boy who looked exactly like the child surnamed Xu.

Yet even after more than thirty years, the boy’s appearance had not changed at all.

The merchant approached and questioned him, but the boy did not recognize him. The merchant concluded that reincarnation truly existed in the world.

The second book told a story from over seven hundred years ago. A woodcutter was gathering firewood in the mountains when he saw two people, one dressed in red and the other in white, playing chess beside the road.

The match captivated him so completely that he forgot to return home. When the game finally ended, he was startled to discover that his axe handle had rotted away and the firewood had crumbled into charcoal and mud.

The woodcutter stumbled home and found the village had completely changed. His parents and wife had died of old age, and everyone he had known was long gone. Only a youth surnamed Xu recognized him. The youth told him that a hundred years had passed while he was away.

The woodcutter stared at the youth in astonishment. He looked exactly as he had a century earlier, without the slightest change. Then, the figures in red and white reappeared and took the hundred-year-old youth away.

The two had quietly remarked that their game of chess had nearly caused a disaster.

Pei Du continued reading the remaining books. Every one of them contained strange tales, and nearly every incident revolved around a youth whose appearance never changed.

The more he read, the more dread filled his heart. As he gradually worked his way back to ancient texts from two thousand years ago, he was shocked to find scattered records referencing an immortal youth even then!

This ageless youth’s history predated even the Pei clan!

He appeared in the meteorite crater that destroyed Wang Mang’s army. He had crawled out of the mass graves left by the burning of books and burying of scholars[2]. He appeared next to Lady Meng Jiang when she cried down the Great Wall[3]. He even took part in the Battle of Changping and was one of the four hundred thousand surrendered soldiers buried alive by Bai Qi!

He was the youth who mimicked a fox’s cry during the Chen Sheng and Wu Guang uprising. He was also the very youth on the battlefield who bound Liu Bang[4]’s father tight, preparing to toss him into a boiling cauldron to be eaten.

He appeared only at the fringes of history, rarely drawing attention.

Pei Du combed through all the ancient books and fell silent for a long time.

Their collection was limited, with no older texts. He had no way of knowing whether the ageless youth had appeared in records from even earlier eras.

Some of these books contained illustrations, while others were only text. Judging from the drawings, the youth resembled Xu Ying, but there was no way to confirm that they depicted the same person.

Pei Jingting said carefully, “Patriarch, most of these books are just unofficial histories and anecdotes. The records might not be true, and they might not even be about the same youth. An ageless youth who has lived for four or five thousand years? No one would believe it even if you told them.”

Pei Du nodded lightly. “You’re right. This person’s name is unknown, and his story is not recorded in actual history books. These anecdotes are most likely the mere fabrications of novelists and cannot be trusted.”

He added, “Xu Ying might not be that undying youth in the books. From what I’ve observed, though he speaks and acts in astonishing ways, he still has the temperament of a youth.”

Pei Du nodded again. “He often acts and speaks like an adult, but he still has the heart of a child.”

Pei Jingting said, “He is extremely useful to our Pei family; we should win him over.”

Pei Du replied, “Indeed. He can decipher Qi cultivation techniques. Which of the great noble clans wouldn’t want someone like him? Every powerful family needs his help. If our Pei clan were to make a move against him now, we would become the common enemy of them all.”

Pei Jingting chuckled. “I was worried you might harbor thoughts of harming him because of his longevity. Father transplanted a piece of cursed longevity flesh to extend his life without being devoured. But what if there was a piece of longevity flesh without any curse? What if one could attain eternal life just like that...?”

“Enough!” Pei Du cut him off. The veins on his forehead throbbing, he continued, “Stop talking! My Dao heart isn’t strong enough to resist all temptations! Leave for now, Jingting. Tell the clansmen who found these books that they must never speak of this to anyone!”

Pei Jingting bowed in acknowledgment and left.

Pei Du waved his hand, dismissing the maids as well, and began pacing back and forth in his study. From time to time, his gaze fell on the mountain of books, his expression flickering between light and dark.

“To eat, or not to eat...

