Day of Ascension

Next to the Water Entrance Temple was a village, now in ruins. The emergence of new land from the underworld had devastated the area, tearing the village apart.

Several houses on the village’s eastern side rested atop a distant cliff. Others had fallen to the bottom, while a few hung precariously over the massive fissure.

Looking up, Xu Ying saw that the cliff was extremely smooth. Another cliff stood across the fissure, as though the two had once been a single mountain before something split them apart.

Below the fissure was a deep abyss. Cold wind howled through the crack.

The Yin qi here was extremely thick. Mountains from the underworld had emerged throughout the area, filling it with a grim, chilling aura. Some of the mountains were actually just white bones piled up.

Atop one mountain rested a massive skull resembling a human’s, though vastly larger, and a sword hilt was stabbed into it.

Xu Ying retracted his gaze. It was still daytime. At night, this place would likely become a domain of demons and monsters, with ghosts roaming unchecked.

The Water Entrance Temple sat right on the centerline of the fissure. Even the central axis of the temple door aligned perfectly with the fissure below.

The sight immediately conjured an image in Xu Ying’s mind: a vast streak of sword qi cleaving through heaven and earth, splitting a huge mountain into two.

As he approached, the sword intent within the fissure intensified dozens of times over. The closer he got to the Water Entrance Temple, the stronger it became.

Xu Ying could even faintly sense a streak of swordlight like a heavenly rainbow, seemingly about to pierce his ethereal void.

Way more people had come than he had expected. Aside from ghosts and gods, there were also many Exorcists. Some were dressed in official robes, while others looked like they were from martial sects.

“Why are so many people here?”

Puzzled, Xu Ying went to ask an Exorcist who appeared to be from a martial sect. That man explained that since this was new land, treasures and rare herbs were bound to appear, naturally attracting crowds.

Another Exorcist told him, “The Zhou clan and the Underworld Court are both hunting a wanted criminal by the name of Xu Ying. Word has it that he is skilled at breaking down demonic arts, though nobody knows how the news spread.

“The noble clans have all taken an interest and sent people here, hoping to capture him. Little Brother, how should I address you?”

“I am Ding Quan.”

The Exorcist glanced at the unimaginably huge snake beside him. Though suspicion flickered in his eyes, he was too intimidated to ask further.

The dilapidated temple’s entrance hung above the center of the fissure. Despite its location, the temple itself remained intact. Someone had used exorcism techniques to accelerate vine growth, forming a bridge that led directly to the entrance.

Xu Ying stepped onto the bridge. He noticed someone observing the massive fissure. Brushes, inks, paper, and an inkstone lay beside him. He even took out a carpenter’s square to measure the fissure. Xu Ying had no idea what he was doing.

He walked over. The man was a young gentleman who appeared one or two years older than Xu Ying. His complexion was fair, and he stood about the same height.

However, Xu Ying had a large frame with big hands and feet, giving him a rough appearance. Though this youth was tall, his frame was smaller, and his facial features were much more delicate and refined.

He wore white robes trimmed with dark-blue borders, embroidered with a light blue hornless dragon pattern. His attire was simple and elegant, without unnecessary ornaments.

Next to him was an elder with graying-white hair in a typical servant getup: green robes and cloth shoes. Seeing Xu Ying and Yuanqi approaching, his expression sharpened with vigilance.

Xu Ying paid no mind to it. His gaze fell on the Water Entrance Temple. Standing outside, he could still see the ancient halls and shrines within. Several tall trees stood inside exactly as they had when he visited two years earlier.

Yet when he reached the entrance and looked inside, the sight before him was completely different.

Beyond the doorway stood two majestic immortal mountains. Towering and shrouded in mist, they floated in the sky, like a painting.

Beyond the green mountains hung a sun high up in the sky. Its light was bright and pure, yet carried neither heat nor glare as it revolved around the two immortal mountains.

Xu Ying was stunned. These two immortal mountains and that sun had actually risen from the temple!

He could even see an invisible screen of light surrounding the mountains in the sky, like the boundary of a world separating them from everything outside.

When boulders fell from the immortal mountains, if they landed within the barrier, they would simply float in the air. Those that fell beyond it crashed to the ground.

The inside and outside of the temple were clearly two separate worlds.

Xu Ying exclaimed in shock, “How is this possible?”

Yuanqi murmured, “Has the world undergone primitive regression?”

Suddenly, the world within the dilapidated temple shook violently. The earth outside swayed with it. A third majestic immortal mountain rose from the temple.

Xu Ying looked up at the newly emerged peak and murmured, “This world has really gone crazy.”

Suddenly, a realization struck him. He cried out, “I understand now! That supreme sword expert’s sword qi split open the temple entrance! This door is a doorway to another world! The sun and immortal mountains we see are all from that other world!”

The green-robed elderly servant threatened in a low voice, “Quiet!”

Xu Ying paid no mind to him. His mind raced, his imagination running wild.

In the distant past, a peerless expert had split mountains and torn open the earth with his sword, opening a path to another world. Later, someone built the Water Entrance Temple over that entrance.

