Day of Ascension

Holding the Black Water Yellow Springs Scripture in hand, Xu Ying watched the dragon-horse vanish from sight. A moment later, he told Yuanqi, “Master Qi, if sword immortals existed in ancient times, they were probably like Bai Qiuzi.”

Coiled outside the Mountain God Temple, Yuanqi’s massive frame was hidden in the darkness. His voice rang out slowly. “Kindness must be repaid, vengeance must be exacted, words must be kept, and promises must be fulfilled. Swift as a shooting star, rushing through a stormy night—that is chivalry.”

Dazhong said indignantly, “Li Yingzhu doesn’t count! She didn’t keep her word!”

Xu Ying flipped open the Black Water Yellow Springs Scripture and began to read it carefully.

The eastern sky gradually turned white as the sun rose. By the time he finished reading, bright daylight had already filled the world.

Dazhong’s melancholic voice rang beside his ear. “Li Yingzhu still hasn’t brought Guo Xiaodie here.”

After Xu Ying finished reading the scripture, he picked up a brush and changed the characters for “black water” to “profound water,” and said, “The author of this scripture harbors ill intent. Even its name sounds rather terrifying. But this cultivation method isn’t actually that sinister.”

He performed Dragon Tracking and soon found the location of his Gushing-Spring Secret Trove within his ethereal void.

Puzzled, he asked Yuanqi, “Master Qi, the Shi clan’s old ancestor, Shi Mole, had only one Gushing-Spring Secret Trove, yet the Yellow Springs Scripture states there are two, one on the left and one on the right, perfectly symmetrical. Could the person who taught Shi Mole the method have lacked the true method as well?”

Yuanqi pondered for a moment. “Bai Qiuzi said fake scriptures were already circulating during Ancestral Dragon’s era. When he burned books and buried Exorcists, he was burning those fake scriptures. Maybe the Qi Cultivators who made those scriptures aren’t the same as those who created them after the Heaven-Man Resonance.

Dazhong chimed in, “Exorcist Immortals after Bai Qiuzi’s era tried to break out of the trap. Perhaps the true methods from the Heaven-Man Resonance era were filled in at that time. After the calamity of Heaven-Man Resonance, the true techniques and dual cultivators vanished together. Since then, only fake scriptures have remained in circulation.”

Yuanqi suddenly realized a serious problem. “Master Zhong, could your master be one of the masterminds devouring Exorcist Immortals? He too disappeared three thousand years ago, so it’s very likely he was one of the masterminds who spread the fake scriptures back the—”

Dazhong flew into a rage and slammed into Yuanqi’s head with a loud clang. “You stinking snake, don’t make baseless accusations! My master is upright and honorable. He’ll never do such things!”

After taking a heavy hit, Yuanqi grew furious. He whipped his tail and sent Dazhong flying. “How could someone righteous ever forge something like you?! Would an honorable artifact secretly steal other people’s vital energy? Moreover, you suppressed a heavenly god and Fairy Qingbi, aiding others in evil deeds. Your master couldn’t possibly be honorable!

Dazhong grew larger with a roar and crashed toward Yuanqi like a hill, knocking him into the air. “You shameless snake, aren’t you an artifact as well? Don’t you also cultivate vital energy?”

Yuanqi summoned his vital energy and channeled the Eight Sounds of Primordial Nurturing, manifesting a Dao avatar. Immediately, dark clouds gathered over Mount Dongting, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling as he lunged toward Dazhong.

He shouted, “I’m a proper demon-race Qi Cultivator. How could I be an artifact?”

Dazhong swayed unsteadily from the impact and retreated continuously. He roared angrily, “I treated you as a brother, yet you used the Eight Sounds of Primordial Nurturing against me? Stinking snake, only one of us will remain standing today!”

He also circulated his vital energy using the Eight Sounds of Primordial Nurturing. His power surged violently, and he struck the giant snake, sending him crashing into Dongting Lake.

Dazhong vibrated with loud clangs as he blasted toward the giant snake in the lake, making the lake churn violently as if boiling.

Yuanqi opened his mouth. Bronze towers, bronze cauldrons, bronze swords, the Wu hook-sword, and all kinds of artifacts flew out, blasting toward Dazhong. “Damned bell, from today on, we’re done!”

He channeled his divine sense to gather the artifacts, forming half a Flying Peak. However, his mystical power was insufficient, and he couldn’t lift it. So, he coiled his tail around Dazhong and slammed him toward the mountain of artifacts!

