Day of Ascension

Xu Ying sniffed his hand again. “It smells like daphne and orchid. There’s also a creamy scent!”

Yuanqi said, “Disgusting!”

Xu Ying apologized to Yuan Weiyang. “Brother Yuan, I still haven’t thanked you for helping me earlier, and now I’ve dragged you into trouble again. I’m really sorry.”

Yuan Weiyang shook his head. “Since I came to look for you, how could I not help? As for being detained by the Zhou clan’s old ancestor, this has nothing to do with you. I noticed the Water Entrance Temple changing drastically again and couldn’t resist my curiosity, so I came here. You’ve already warned me. I was just unlucky.”

Xu Ying smiled. “I’m really glad that you came to look for me to go fishing.”

Yuan Weiyang shook his head again. “I came to exchange ideas on refining the divine sense, not to fish.”

Xu Ying continued rambling, “We can also dig for loaches together. Have you tried catching shrimps? You’ll have to be very careful when doing so. Approach slowly and strike fast, or they would jump out of your hand and hit your face.”

The green-robed elderly servant, Uncle Xiao, wore a worried expression. He saw Yuan Weiyang’s eyes sparkling. Clearly, Xu Ying’s words had tempted him.

That little rascal!

He wanted to snap, but Zhou Qiyun was right there. He couldn’t act up in front of the strongest person in the world.

The Yuan clan’s lineage was thin. By Yuan Weiyang’s generation, few descendants could survive to adulthood. This ancient noble clan was on the verge of disappearing from the world. As such, Uncle Xiao was very worried for Yuan Weiyang’s safety and didn’t wish for him to get too close to dangerous people.

A moment later, auspicious clouds drifted through the air. Dragons appeared amidst them. As they drew closer, it revealed a treasure carriage pulled by four divine dragons.

These dragons were dragon gods, carrying thick incense qi. They were likely dragons carved from wood or stone and had received worship for ages, allowing them to ride the clouds.

Zhou Qiyun got on the carriage, followed by Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang. The carriage appeared small from the outside, yet its interior was remarkably spacious. Yuanqi lowered his head and slithered in. Even after stretching out, he still had plenty of room.

He thought, Is this an artifact?

The four divine dragons soared into the air, pulling the carriage and driving away into the distance.

Xu Ying lifted the curtain and looked out. White clouds drifted past as the carriage traveled through them. The humid air soon turned the interior of the carriage damp.

Water dripped from the four divine dragons pulling the carriage. Occasionally, lightning struck them from within the clouds, producing bursts of sparks. Whenever this happened, the scent of incense filled the air.

Xu Ying closed the window and looked outside through the glazed panes to keep the interior from becoming even damper.

As the carriage drove out of the clouds, a magnificent mountain range rushed into view. One peak towered high above the others, steep as though cleaved by a blade. Unknown, terrifying creatures lurked within its depths. Their deafening roars formed visible layers of sonic waves that rippled outward.

The roars scattered much of the four divine dragons’ incense qi, and they wavered unsteadily. The clouds beneath them churned violently, causing the carriage to shake.

Zhou Qiyun let out a snort. Though the sound was faint, lightning flashed, and thunder boomed over the towering mountain. It was as if an invisible giant had punched the source of the roar, violently shaking the valley.

The roars came to an abrupt stop.

Yuanqi praised, “White-browed old ancestor is domineering. My grandfather suffering a loss at his hands is no shame!”

Xu Ying looked out the window. The four divine dragons pulled the carriage around a massive peak, driving through a valley between two mountains. Below them was a bright, vast river. From above, it looked like a silver ribbon of shimmering waves, reflecting the sunlight.

In the distance, he thought he saw fish dragons leaping from the river.

The scenery resembled a painting, magnificent and grand.

The four dragons pulled the carriage across an immeasurable distance, yet no human city appeared. Xu Ying had a frightening thought.

Just how vast is the new land? Why isn’t Lingling City in sight after flying for so long?

He didn’t even see the Xiao and Xiang rivers. Yongzhou City was supposed to be nearby; why hadn’t he seen it yet?

Gazing out into the distance, he saw only majestic mountains piercing the clouds. Panic slowly rose within him. After all, nothing here seemed familiar to him.

