Day of Ascension

Xu Ying left the Exorcist Immortal’s Radiant Vestige land with Dazhong and the Wu hook-sword, stepping onto the river’s surface. Yuanqi also slithered out of it.

Fierce combat still echoed within. Divine abilities clashed with exorcism techniques as the Cui clan members battled the kind-faced old immortal.

Xu Ying paid no heed to it.

Even in turbulent times, the noble clans lived in comfort. Xu Ying’s opinion of those great powers had not improved. Only the common folk struggled to survive during chaotic times. As the saying goes: when the dynasty rises, the common folk suffer; when the dynasty falls, the common folk suffer[1].

Carrying Xu Ying on his back, Yuanqi swam downstream along the Miluo River.

Over the past two years, Xu Ying had searched everywhere for Exorcist Immortals’ Radiant Vestige lands of sublimation. He had found cultivation techniques for the Jade Pool and the Jade Capital, then studied and refined them to process the immortal herbs within those troves.

Exhaling a long breath of turbid air, Xu Ying murmured, “Not a single living Exorcist Immortal!”

Like Zhou Qiyun, he had never found one. Xu Ying wanted the complete legacies of the six secrets and a living Exorcist Immortal, someone who could show him the might of true exorcism arts.

Zhou Qiyun’s eighty-year-long search led him to seventeen Exorcist Immortals’ Radiant Vestige lands, yet he never found a living one.

Xu Ying had found nine in only two years, far faster than Zhou Qiyun. Yet every Exorcist Immortal he found had already been devoured. In some Radiant Vestige lands, he could not find even a devoured one.

He activated the Wu hook-sword, projecting a blinding array of sword qi over the river like frost and snow.

He unleashed the Realm Breaker technique with the weapon, splitting the river in half. Water surged to either side and climbed more than ten zhang above the banks.

Xu Ying withdrew his sword. The river closed up again, the rushing waters returning to normal.

“What a fine sword! The old immortal must have been a true warrior, one who fought against heaven and earth in life!” Xu Ying sighed in admiration, then casually stuffed the Wu hook-sword into Yuanqi’s stomach.

He thought, I wonder if the Cui clan members will make it out alive?

Although the artifact was not bad, he didn’t like it. He had taken it only because the creed of a Mound-Rummaging General forbade returning empty-handed.

Yuanqi’s stomach was already crammed with artifacts. Aside from half of Zhu Chanchan’s Flying Peak and half of a dismantled golden statue, the rest was loot Xu Ying had gathered from his mound-rummaging.

Xu Ying channeled Heaven-Man Resonance to perceive the void, searching for any anomalies.

Pointing toward the Yunmeng Marsh, he called out, “Master Qi, Master Zhong, let’s go there!”

Yuanqi immediately turned around, bending the waters to his will. River water roared skyward, becoming a suspended current that rushed toward the marsh.

Upon arriving at the marsh on the opposite bank, the waters crashed into the wetlands. The giant snake slithered down the falling waters into the marshland and swam in the direction Xu Ying had indicated.

Yunmeng Marsh stretched boundlessly wide, and Yuanqi’s massive body moved through the wetlands with ease. But his size startled countless birds and beasts, sending them fleeing in every direction.

After traveling several hundred li and drawing closer to the place he had sensed, Xu Ying spotted another group of Exorcists. Activating his Third Eye, he saw that they were from the Guo clan. The emergence of the Yunmeng Marsh has drawn more than just the gaze of the Cui clan. The other noble clans have also taken notice of this place.

After all, Yunmeng Marsh was steeped in myth. Unless the noble clans were fools, they would send people to claim a share of the spoils.

Guo Xiaodie sensed something and spotted a giant snake in the distance. Filled with a mix of shock and doubt, she wondered, Is that him?

She leaped into the air, turned into a stream of sword qi, and flew above the giant snake. She saw that the snake had black-and-white horns on its head, with clouds and mist swirling between them. A youth stood amidst the clouds, his clothes fluttering in the wind.

It really is him! Delighted inside, Guo Xiaodie descended and smiled. “Demon King Xu, how have you been?”