The Guo clan members rushed out of the Mountain God Temple and saw the giant snake smashing the great bell, making it clang thunderously. Terror seized them. Guo Xiaodie quickly turned to Xu Ying.

“Aren’t you going to talk them out of it?”

Xu Ying reassured her. “No need to worry. They’ll make up and return to normal very soon.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Dazhong broke free from Yuanqi’s restraint, pressed down on Yuanqi’s head, and repeatedly slammed it into the Flying Peak. Soon, Yuanqi’s face was covered in blood.

He cried out, “Mercy, Master Zhong! This little snake knows he was wrong!”

Dazhong stopped. Before long, the snake and the bell had returned to normal.

Everyone was left speechless.

Li Yingzhu approached and extended an invitation. “Demon King Xu, if you have no other plans over the next few days, why not join us? We’ll be exploring Yunmeng Marsh, and perhaps we’ll make other discoveries.”

Over the past two years, Xu Ying had scoured the land for cultivation methods related to the six secrets and had finally gathered them all. He just had to settle down for a time to study the true method of the Gushing-Spring Secret Trove, so he agreed.

Li Yingzhu was overjoyed and whispered to Guo Yue, “These next few days are our chance to tie him to our Guo clan’s chariot. As long as he and Xiaodie seal the deal[1], he’ll become our Guo clan’s son-in-law!”

Guo Yue said hesitantly, “That doesn’t seem proper. Xiaodie hasn’t agreed to it. A melon forced off the vine won’t taste sweet.[2]

Li Yingzhu glanced at Guo Xiaodie. “I think it’ll be plenty sweet. That girl has likely set her sights on him.”

Guo Yue looked over and saw Guo Xiaodie wearing clothes with an even lower neckline today, leaning close to Xu Ying. Clearly, she wanted to attract him. He was displeased. “Xiaodie is acting like our Guo clan’s daughters can’t get married. It shames our clan’s reputation.”

Just then, a soft, gentle voice drifted over, clearly reaching Mount Dongting. “Is that Demon King Xu on the mountain? I heard the tolling of a bell earlier and hurried over to look. Witnessing the spectacular fight between the bell and the snake, I figured it had to be an old acquaintance. Demon King Xu, Zhu Hongyi seeks an audience with you.”

Li Yingzhu looked toward the source and saw that, at some point, numerous Exorcists of the Zhu clan had arrived at the foot of the mountain, accompanied by clan elders. The woman in red leading them was especially striking. She was dressed in bright red clothes and held a pipa in her arms.

She was Zhu Hongyi; she met Xu Ying once. Carrying her pipa, she drifted up the mountain and arrived before the Mountain God Temple. She glanced at the Guo clan members in front of the temple and smiled faintly.

As the sound of the pipa filled the air, she walked toward the Mountain God Temple. “Demon King Xu, you destroyed the Shi clan three years ago. Rumors outside claim that I teamed up with you to chop open the Shi residence with an ax and killed over a hundred of its people, including their old ancestor Shi Mole, to rid the people of an evil.”

She stepped through the doorway and bowed gracefully to Xu Ying. “Because of that, I became famous overnight. Meeting you again today, I feel both happy and anxious. I have benefitted immensely from your favor and obtained a reputation I do not truly deserve.”

She slowly raised her eyes and gazed deeply at Xu Ying.

The morning sun shone on the water-drop earrings dangling from her earlobes. They swayed slightly, scattering rainbow colors through the light and lending her an indescribable allure.

Li Yingzhu silently marveled at her skills. She kicked Guo Yue and whispered, ”This is the kind of seduction technique that makes kings skip morning court. The Zhu clan is also planning to make a move on Demon King Xu! Our Guo clan is already in decline, yet you’re still talking about guarding our family honor. If we delay any longer, others would slip right past our guard and steal him away!”

Guo Yue muttered hesitantly, “The Zhu clan harbors ill intentions, but our Guo clan acts with integrity.”

Li Yingzhu spat in his face and said in a hushed voice, “Keep acting upright! I’ll take matters into my own hands and help Xiaodie take down Demon King Xu!”

Guo Yue stammered, “Y-you dare!”

Xu Ying stepped forward, reached out his hands, and made a polite lifting motion to help Zhu Hongyi up.[3]

Her bright red dress spread across the ground, making her fair skin look even paler and more alluring. She reached out with her slender hand and placed it in Xu Ying’s palm, deliberately letting her fingertips rest against his wrist as if she were touching the young man’s heart.

She laughed softly. “You were endlessly charming that day. I’ve never forgotten it over the last three years. Whenever I have some free time, my mind is filled with your impressive figure.”