“For the first time, eternal life is within reach. Should I live a life worse than death like Father, or summon the courage to take that one step further? After all, my lifespan is also nearing its end...”

***

Xu Ying and Yuan Rushi spent the entire day outside and did not return until sunset. The moment they stepped through the front door, they sensed something was wrong. A beautiful middle-aged woman stood before them beside a white-haired old madam. Both silently watched them.

The smile on Yuan Rushi’s face froze. She walked over with her head lowered and greeted them softly, “Mother. Great-Grandmother.”

Xu Ying also hurried forward to pay his respects. The beautiful woman bore a slight resemblance to Yuan Rushi and Yuan Weiyang.

Smiling, she said, “No need for such formalities. Mister Xu, I apologize for neglecting you these past few days. Uncle Xiao, escort Mister Xu to his room to rest.”

Uncle Xiao voiced his compliance and stepped forward to escort him.

Xu Ying had no choice but to leave with him, unease growing in his heart.

Over the next few days, Yuan Rushi was nowhere to be seen, though Xu Ying did meet Yuan Weiyang a few times.

When Xu Ying asked about Yuan Rushi, Yuan Weiyang replied, “Mother punished my younger sister for being mischievous and confined her to her quarters.”

Xu Ying felt very uneasy in his heart. Yet, without Yuan Rushi by his side, he was finally able to rein in his wandering thoughts and concentrate on deciphering the Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture.

Half a day later, Xu Ying finished deciphering it and showed it to Yuan Weiyang. After reading through it, he frowned. “This is a method for tempering the soul and the Primordial Spirit, but it seems to be missing some content.”

Xu Ying clapped his hands and smiled. “I noticed that as well. I followed the scripture’s logic and thought it over for a long time. I concluded that the missing section contains the most important part: the method for overcoming calamities. I came up with a way to restore it. Tell me what you think.”

He picked up his brush and wrote a passage to fill in the gaps in the Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture. Yuan Weiyang studied his additions for a long time.

She picked up the brush and revised a section. She remarked, “There are still some flaws. If we change it like this, then the Primordial Spirit can overcome calamities.”

Xu Ying leaned in to look and nodded repeatedly. He smiled. “I’ll circulate this cultivation technique to test it out!”

The two of them then attempted to circulate the technique separately. Sensing something amiss, they made further revisions.

When the two of them finished restoring the technique, they each tried practicing it again. Before long, they could temper their souls. As for overcoming calamities, that would only become possible after their Primordial Spirits had been fully forged.

Exorcists lacked cultivation techniques for the soul, so their souls were not particularly strong. Restoring the Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture seemed trivial to both of them, yet they failed to grasp the true significance of this technique!

Xu Ying smiled and said, “I’ll go hand the scripture to Chancellor Pei. He must have been waiting for a long time.”

Yuan Weiyang hesitated momentarily before saying, “You need to be careful on this trip. Although Chancellor Pei is magnanimous, the Pei clan is too large. I’m worried that other people will try to harm you. I’ll have Uncle Xiao go with you.”

Xu Ying agreed, called for the Dazhong and Yuanqi, and set off for the Pei residence together with Uncle Xiao.

Before long, the Pei clan’s steward came to welcome him and invited Xu Ying to the study, where Pei Du was already waiting.

Xu Ying observed Pei Du closely and saw that he had grown a lot of gray hair over the last few days, making him look several years older.

He asked, “Is something on your mind, Chancellor Pei?”

Pei Du smiled. “You noticed it. I’ve been wrestling with an important decision these past few days and still haven’t made up my mind.”

Xu Ying presented the Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture he had deciphered, then returned the original book to him. “Please take a look first, Chancellor Pei.”

Pei Du calmed his mind and read through it. After a long time, he finally digested the scripture. “Thank you, Young Friend Xu. As expected of the one who helped the white-browed ancestor overcome his tribulation. We gathered the most gifted of our descendants and studied it for decades, yet our work isn’t as thorough as yours.”

Xu Ying smiled. “This scripture is incomplete.”

Pei Du was deeply shaken and blurted out, “Incomplete?”