But for some unknown reason, the world beyond the temple was eventually hidden. Someone built another grand temple nearby, until the underworld’s invasion shattered the seal and allowed this temple to reappear in the mortal world.

Yuanqi remained doubtful. “Master Zhong, is it possible for a person to do this?”

Despite having lived through the ancient ages and having witnessed the legends of ancient Qi Cultivators, Dazhong wasn’t too sure either. “Theoretically, yes. But ever since I was born, I’ve never heard of anyone overcoming their tribulation and ascending.”

His voice grew heavy as he continued, “The path to ascension has been blocked. No one can ascend anymore... Unless someone broke through the barrier of the two worlds with the sword Dao and achieved ascension.”

Yuanqi asked, “If he did ascend, then what kind of world would he go to?”

His voice carefree, Dazhong answered, “The immortal realm.”

“Immortal realm?”

The youth and snake stood there, carried away in thought.

Xu Ying looked at the massive fissure, the cliff, and the temple entrance. Gradually, he discerned the trajectory of that sword strike.

As his resonance with the sword case deepened, the sword intent of that heavenly rainbow-like strike gradually seeped into the ethereal void. The sword qi within the case also danced in joy, pulsing endlessly.

Xu Ying stood silently outside the temple entrance for a long time. Yuanqi approached, intending to ask something, but suddenly noticed faint strands of invisible sword qi rippling around Xu Ying.

He drew a little closer, and several of his scales silently snapped off.

Startled, Yuanqi didn’t dare to approach any closer.

Dazhong abruptly trembled and let out a soft chime. An invisible streak of sword qi had struck him, making him ring.

Only then did Dazhong realize something was wrong. Inside Xu Ying’s ethereal void, a streak of sword light resembling a heavenly rainbow had appeared.

Dazhong jumped in astonishment. He achieved Manifestation of the Great Dao on his own?

The coffin maiden had previously explained the connection between Actualization and the Manifestation of the Great Dao to Xu Ying, but she hadn’t gone into detail. She neither explained what the Manifestation of the Great Dao truly was nor taught him how to achieve Actualization after discovering one.

Unexpectedly, Xu Ying had actually comprehended it before the massive fissure and Actualized the Manifestation of the Great Dao contained here!

Inner Vision and Actualization were fundamental steps on the path of cultivation. Now, Xu Ying could be considered to be a true initiate.

Dazhong thought, With just a little guidance, he’s already achieved Inner Vision and Actualization. He will soon transform and shock the world. Compared to my master, his talent and comprehension ability seem... seem...

Sending a voice transmission through his divine sense, Dazhong asked Yuanqi, “Xiao Qi, have you ever comprehended a Manifestation of the Great Dao?”

Confused, Yuanqi asked, “Manifestation of what?”

“Manifestation of the Great Dao. Like the sword Dao contained within this massive fissure... Never mind, you rest.”

Swaying slightly, Dazhong thought, Like Ah Ying, he also witnessed Yuan Tianguang’s sword and came to this massive fissure, yet he sensed nothing. Some people truly have brains, while others merely have something shaped like one.

The sword intent emanating from Xu Ying grew increasingly intense and spread outward. A crisp sword hum suddenly rang through the air. The sword qi leaking from him had collided with another sword qi. The clash between the two produced the sharp hum.

The elegant youth finished his painting and immersed himself in contemplation of Radiant Vestige. As his sword qi intensified, it collided with Xu Ying’s. One was wild and domineering, while the other was continuous and fluid, with a tenacious resilience that concealed a lethal sting.

Their auras resonated, and their sword qi intertwined and collided, growing in intensity. Though it was only an exchange of auras, they displayed the offensive and defensive principles of the sword Dao.

Both remained immersed in their own contemplation, unaware of the clash.

Seeing Xu Ying and his young master’s auras clash, the elderly servant worried that Xu Ying would disrupt his young master’s contemplation. His gaze flashed with ferocity, and the thought of killing Xu Ying arose.

However, he noticed his young master’s Radiant Vestige was continually consolidating under Xu Ying’s pressure while comprehending even more transformations of the Radiant Vestige. Only then did he forcibly suppress his killing intent.

A look of surprise showed on his face. This youth’s comprehension ability is not bad. He’s actually rivaling Young Master.

He could tell that Xu Ying was also improving rapidly. His various sword qi strikes were measured and well-timed, and his understanding of the sword Dao within the massive fissure deepened with each exchange.

The green-robed servant was astonished. He thought, It’s been a long time since Young Master met someone who could rival him. Is he a young expert nurtured by a noble clan? But his outfit is shabby. He’s probably disguised as a country boy, but his temperament is far from ordinary. No village boy could possess such a bearing.

Xu Ying wore plain cloth garments, but he had a refined temperament and an imposing presence. The unyielding defiance hidden between his brows was as sharp as a drawn blade.

After killing the Jiang family’s god, he had gone on to slaughter gods and officials alike, shattering the blind reverence he once held toward their authority. Now, he carried himself with a transcendent grace.

Even if he just silently stood in one place, making no gestures, he would give others the sense that he was no ordinary man.