Zhou Qiyun looked out the window. “When I entered the new lands, they stretched about eight hundred li along the banks of Hell River. I don’t know how much they have expanded since then.”

A towering tree came into view ahead. Its canopy rose far above the surrounding mountains, with clouds drifting beneath its crown.

Xu Ying saw the Hell River again. This towering tree grew at a bend in the river, forcing the waters to go around it.

Yuanqi squeezed his huge head to the window and looked through the frame, recognizing the species.

“It’s a locust tree!”

Xu Ying’s eyes widened. He had never seen or heard of such a massive locust tree!

Zhou Qiyun sighed emotionally. “Trees are immortal by nature. They can live forever as long as their trunk doesn’t wither or break, or insects or rot don’t destroy their roots. This tree is no exception.

“This tree has grown for countless years. It is practically a locust immortal dwelling in the mortal world. Although it grows in an unsuitable place like the underworld, it has survived for a long time because no one has cut it down, making it an immortal plant.

“A great locust tree is also called a Yang locust. In the underworld, it possesses extreme Yang and hardness properties and remains untouched by evil spirits. You can feel its spirit.”

Xu Ying spread his divine sense. Sure enough, he noticed an ancient divine sense slowly operating within that majestic locust tree. It felt heavy, deep, ancient, and boundless.

He had no idea what the great locust tree was saying. Perhaps it was just a meaningless chant, or perhaps it articulated its profound understanding of life and the great Dao. For a lifeform that ancient, language itself seemed to have lost meaning.

Countless locust flowers hung from the tree. It was early spring, the season for locust flowers to bloom. The shimmering golden blossoms had not yet fully opened, but their fragrance already filled the air.

Taking in the fragrance, Xu Ying found his primordial qi rising on its own.

This is absolutely a prime spot for cultivating. Once the locust flowers bloom, the primordial qi of heaven and earth here will become even richer!

The dragon carriage was precisely driving toward this locust tree. Only after arriving beneath it did Xu Ying notice an ancient palace complex nestled among the roots and branches. Members of the Zhou clan moved in and out of the compound. As they reached the entrance, Xu Ying looked up and saw writings in the ancient bird-worm seal script.

Xu Ying read silently, Locust-Flower Palace Blessed Land.

The characters were in an ancient script that not even Dazhong recognized. Xu Ying wisely decided not to show off in front of Zhou Qiyun.

The Locust-Flower Palace Blessed Land was likely built by ancient predecessors who noticed that cultivating beneath the locust tree produced twice the results with half the effort. They had treated the place as a sacred cultivation ground.

Though for reasons unknown, those predecessors abandoned the Locust-Flower Palace. Now that new lands had emerged, the Zhou clan’s experts found this place and used it as a base of operations to explore the lands.

Xu Ying was puzzled. So, why did the predecessors abandon it? The primordial qi of heaven and earth is incredibly dense here. This is a genuine blessed land. Logically speaking, this place should be highly contested. Even in the underworld, powerful experts or underworld gods should have occupied it instead of leaving it vacant.

The dragon carriage slowly descended. Someone had already opened the palace gates. Guided by the four divine dragons, they drove into the Locust-Flower Palace.

Zhou Qiyun stepped off the carriage and instructed the elderly servant who came to greet them, “Buyi, bring Young Master Xu and Young Master Yuan to study the Granny Tuo Immortal Book.”

Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang got off the dragon carriage. Buyi bowed and said, “Young Masters, please come with me.”

The green-robed elderly servant, Uncle Xiao, took a few more glances at him, realizing that this servant’s cultivation was unfathomably deep. He was the Zhou clan’s chief steward and had been bestowed the surname Zhou. His full name was Zhou Buyi.

Xu Ying immediately channeled the Grand-Unity Guiding Method. Waves of floral fragrance drifted down from the canopy above, saturated with rich primordial qi. It turned into a Dao field slightly over a mu wide in the air, and Dao seeds constantly flew into Xu Ying.

Seeing this, Yuanqi also promptly channeled the Great-Sun Guiding Method. His cultivation kept rising. When cultivating elsewhere, I could only do so for a short time in the morning. But here, under this massive locust tree, I can keep cultivating day and night. Unfortunately, the blooming season only lasts a little less than half a month.