Looking at the girl before him, now even more beautiful and captivating than before, Xu Ying recalled their past and smiled. “Xiaodie, I hope you’ve been well.”

Guo Xiaodie stepped forward and circled him. Out of nowhere, she hammered his chest, but the impact left her own wrist throbbing with a dull ache. “You really are the Ageless Immortal! It’s been over two years, but you haven’t changed at all! You haven’t grown taller or gained any flesh; you’ve just become tougher!”

That thought made Xu Ying deeply uneasy.

Whenever he bathed, he found only a single hair growing down there. He plucked it every time, yet it always grew back. It was always that same lone hair. No others ever appeared.

“Most likely, I really am the Ageless Immortal.” Xu Ying sighed. Changing the topic, he asked, “What brings you people here?”

Guo Xiaodie replied, “Our clan discovered an Exorcist Immortal’s Radiant Vestige land within the marsh, so we came to investigate.”

Xu Ying probed, “An Exorcist Immortal from Emperor Wu’s era?”

Guo Xiaodie nodded slightly. “We suspect as much. That Radiant Vestige land is most likely where the Exorcist Immortal went into seclusion before the great upheaval.

“Although our ancestor cultivated the Primordial Spirit’s Overcoming Calamity Scripture you taught him and extended his lifespan, the hidden perils of the Exorcist Immortal path remain; his Dao fruit could be harvested at any time.

“Thus, we want to try to find the correct technique from the Radiant Vestige land of an Exorcist Immortal from Emperor Wu’s era.”

Xu Ying smiled. “Old Ancestor Guo and I think alike. Is he here?”

Guo Xiaodie shook her head. “No. He stepped forward when the Ancestral Dragon came to the Divine Capital two years ago, but he couldn’t hold out and was severely injured. He is still recovering right now.”

Xu Ying let out a heavy sigh. “He truly is a man of chivalrous blood and noble character.

Gu Xiaodie grew angry. “When the Ancestral Dragon came to the Divine Capital, I tried to stop the old ancestor from stepping forward, but he insisted. And he still couldn’t win!”

Her chest rose and fell violently as she said angrily, “Not only that, he still won’t listen. Even lying in bed, he keeps yelling that he wants to fight another round!

“In that battle, Ancestral Dragon was only checked when the divine statues of the Three Holy Emperors[2]—Wenwu Dasheng, Zetian Dasheng, and Zhidao Dasheng—awakened. Even with their help, the Exorcists were beaten so badly they couldn’t lift their heads.”

She sighed. ”Many people have given up on being Exorcists and turned to practicing Qi cultivation instead. Someone named Xu Fu popped out of nowhere, leading a large group of Qi Cultivators, declared that he would spread the true orthodox methods, and called Exorcism evil arts.”

Xu Ying asked, “Xiaodie, have you seen Weiyang?”

Guo Xiaodie hesitated for a moment before replying, “After Ancestral Dragon’s great battle in the Divine Capital, she and the Yuan clan disappeared entirely.

“Rumor has it that evil devoured the Yuan clan’s old ancestor, Yuan Wuji. Old Grand-Madam Yuan and Madam Yuan also perished. Only a few remained in the Yuan clan, yet they had to protect their vast estate.

“They simply could not defend it. So, Yuan Weiyang took advantage of the chaos in the Divine Capital and left with the remaining members of the clan and their wealth.”

Thinking of his sweetheart, Xu Ying sighed a breath of relief and smiled. “She is fiercely proud. When she returns, her name will surely shake the world.”

Looking at his face, Guo Xiaodie felt a bittersweet sorrow. He and Weiyang truly are a perfect match made in heaven...

With that on her mind, she secretly pulled her bodice down slightly, thinking fiercely, There’s no prize in this world I, Guo Xiaodie, can’t steal. The pavilion closest to the water gets the moon first. Sister Weiyang, this old lady is definitely going to steal your man!

Ripples suddenly broke across the lake ahead. The entire surface swelled upward, rising higher and higher until it towered more than thirty zhang into the air. Then it exploded, sending spray in all directions like shattered jade.

A massive creature burst forth from the surface of the shattered waters. Dozens of zhang long, it resembled both a qilin and a dragon-horse, with a long tail and four hooves churning in a blur as it raced over the water’s surface.