Behind Xu Ying, Yuanqi whispered, his face bruised and swollen, “Ah Ying, excessive friendliness hides malicious intent.”

Dazhong chimed in, “That’s right. She doesn’t seem like a good person; she’s here to ruin your Dao heart. Look, her neckline is even lower than Xiaodie’s! Ah Ying, your heartbeat just got faster. Don’t stare.”

Xu Ying glanced over, and that was indeed true. Master Zhong is wise!

He withdrew his hand and visualized sword qi to stabilize his divine sense, keeping his mind from wandering. “Miss Hongyi, are you also here because of the Yunmeng Marsh?”

Seeing that he was keeping his distance, she didn’t press on and smiled. “The sudden appearance of the marsh and the rumored sighting of a divine being with a dragon’s head and a human’s body sounded like a myth. Our Zhu clan couldn’t resist the temptation either, so we came to investigate.”

Surprised, Xu Ying looked toward Guo Xiaodie.

She nodded. “There is indeed such a rumor. However, our clan has been searching for days and hasn’t found anything.”

Just then, a hearty laugh rang out from outside. “Sister, is this the famous Demon King Xu?”

A young man who seemed to be seventeen or eighteen years old burst into the Mountain God Temple. He wore a bright red robe with green borders, had a big nose and a small mouth, and looked quite handsome. He came forward, knelt on the ground, and bowed as he spoke with a smile.

“I’ve often heard my older sister mention you, Demon King Xu. I have admired you for a long time. Today, I finally get to meet you!”

Zhu Hongyi smiled at Xu Ying. “This is my younger brother, Zhu Guang, courtesy name[4] Zhongquan. He’s always loved hearing stories about you. You can just call him Zhongquan.”

As Xu Ying’s gaze locked onto Zhu Zhongquan, he activated his Third Eye at his glabella, and he was deeply surprised.

He saw that Zhu Guang’s ethereal void had been unlocked. His Mud-Pill, Jade-Pool, Crimson-Palace, Gushing-Spring, Yellow-Court, and Jade-Capital—all six Secret Troves — were also unlocked. Furthermore, his cultivation in each Secret Trove wasn’t weak either, having opened three grotto heavens!

Zhu Zhongquan had also opened his Tailbone Pass inside his ethereal void, and his divine sense had reached the fourth heaven, just a step away from the Transmutation Stage!

Moreover, Xu Ying could see the True Fire of Samadhi and the Divine Water of Samadhi circulating within him. Clearly, he had already laid a solid foundation for the next realm: the Transmutation Stage!

Xu Ying had only reached the Transmutation Stage himself last year. He had spent an entire year blending the True Fire of Samadhi and the Divine Water of Samadhi in his cauldron to forge his Golden Core.

His progress was already lightning fast, taking only three years to cultivate from the Qi-Gathering Stage to the Transmutation Stage. Logically speaking, Zhu Zhongquan’s advancement through cultivation realms could not have been this fast. Even if he was a prodigy, it shouldn’t be at such a pace!

Moreover, he’s suppressing his aura to make himself seem less powerful. Xu Ying’s gaze fell on Zhu Zhongquan’s hands. He had concealed a divine ability in his hands, waiting for Xu Ying to step forward and help him up so he could use it to ambush Xu Ying.

Xu Ying deactivated his Third Eye and stepped forward to help Zhu Zhongquan, who was still kneeling on the ground, up. He smiled. “Since your courtesy is Zhongquan, you must possess the virtues of both loyalty and filial piety. What a rare and noble man. Logically speaking, I should only be sixteen years old. You’re older than me, so you don’t have to bow down to me.”

Zhu Zhongquan was secretly ecstatic. Back then, no one dared to stop him from leaving the Divine Capital, cementing his fierce reputation. Today, that reputation will go to me! I’ll use him as a stepping stone and become famous throughout the world!

When Xu Ying’s hands touched his palms, the divine ability concealed in Zhu Zhongquan’s palms surged into Xu Ying, attacking him from within!

Zhu Zhongquan smiled. “Demon King Xu, your cultivation is nothing special...”

An immense force pressed down, forcibly shrinking the divine ability he had unleashed, preventing it from releasing any of its power and driving it back into his palms!

Zhu Zhongquan’s face flushed red as his vital energy nearly flowed in reverse!

With a hum, his ethereal void appeared behind him, followed by the six Secret Troves and eighteen grotto heavens!

The force emanating from Xu Ying’s palm grew increasingly stronger. Zhu Zhongquan trembled more violently, and blood began trickling from his nose.