Xu Ying took another text out of his sleeve and said with a smile, “After I finished deciphering it, I noticed that the text on the gold paper is incomplete, so I filled in the gaps for you.”

He did not mention Yuan Weiyang because he feared others would harm him if they learned of his extraordinary intellect.

“The original Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture only described tempering the soul and Primordial Spirit. It lacked the method to avoid calamity and overcome tribulations. So, I restored those missing parts for you.”

Xu Ying handed him the completed scripture, stretched lazily, and smiled. “If you cultivate according to the original text, your soul will undoubtedly become powerful and your Primordial Spirit extraordinary, but you’ll still struggle to survive the disasters and tribulations.

“If you cultivate according to my revised version, you should be able to overcome them.”

Pei Du eagerly flipped through the pages. He quickly realized that Xu Ying’s revisions were far more profound and mysterious than the original text.

He could not help but be dazed for a brief moment. Then, he smiled. “Please come this way, Young Friend Xu.”

He led Xu Ying into an inner room, where scroll after scroll of ancient texts lay open.

Pei Du smiled. “For the past few days, I’ve been struggling with one question: whether I should murder you, Young Friend Xu.”

Xu Ying was startled. In his mind, Dazhong cried out frantically, “Stay calm! At worst, I’ll just get heavily injured again. I’ll do everything I can to protect you and break out of the Pei residence! But Ah Ying, siphoning your vital energy only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays won’t do. I’ll need Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, too!”

Pei Du said, “Take a look at these books first, Young Friend Xu.”

Xu Ying composed himself and went forward to look at them one by one. His expression grew increasingly astonished as memories of Xujiaping Village involuntarily flooded his mind. His mind grew muddled, and his head felt increasingly heavy.

Seeing this, Pei Du formed a seal with his fingers and pressed on Xu Ying’s glabella. “Wake!”

His clear shout immediately brought Xu Ying’s scattered divine sense back together, preventing a mental collapse.

Pei Du’s sleeves billowed as his hands moved in rapid succession. Every time they paused, his fingers formed a different seal. “Young Friend Xu, I will teach you a set of Heart-Returning Seals. If you ever find yourself in this kind of situation again, you will be able to help yourself.”

As Xu Ying copied the hand seals, he immediately felt his senses become clearer. The confusion clouding his divine sense quickly subsided.

Xu Ying quickly thanked him, but Pei Du said solemnly, “I have cultivated for more than half my life, yet a few days ago, I was nearly consumed by greed. Had that happened, my cultivation could have been destroyed in an instant. I’m the one who should thank you. The Heart-Returning Seals are merely a minor technique. Young Fr—”

Pei Du frowned slightly, feeling that addressing Xu Ying as “young friend” was quite inappropriate. So, he changed his wording.

“Brother Xu, read through the rest of the books first, and we can talk about the details later.”

Xu Ying continued reading through the remaining volumes. As he reached the final pages, he suddenly froze, then burst into laughter.

“Chancellor Pei, you don’t actually think that the undying youth in these books is me, do you? Hahaha!”

He laughed out loud.

Pei Du also burst out laughing. Shaking his head, he said, “I don’t think so either. After all, it’s too absurd. Yet, I feel like it is you. After all, you’re so young, yet you can guide the white-browed ancestor through his tribulation. That’s just as unbelievable.”

Xu Ying laughed so hard he was crying. He raised his hand to wipe away the tears at the corner of his eyes. “I don’t know if my memories from before I was six years old are real, but I do know that my memories after six are. So, even I don’t know if I am that youth in these books!”

He burst into laughter once more.

Pei Du said, “Brother Xu, Heart-Returning Seals.”

Xu Ying activated the Heart-Returning Seals and steadied his mind. After calming down, he said, “Thank you, Chancellor Pei.”

Pei Du shook his head. “You have treated us with complete sincerity. Not only did you faithfully share the deciphered Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture in its entirety, but you also restored its missing portions.

“If our Pei clan cannot repay that sincerity in kind, we would be unworthy of our legacy as a two-thousand-year-old noble clan. Rest assured, we will keep this secret. I will also help you search for more records to uncover the mystery of your origins.”