On the back of that dragon-horse, a faint arc of light shimmered into view. It looked like a gateway from a distance.

An elder of the Guo clan cried out, “This Radiant Vestige land is concealed on that ancient exotic beast!”

Xu Ying was utterly astonished. Over the past two years, he had tracked down numerous Radiant Vestige lands of sublimation, but they were all fixed in place. He had never seen an Exorcist Immortal’s Radiant Vestige land hidden on a living creature!

The Guo clan’s Exorcists rushed forward. Some ran across the water’s surface, causing the lake to explode continuously under their steps; others leaped into the air and used the Cloud-Ladder Heavenly Bound to sprint through the air.

Some people also channeled their sword qi and flew just over the lake, moving just as quickly.

But the dragon-horse was too fast. It streaked across the water like a blur, leaving the entire group far behind.

“Master Zhong, Master Qi, we must stop it!”

Xu Ying leaped from the top of Yuanqi’s head and sprinted through the air, stepping on cloud ladders. In the blink of an eye, he pushed his speed to the limit. Then he channeled his sword qi and turned into a stream of sword light, tearing through the air.

Simultaneously, sword qi surged around Yuanqi with growing intensity. His overwhelming vital energy transformed into swirling masses of sword qi, lifting his massive frame as he shot forth close to the water’s surface, chasing after the fleeing dragon-horse.

Clang!

As the bell’s tolls reverberated, Dazhong aimed his mouth backward to boost his speed. Soon, he overtook Yuanqi, clanging along the way as he chased after Xu Ying.

Then Dazhong overtook Xu Ying and charged toward the dragon-horse!

The dragon-horse whipped its tail hard, striking the bell and sending him off course. Meanwhile, the dragon-horse quickly changed direction and galloped away through the swamp. The water exploded continuously, propelling it faster and faster.

Dazhong, however, struggled to change course. By the time he turned around, he had already lost track of the dragon-horse.

Meanwhile, Xu Ying used the Cloud-Ladder Heavenly Bound mid-air, turning sharply to catch up with the dragon-horse.

The dragon-horse’s hooves moved like a blur over the great marsh. The water exploded into blossoms of lotus flowers, flying backward to collide with Xu Ying!

He activated his Golden Core. With a few loud thuds, the core pierced through the lotus flowers, blasting them apart in quick succession.

Xu Ying’s aura erupted as a cauldron flew out of his ethereal void. That was the cauldron he had forged for his Transmutation Stage through the fusion of water and fire, the vessel that had refined his Golden Core.

This cauldron contained the True Fire of Samadhi and the Divine Water of Samadhi. With its mouth pointed downward, fire and water poured forth like twin dragons, twisting in from either side to bind the dragon-horse and drag it inside.

The dragon-horse had strange patterns on its body. They were natural patterns formed by its fur. The patterns suddenly lit up and erupted with a divine ability, somehow resisting the Divine Water and True Fire of Samadhi.

The dragon-horse suddenly jumped and smashed its antlers into the cauldron, knocking it over and escaping.

Yuanqi charged from behind Xu Ying. “Stop right there!”

Xu Ying called out in a hurry, “Watch out, Master Qi! That dragon-horse is likely a mature archaic beast!”

The warning came too late. Yuanqi took several hoof strikes straight to the head. One clipped his jaw and left him dazed.

Xu Ying seized the opportunity to unleash his Golden Core, knocking the dragon-horse down. As it struggled to its feet, Guo Xiaodie leaped from Yuanqi’s head and slammed her fist into its head, sending the dragon-horse tumbling across the water for several li.

Xu Ying was startled. If she had used her full strength when she hammered my chest, I’d probably be dead right then!

Dazhong dropped from the sky to suppress the dragon-horse, but it rolled over and burst forward in an instant. Dazhong missed and slammed into the swamp instead, blasting up the surface.

“Master Qi, open your mouth!” Xu Ying called out. Yuanqi hurriedly opened his mouth. A bronze sword flew into Xu Ying’s grip. Streaks of sword qi whistled into the air and wheeled around the dragon-horse from both sides.