Zhu Hongyi hurried forward, pulled the two apart, and smiled. “Demon King Xu, my younger brother is a rough person. He didn’t mean to offend you.”

Xu Ying withdrew his palm and said with a kind expression, “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone either. As for rough people, I’ve killed several back in the day.”

Zhu Zhongquan took the opportunity to rise, his gaze burning fervently. “We’re no strangers. You joined hands with my sister to storm the Shi residence, sharing the bond of comradeship. Moreover, my sister has been in love with you for years—”

Zhu Hongyi flushed with embarrassment and stamped her foot, cutting him off. “Brother Guang!”

His hands trembling behind his back, Zhu Zhongquan smiled. “My sister is too shy to say it herself. As her younger brother, I must speak up! She has a crush on you; she even hangs your portrait in her room.

“Not long ago, the Gao clan came to propose marriage, but she sent them away, saying that if she were to marry, it would only be to a prodigious man like you. No other man could enter her eyes.”

Filled with doubt, Yuanqi whispered, “Master Zhong, is Ah Ying that outstanding? Listening to him heap praises, I thought he was talking about me.”

Dazhong was a little confused. “I didn’t notice it either. Also, Master Qi, although Ah Ying isn’t that outstanding, you’re worse than him.”

Zhu Zhongquan took a step back and chuckled. “I shan’t disturb you and my sister any longer. I shall take my leave first.”

He bowed and retreated, turning around only once he was outside the temple, and rushed down the mountain.

When he reached the foot of the mountain, a prisoner’s carriage was parked among the Zhu clan’s group. It was completely covered in black cloth, leaving no gaps.

Zhu Zhongquan stepped forward, slipped past the black cloth, and entered the prisoner’s carriage.

An old man was locked inside the carriage. Chains pierced his limbs, and his shoulder blades were shattered. Moreover, chains penetrated his ethereal void, sealing his cultivation and preventing him from unleashing any of it.

Just as Zhu Zhongquan entered the prisoner’s carriage, his hands exploded with two loud bangs, turning into a blood mist that exposed the white bones at the stumps of his arms.

Xu Ying had forced his divine ability back inside him, sealing it within his arms and letting it run amok.

After suppressing that force for a while, he couldn’t endure it upon entering the prisoner’s carriage. His divine ability erupted uncontrollably and blew his arms.

The elder’s lowered head slowly rose. He chuckled. “Zhongquan, you met your match, huh?”

Enduring the pain, Zhu Zhongquan knelt and bowed deeply, asking, “Immortal Master, he suppressed the technique you taught me. I beg you, please teach me more advanced immortal arts!”

This elder was an “immortal” the Zhu clan had captured from the Other Shore. To capture him, the Zhu clan had exhausted all its resources on the Other Shore. Even Old Ancestor Zhu nearly lost his life there.

Since Old Ancestor Zhu returned, his injuries still hadn’t fully healed.

The elder said hoarsely, “I saw the moment his palms made contact with you. He is inferior to you; he’s only unlocked five Secret Troves, while you’ve unlocked six. The difference between five and six is like heaven and earth!

“Unfortunately, your cultivation realm is lower than his! Once you reach the Transmutation Stage, suppressing him will be effortless! I will teach you the method of transmutation. Mastering it and forging your Golden Core is within your grasp!”

He chuckled. “Then, you’ll be able to take your revenge! My good disciple, once you’ve avenged yourself, you must keep your promise and set me free! I have nothing left to teach you.”

Zhu Zhongquan was both shocked and ecstatic. He kowtowed repeatedly, a brilliant light flickering in his eyes. Really? Old coot, you must be hiding some things you’re not teaching me.

The elder stared at him, his gaze flickering. This cauldron is almost done. I’ll slowly train him into someone suitable for me. That way, I can abandon this body, possess him, and be reborn...

1. Raw rice is cooked into rice; it means doing something irreversible, aka sex. ☜

2. It means forcing a romantic relationship or any arrangement against someone’s free will will never lead to a happy or successful outcome. ☜

3. Traditional Chinese etiquette. Instead of physically touching a lady, a polite gentleman will extend his hands and make a lifting gesture in the air, signaling to the other person that they may stand up. ☜

4. An additional name bestowed upon individuals at adulthood, complementing their given name. They are a marker of adulthood and were historically given to men at the age of twenty and sometimes to women upon marriage. Courtesy names served a formal and respectful purpose. In traditional Chinese society, using someone’s given name in adulthood was considered disrespectful among peers. ☜