Xu Ying bowed in gratitude. Pei Du returned the gesture and said, “I dare not accept. If I survive the calamity of life and death in the future, it will all be thanks to your generous deed today. I need to study the scripture, so please forgive me for not seeing you out in person. I’ll have Bihe escort you.”

He followed the maidservant Bihe out of the study and made his way toward the gates of the Pei residence.

The estate covered an enormous area, as though thousands of mountains and valleys lay hidden within its walls. Its layout was intricate. Feeling completely at ease, Xu Ying admired the scenery as he walked. Before long, he spotted a place that looked like something from a fairyland.

He thought, Tasting rouge with Sister Rushi over there would be very delightful. Too bad this is the Pei residence.

Just as he was thinking this, several young men approached. The young master leading them asked with a smile, “Are you the snake catcher surnamed Xu?”

Xu Ying halted and nodded lightly. “That’s me.”

That young master replied, “I am Pei Jing, holding the humble privilege of being the second young master of the Pei clan. Today, I am hosting some friends from the imperial palace, and I would like to invite you to keep us company.”

Xu Ying smiled. “Naturally, I have no reason to refuse.”

Pei Jing waved his hand to dismiss Bihe. Then, he led Xu Ying to a pavilion overlooking the lake. A vast expanse of turquoise water stretched before them, its surface covered with gently swaying lotus leaves.

Pei Jing took his seat alongside the other young masters. Just as Xu Ying was about to sit down, Pei Jing’s expression darkened.

He snapped in displeasure, “I asked you to keep us company. Do you not know what that means? Do you have the right to sit? Bring out your snake and perform already! If you make my friends from the palace happy, I will reward you with a few silver ingots!”

Xu Ying was taken aback. Without a word, he stood, walked to the lake’s edge, and slowly raised a hand.

“Since you all want to see a snake, I shall call upon Master Qi to make his appearance.”

A tiny snake with shimmering scales slithered out from beneath his collar and onto his fingertip, coiling around his fingers several times.

Pei Jing and his companions could not help but laugh out loud. He pointed at Xu Ying and said, “He’s indeed a snake catcher. He really brings a snake with him!”

Xu Ying smiled. “Master Qi, let us dance!”

His primordial qi erupted as he launched the tiny snake on his fingertip into the air. Immediately, a savage, ancient aura spread out. The tiny snake grew larger and larger, reaching a hundred zhang in the blink of an eye, his massive form swimming on the surface of the lake.

As Xu Ying’s sleeves billowed, the giant snake slowly rose into the air. Brilliant sword qi erupted around his massive body, dancing across his scales.

The great snake glided through the air, stirring up gusts of fierce wind. He was like a dragon and a python, yet a pair of black-and-white horns grew on his head, and a mane like a dragon banner fluttered on his back in the wind.

As Xu Ying’s sleeves danced before the pavilion, the giant snake suddenly dove down. The sword qi around him grew denser, and he arrived at the pavilion in an instant!

Inside the pavilion, Pei Jing’s face instantly twisted in horror as he quickly stood up. The other young masters also rose in a panic, each summoning all of their cultivation to defend themselves!

Boom!

The entire pavilion exploded. Sword qi swept out, sending the crowd flying backward and falling into the water, looking completely miserable!

Xu Ying laughed out loud and stepped forward to the ruins. The table was still intact, and the banquet was completely undisturbed. So, he grabbed a handful of meat and began to feast. Then he washed it down with a jug of wine.

Laughing, he said, “I came here as a guest, and even the chancellor treats me with courtesy. Who do you think you are, to try and humiliate me?”

1. This is the official historical text covering the history of the Sui Dynasty (581–618 AD). ☜

2. It refers to the burning of texts in two hundred thirteen BCE and the live burial of four hundred sixty Confucian scholars in two hundred twelve BCE ordered by the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang. ☜

3. A tragic love story that highlights the suffering of common people under the tyrannical rule of Emperor Qin Shi Huang during the construction of the Great Wall. ☜

4. Emperor Gaozu of Han, the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty. ☜