Day of Ascension

Li Xiaoke was taken aback and looked up to watch the battle.

In his eyes, Dazhong wasn’t even a high-grade replica. Aside from their bell-shaped forms, Dazhong and the Carefree Bell had little in common.

Back then, he had been in a hurry to suppress his opponent, and thus made do with whatever materials he could get his hands on. He found some brass and forged Dazhong from it without even taking the time to refine the material.

Apart from shaping it into a bell, he had put little effort into engraving its markings. Later, he had even made the Carefree Bell release his own rune markings and imprint them onto the walls of the newly forged bronze bell. He had repeated the process several times.

It was nothing short of a miracle that a bell forged so crudely could awaken spiritual sentience. Still, to call the Carefree Bell a high-grade replica was simply too shameless.

He had never really liked Dazhong.

He pursued symmetry. Even in the battle where he killed the white-robed Exorcist Immortal Chen Mianzhu, his sword had struck precisely along the centerline of the Water Entrance Temple.

When Chen Mianzhu died, the sword had also split him straight down the middle from behind. The wound on his skin was symmetrical, both sides matching exactly. The other Exorcist Immortals he had killed, including Yuan Wuji, suffered the same fate.

Even Dazhong, though he had forged the bell casually, bore symmetrical markings on both sides, giving it a unique sense of beauty. Now, not only did the bell bear someone else’s markings, but its eight imprints were also asymmetrical.

It truly bothered him.

Boom!

A mountain peak in the distance exploded. The Carefree Bell had knocked Dazhong off balance, making the attack meant for the Carefree Bell hit that mountain peak instead.

The Carefree Bell truly lived up to his reputation as a masterpiece artifact painstakingly forged by Li Xiaoke, whom he regarded as a fellow Daoist. Once he unleashed his full power, he completely surpassed Dazhong. He could even activate different markings, manifesting them as various divine abilities. He completely overwhelmed Dazhong, leaving him powerless to fight back!

The difference between the two was like that between a radiant god and a muddy peasant farmer pinned to the ground and beaten senseless.

Yuanqi watched the scene with immense satisfaction. Finally, that broken bell has gotten his just deserts!

Immediately afterward, the giant snake flew into a rage. What right does that golden bell have to beat Master Zhong? Only I have the right to defeat him and make him kneel on the ground to apologize!

The Carefree Bell radiated overwhelming might. The patterns of all creations on his surface seemed like a true manifestation of the world itself. The sun, moon, and stars; mountains and rivers; birds, beasts, insects, and fish; the various Manifestations of the Great Dao—all of them grew increasingly vivid and lifelike.

The sun and moon revolved around him; mountains and rivers appeared; the Yangtze River surged forward. Divine birds and exotic fowls flapped their wings all around the bell, while mythical beasts like dragons, tigers, and qilins ran around him.

His power grew increasingly stronger!

Both Yuanqi and Xu Ying had seen Dazhong unleash his full power before. Yet the Dao avatars that erupted from Dazhong had never been this clear or lifelike.

Nor had they ever possessed such overwhelming power.

The Carefree Bell was a precious treasure Li Xiaoke had forged to help him overcome his heavenly tribulation and ascend to the Immortal Realm together. Naturally, the Carefree Bell was different from a crudely forged treasure like Dazhong.

Dazhong calling him a high-grade replica had truly angered the Carefree Bell. He resolved to teach this bronze bell, which clearly did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, a lesson it would never forget!

Just as the Carefree Bell unleashed his full power, a foreign marking on Dazhong’s wall suddenly lit up!

Dazhong had accidentally triggered some imprint’s power. Heaven and earth changed colors in an instant, and the sound of immortal Dao reverberated endlessly. Immortal light beams descended from the sky, shattering the Carefree Bell’s All Creations Dao avatar!

Clang!

The beam struck the Carefree Bell with almost no resistance, sending him staggering backward. Huge portions of his Dao avatar dimmed instantly.

The golden bell was shocked and furious. Just a moment ago, he had been dominating Dazhong, be it in a head-on clash, a clash of Dao avatar divine abilities, or a fight with pure physical power. The Carefree Bell had surpassed Dazhong in every aspect.

In terms of material, imprints, power, toughness, speed, and adaptability, the bronze bell was far inferior to it!

Yet, Dazhong had landed a blow on it!

“I only intended to teach you a lesson, but you really don’t know your place!”

The Carefree Bell was furious. He was just about to unleash his full devastating power and shatter Dazhong into pieces when he suddenly felt numbness spreading from the spot where he had been struck.

Dazhong charged forward and unleashed another loud clang. Immortal light burst forth and struck the golden bell.

The Carefree Bell tumbled backward and crashed into a mountain peak, kicking up a cloud of dust and countless fragments of rock.

Panic set in. The spot struck by Dazhong’s light felt as though it had vanished completely!

The All Creations Dao avatar was originally one unified whole, but now two large sections were missing. All creations were no longer complete. Not only had his power fallen drastically, but the transformations of his Dao-avatar divine abilities had also become far more limited.