The bronze sword was part of Zhu Chanchan’s Flying Peak and was unrivaled in sharpness, surpassing even the Wu hook-sword. Over the past two years, it had become the artifact Xu Ying wielded most skillfully.

This time, he did not use the Sword Kinesis Mantra on himself but on the dragon-horse, wrapping it in swirling sword qi.

The dragon-horse tried to break free; the moment it touched the snowflake-fine strands of sword qi, its fur was shorn away. It lost the nerve to charge recklessly again.

Forming the sword-finger gesture, Xu Ying slowly constricted his sword qi, locking the dragon-horse in place and lowering it.

Yuanqi swam over, and Dazhong flew in, each guarding one side in case the beast tried to escape.

Dazhong dropped his thick wall of light and finally suppressed the massive creature.

Xu Ying retrieved the bronze sword. The dragon-horse acted submissively, not daring to make any strange moves.

The Guo clan members approached and secured the perimeter. The couple, Li Yingzhu and Guo Yue, were also among them. Seeing Xu Ying, Li Yingzhu quickly came to Guo Xiaodie’s side.

She whispered, “Xiaodie, you ran into him again? Hmm? Why has your neckline dropped so low?”

She immediately understood and secretly raised her thumb.

Guo Xiaodie replied shyly, “What are you talking about, Second Aunt? It has always been this low!”

Yuanqi shrank down into a tiny snake and hid beneath Xu Ying’s collar. Xu Ying stepped through Dazhong’s wall of light and climbed onto the dragon-horse’s back. Guo Xiaodie and the others quickly followed.

The dragon-horse looked back, its aura threateningly intense. Yuanqi poked his head out from under Xu Ying’s collar and radiated his terrifying aura as an archaic, exotic beast fighting back.

However, the dragon-horse remained dismissive. It bared its large, square teeth in a broad grin, as if mocking him for having been kicked earlier.

Yuanqi grew furious. “I’m not yet mature. Once I mature, I’ll kill you with a single breath!”

Neigh! The dragon-horse sneered coldly.

Xu Ying approached the arc of light on its back and examined it closely. He performed Heaven-Man Resonance once more and confirmed that his perception hadn’t been mistaken. He reached out and tapped it gently. Then the light arc revealed the temple’s entrance.

Xu Ying knocked on the door. A voice drifted from beyond, asking, “Who is it? You’re disturbing my peace.”

As the temple door cracked open, a woman dressed in Han Dynasty attire poked her head out. She eyed Xu Ying, Guo Xiaodie, and the others curiously and asked warily, “Who are you looking for?”

Xu Ying suppressed his excitement and bowed respectfully. “May I ask if this is your Radiant Vestige land of sublimation? Are you the master?”

The woman smiled, revealing two dimples. “I am indeed the master of this place, living here in seclusion. You must be my master and have come to devour me, right?”

She opened the temple door and stepped out, smiling. “I didn’t expect Master to be so young. I’ve been hiding for so long, but you still managed to find me in the end. However, I won’t give up. Even if you are my benefactor, I’ll fight you to the death!”

She released her aura, causing Dazhong to sway unsteadily and clang loudly.

Guo Xiaodie exclaimed in shock, “Aren’t you an Exorcist Immortal from the Qin-Han era?”

The dimpled woman said, “I am an Exorcist from the Han era. I followed Emperor Gaozu’s uprising when he slew the white serpent[3]. Later, I discovered the trap for Exorcist Immortals, so I came up with a way to avoid the disaster. Aren’t you here to kill me?”

Xu Ying shook his head. “We’re here to seek the true teachings of Exorcists.”

The dimpled woman couldn’t help but laugh. “What true teachings? Exorcism arts were created to trick others from the start! If there were true teachings, would I have needed to hide until now?”

1. From Zhang Yanghao’s Yuan dynasty poem Meditation on the Past at Tong Pass. ☜

2. Often used informally to describe the three most celebrated, visionary rulers responsible for the peak and stabilization of the empire: Emperor Taizong, Wu Zetian, and Emperor Xuanzong. ☜

3. The founding legend of Emperor Gaozu of Han (Liu Bang), an act that later symbolized his divine right and destiny to overthrow the Qin dynasty and establish the Han dynasty. ☜