The elderly servant glanced at Yuanqi, thinking, “Moreover, he possesses such a magnificent mount. It’s proof that his background is far from ordinary. However, his aura is locked with the Young Master’s. If they cannot separate, casualties are inevitable. When that happens, regardless of his origin, I will have to eliminate him!

Xu Ying and that youth’s aura entanglement intensified until it reached the threshold of life and death. The green-robed elderly servant’s gaze turned malicious. Just as he was about to deliver a fatal blow, a bell chime rang out, and the two’s auras dispersed.

A chill ran down the elderly servant’s spine. His forehead broke out in cold sweat. An expert is hidden by his side!

Xu Ying realized that Dazhong had dispersed their clashing auras. Seeing the youth packing up his painting and making his way toward the temple, he hurriedly called out, “Brother, I am Xu Ying. What is your name?”

The elegant youth turned around and introduced himself politely, “I am Yuan Weiyang.”

After saying that, he and his green-robed elderly servant stepped into the Water Entrance Temple.

“Yuan Weiyang.” Xu Ying repeated. Then, he said to Yuanqi, “I thought I had grasped the sword Dao contained within the Manifestation of the Great Dao completely. Yet during our aura clash, I discovered aspects I had failed to comprehend. He is remarkable.”

A streak of sword qi had been etched within his ethereal void. It was extremely bright; it was the Manifestation of the Great Dao he had comprehended.

Without the resonance between his aura and Yuan Weiyang’s, it would have been impossible for Xu Ying to comprehend the sword qi deeply enough to etch it into his ethereal void in such a short time.

Yuanqi urged, “Many people have already entered the temple while we’re lingering out here. If we delay any longer, they’ll strip even the ground bare!”

A shout came from inside the temple. “An immortal! There’s an immortal in the temple!”

Xu Ying hurried into the dilapidated temple. The moment he stepped through the door, he felt as if he had passed through something invisible.

He looked up at the three immortal mountains floating in the sky alongside enormous boulders. They seemed like pearls on a necklace, drifting around the immortal mountains in an orderly manner.

Many people climbed up the boulders, aiming to reach the immortal mountains above.

Suddenly, the earth shook violently. Xu Ying and Yuanqi lost their balance and nearly got thrown away.

Xu Ying hurriedly channeled the Elephant-Bull Demon Fist and anchored himself like a divine elephant. Yuanqi copied him, yet had trouble steadying himself.

Fortunately, Xu Ying lacked one advantage Yuanqi possessed: a tail. Yuanqi immediately coiled it around a large tree to keep himself from being thrown away.

Not far away, the gods and the Exorcists who had just entered the dilapidated temple took action one after another. Vines dance through the air, and roots emerge from the ground, coiling around those who are sent flying and pulling them back.

Before the crowd could recover from their shock, the tremors grew even more violent. The earth rose ever higher, and another immortal mountain emerged from the ground right beneath their feet.

Someone cried out, “We’re rising to the heavens! How do we get down?”

Amid their cries, the immortal mountain fully erupted from the ground and drifted into the sky, carrying everyone with it.

The immortal mountain first struck the boulders floating in the air. They had broken away from the first two immortal mountains when they rose into the sky, and were now floating in the air. The new mountain crashed into those boulders in a terrifying spectacle.

The people on the immortal mountain were already struggling to steady themselves. They had no way to avoid the falling boulders. In mere moments, numerous gods and Exorcists were struck and became meat paste.

Some were crushed under the weight of rolling boulders, turned into bloody messes.

Even worse, some lost their footing and slipped off the immortal mountain. Their screams echoed endlessly through the air until their voices gave out. Even then, they hadn’t hit the ground.

The mountain rose higher and higher into the sky. Numerous boulders broke off from it, too, and plummeted.

Finally, the immortal mountain stabilized. Xu Ying’s tense muscles slowly relaxed. He turned to look at Yuanqi. Seeing that he was still clinging to that big tree, Xu Ying breathed a sigh of relief.

Then, he looked down. They were now unimaginably far above the earth. In the distance, several tiny figures were still falling from the immortal mountain.

Those were the Exorcists who failed to keep themselves steady. It would take some time before they hit the ground.

A resonant voice boomed from the distance, “There’s a temple within the temple, and an immortal is preaching the Dao inside!”

“There really are immortals?”

Xu Ying was both shocked and delighted. Indeed, following the sound, he saw a magnificent, grand temple at the center of the four immortal mountains’ orbit. Many people were already leaping through the air, stepping across the floating boulders as they rushed toward the grand temple.

Yuanqi said excitedly, “Ah Ying, let’s hurry over too!”

Just as Xu Ying was about to reach the edge of the immortal mountain and step onto a boulder, an elder in purplish-black silk robes appeared before him. He had clasped his hands behind his back, and his expression was dark.

With a twisted expression, neither smiling nor crying, Zhou Yihang said, “My son died so tragically.”

Xu Ying was momentarily startled. He immediately composed himself and said, “So, it’s Old Master Zhou. Since your son died so tragically, why don’t you keep him company? I’ll send you off.”