Pressing his advantage with no mercy, Dazhong kept blasting the Carefree Bell until he was left completely powerless to resist. Soon, the golden bell’s surface was filled with dents and craters.

The Dao avatar imprints on his surface also vanished one after another, sealed away by Dazhong!

The foreign imprint Dazhong had triggered earlier was none other than one of the eight sealing runes Xu Ying had engraved on him while in his “Master Ying” state: the “seal” character Dao rune!

Dazhong had only activated the “seal” character Dao rune by accident. However, once the Carefree Bell’s Dao avatars had been sealed away, his strength had fallen below Dazhong’s. Naturally, Dazhong was going to give him a good beating as payback for the humiliation he had suffered earlier!

Hundreds of disciples throughout Mount Jiulong stared in shock.

Li Xiaoke’s disciples had all grown up listening to stories of Li Xiaoke, the golden bell, and the Han sword. In the disciples’ eyes, the Carefree Bell had long been an invincible legend!

Yet now, some bronze bell had beaten that symbol of invincibility on Mount Jiulong to a pulp!

Xue Ying’an stared in disbelief and muttered, “Was Master Zhong right? He is the real artifact master had forged with all his heart, and the Carefree Bell is only a substitute forged because Master missed him?”

Li Xiaoke couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly. He glanced at Xu Ying, then looked back at the great bronze bell. He smiled. “Could the imprints on this bell be your handiwork, Fellow Daoist Xu?”

Xu Ying smiled faintly, clasping his hands behind his back, and said calmly, “I left them. Are they passable?”

Li Xiaoke chuckled. “Of course. Back then, the Ageless Immortal already possessed knowledge that rivaled the heavens. I’ve always admired you.”

Then, he said in a deep voice, “Stop!”

As soon as he spoke, Dazhong naturally stopped immediately. However, the Carefree Bell was already covered in craters, and his many Dao avatars were wiped out. He could no longer sense them. A surge of vicious, reckless fury overrode his fear, and he lunged at Dazhong!

He had never suffered such a humiliating loss since he was born. He craved revenge now.

Just as the Carefree Bell was about to flatten Dazhong, a palm struck out of nowhere and hit the golden bell’s wall, sending him flying sideways and crashing into a mountain hollow.

The golden bell soared unsteadily, confused, because Li Xiaoke’s Primordial Spirit had struck it! But why would he attack the golden bell? The Carefree Bell was utterly baffled.

He was clearly Li Xiaoke’s cherished artifact. He had even addressed the golden bell as a fellow Daoist. They had promised to ascend to the Immortal Realm together and never abandon or forsake each other!

Why did Li Xiaoke suddenly slap him?

Li Xiaoke’s expression turned solemn, his voice full of anger as he swept his sleeve. “Fellow Daoist Carefree, I already ordered you to stop. The bronze bell stopped, so why did you continue attacking it? If I hadn’t been here, you would have caused a catastrophe!”

Unable to contain his anger, he swept his sleeve again. “You’re an artifact I forged personally, yet your character is this poor! I’m ashamed to be associated with you!”

The Carefree Bell felt a cold wave of bleak misery inside. He drifted unsteadily in midair.

Li Xiaoke walked toward Dazhong, gently stroked his surface, and whispered, “Fellow Daoist, you’ve suffered all these years, suppressing the fiend while enduring the elements. Tragic. Your merits are immense, yet you never bragged about it. After you finally returned to my side, the Carefree Bell misunderstood you. You’ve been wronged.”

At that moment, Dazhong felt that all the hardships and injustices it had endured over the past three thousand years had been worth it.

Li Xiaoke gently activated Dazhong. He hovered above him, expanding or contracting as he willed it.

Turning his eyes toward Xu Ying and wearing a smile, Li Xiaoke strode over. “Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Xu, for adding these eight imprints on Fellow Daoist Bronze Bell.”

Xu Ying raised an eyebrow and chuckled. “He’s not called Bronze Bell. He is Master Zhong.”

Dazhong stammered, “Ah Ying, don’t say that. He’s my master, the one who created me. How could he call me Master Zhong? He can call me whatever he likes.”

Li Xiaoke said seriously, “How can you look down on yourself like this? You’re a fellow Daoist of mine and deserve respect. From now on, call me Xiaoke, and I’ll call you Master Zhong. We will stand by each other through thick and thin. In the future, we will ascend to the Immortal Realm together!”

Dazhong hesitated for a moment, thinking of Xu Ying.

Yuanqi opened his mouth and swallowed the chive and glass noodle dumplings in Xue Ying’an’s hand along with the plate and sneered coldly, “Who says chives must be in the shape of humans?”

Dazhong said awkwardly, ”You jest, Master Qi. Of course, chives are a plant; how could it be human-shaped? Ah Ying, Master Qi, my purpose in following you was to complete my mission of suppressing the demon and returning to my master’s side. Now that I’ve found him, I have to follow him from now on. I can no longer roam the world with you.”

Yuanqi tried to protest, but Xu Ying raised his hand to stop him and said seriously, “Master Qi, Master Zhong followed us because he needed to heal his injuries. He used our vital energy to recover, but he also saved us from numerous disasters.

“In fact, his injuries healed long ago, and he could have left us sooner. Yet he chose to stay around to protect us because he worried about our safety. Now that he is returning to his master, we should be happy for him.”

Yuanqi fell silent for a moment, then turned his huge head to the side and murmured, “I just can’t bear to say goodbye.”

Dazhong remained silent.

Li Xiaoke laughed heartily. “Today is a joyous occasion, with us old acquaintances meeting again. How can we speak of parting so lightly? Don’t be in such a hurry to leave, Fellow Daoist Xu. Stay a few more days at Jiucailing Ridge.”

Dazhong pleaded earnestly, “Ah Ying, Master Qi, stay for a few more days!”

Xu Ying agreed. “We’ll impose on you, then.”

Li Xiaoke instructed Xue Ying’an to take Xu Ying and arrange lodging for him, then said with a smile, “Fellow Daoist Xu, I haven’t seen Master Zhong in three thousand years, so we have much to talk about. Moreover, I still need to reforge Master Zhong and deepen his imprints. I’m afraid I won’t be able to host you properly these next few days.”

Xu Ying smiled. “Please go ahead and tend to your own matters.”

Xue Ying’an escorted Xu Ying to the Renowned Fragrance Cottage on Jiucailing Ridge, Mount Jiulong. This place was reserved for hosting distinguished guests.

Just as they settled in, Yuanqi couldn’t hold it in any longer and said furiously, “Li Xiaoke’s treating us like chives! Master Ying engraved the immortal Dao runes on Master Zhong. When he saw how powerful they were, he used sweet words and tricks to steal Master Zhong away!”

Enraged, Xue Ying’an was just about to speak up when Xu Ying shook his head. “You can’t say that, Master Qi. He’s Master Zhong’s master, after all. It’s only reasonable that he returns to his master’s side. There’s nothing to criticize.”

Xue Ying’an quickly nodded. “That’s how it is. Don’t slander my master, Master Qi!”

Before Yuanqi could say something, a cold sneer rang out from outside. “Slander? Ying’an, you’re putting it too lightly.”

Xue Ying’an was taken aback. He turned toward the voice and saw the wounded Carefree Bell drifting in from outside. The golden bell was battered and torn, while the Dao-avatar imprints on its surface flickered erratically between light and darkness.

The Carefree Bell’s divine sense rippled, sending a voice transmission into their ears. It chuckled.

“You think Li Xiaoke is a good man? He abandoned me as soon as he found someone new. Hehe, if he’s going to act heartless, then don’t blame me for being unrighteous! When he suppressed the heavenly god on Little Rocky Mountain back then, why did he suppress Fairy Qingbi too? Do you want to know why?”

It sneered coldly. “Back then, Fairy Qingbi was a peerless beauty, eclipsing even celestial maidens. Her suitors could stretch from Mount Jiuyi to Chang’an[1]! Li Xiaoke courted her for a very long time, but he never won her heart.

“Later, he heard that Fairy Qingbi went to suppress a heavenly god who was causing chaos, and thus rushed over with me, following her shamelessly. They successfully suppressed that heavenly god with their combined strength, sealing it away in the Little Rocky Mountain.”

Xue Ying’an exclaimed in surprise, “Senior Carefree, this is different from what you told us before!”

The Carefree Bell coughed, clanging out loud, and laughed coldly.

“I couldn’t tell you the truth to protect his image. Hehe, the truth is even more shameless than you could ever imagine! After they suppressed the heavenly god, he continued courting Fairy Qingbi and was rejected again. Consumed by vicious malice, he turned on her and heavily injured her, then cast her into the well on Little Rocky Mountain!”

Xue Ying’an’s ears buzzed. His mind went blank, and he stared into space. Then, he said, “That’s impossible! You’re lying to me! Qingbi must be a demoness!”

The Carefree Bell snorted. “I suppressed her myself. How could it be a lie? Hehe, after sealing Qingbi away, he immediately turned around and dragged her name through the mud.

“He lied and accused her of being a woman of loose virtue, using her beauty to seduce a heavenly god to wreak havoc on the mortal realm! He made the world condemn her!

“Not long ago, Fairy Qingbi broke free and went searching everywhere for him to seek revenge for what happened back then. Do you see him daring to show his face and confront Qingbi?”

A deafening roar echoed in Xue Ying’an’s mind. He felt as though a supreme god he had worshiped in his heart all his life had suddenly collapsed, as if his worldview had shattered.

The Carefree Bell cried out, “Since he abandoned me, don’t blame me! I’ll tell you the truth: he not only devours people, but he also intends to devour you all! You carry Origin Dao Essence, which emits waves of exotic fragrance that are impossible to conceal from others!”

It sneered coldly. “Ying’an, you think you actually fooled him with that little lie of yours? Ptooi! All it takes is one whiff to know if you have any essence! He didn’t devour you because he thinks it’s too little! His goal is to get you to bring Xu Ying here so he can devour both of you together!”

1. Approximately 850 to 900 kilometers (about 530 to 560 miles). I googled it for fun. ☜