Yet, even with the limited window, it would be equivalent to cultivating outside for a full year. Moreover, the peak of the blooming season had yet to arrive!

Furthermore, the primordial qi contained within the locust flowers was almost pure Yang, sparing them the trouble of tempering it.

Zhou Buyi watched the two cultivate and sneered inwardly. Demonic cultivators!

Yuan Weiyang looked at the Dao field above Xu Ying’s head in surprise. He quickly discerned its profound subtleties. “Demon King Xu, this cultivation technique of yours is truly peculiar. Even watching you cultivate, I can tell it differs from the methods of other demonic cultivators. It seems like another extraordinary path.”

Xu Ying replied, “This is the method of planting the Dao. I comprehended it by chance. If you’re interested, I can teach it to you.”

Yuan Weiyang pondered for a moment before saying, “I need to consult my honored mother before I can give you an answer.”

Xu Ying was baffled. He could not understand why learning the method of planting the Dao required parental approval.

Uncle Xiao, on the other hand, was slightly shaken inside. Is Weiyang planning to exchange cultivation techniques with him? Only something as significant as that would require consulting the matriarch! But how could the Yuan clan’s cultivation methods be shared so casually? What kind of method rivals the Yuan clan’s ancestral arts?

Looking at Xu Ying, his gaze filled with vigilance. Little swindler! If I weren’t here keeping watch, he would have gotten away with the Yuan clan’s cultivation technique!

Xu Ying followed Zhou Buyi into a grand palace hall. Inside, men and women of all ages occupied every corner. Some stood, some sat, and some lay sprawled across the floor in strange postures.

One person possessed three heads and six arms. Their necks stretched unnaturally long as they held three books and three brushes before and behind themselves, reading and writing simultaneously.

Another had an eye on their forehead, and eyes on their hands. They studied a floating scripture from every conceivable angle.

Yet another was sleeping with their head tilted back, snoring like rolling thunder. Divine sense flowed continuously from their mind, forming a bubble in the air. Their soul sat inside the bubble, staring at the floating scripture and repeatedly testing various cultivation methods.

Books and papers surrounded another person, piled up like mountains. He had eighteen arms in total, flipping through various classics to reference the texts.

One person’s hair had turned white from frustration. Another muttered to themselves like a lunatic. A third yanked out handfuls of hair until their scalp was completely bald.

Suddenly, someone burst out laughing. “I have comprehended it! I have comprehended it!”

Then, that person spewed mouthfuls of blood. Someone slapped them, shouting, “Bastard, what did you comprehend?!”

Only then did that person come to their senses.

The scriptures floating in the air were golden sheets of paper with handwritten text. Judging by the elegant handwriting, a woman had written them.

A glow emanated from these golden papers, illuminating the words in the air and allowing everyone in the hall to read them.

Bursting with excitement, Yuanqi said to Xu Ying, “There are books to read here! Over the past hundred years, I’ve read all the books at home! I’ve read a lot. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can ask me!”

The old servant, Buyi, said, “Young Master Xu, Young Master Yuan, these texts are the contents of the Granny Tuo Immortal Book.”

Looking up, Xu Ying saw that the contents of the Granny Tuo Immortal Book began from the basic guiding method, followed by Qi Gathering, Gate-Knocking, Transmutation, Second Gate-Knocking, Pagoda, Jasper Pool, Divine Bridge, Third Gate-Knocking, and finally Ascension.

It was a complete set of “demonic cultivation technique!”

In addition, there were other contents, likely scriptures of mystic arts, divine abilities, and pill recipes.

Puzzled, Xu Ying wondered, What’s there to decipher here?

As far as he could tell, the Granny Tuo Immortal Book explained every cultivation stage clearly. It detailed what a cultivator should do at each step. As long as one followed the instructions, nothing should go wrong.

Yet, within this grand hall, the geniuses of the Zhou clan agonized over the texts until their hair turned white, even consulting various classics. None of them seemed capable of deciphering it.

The Granny Tuo Immortal Book is a Qi Cultivator technique for women. If a man tried to practice it, they would lose their primordial Yang.

Xu Ying skimmed the text briefly and immediately saw the problem. If a man cultivated it, he would gradually lose his primordial Yang and transform into primordial Yin. He would end up with a female constitution despite retaining a male appearance.

There would be no problem if women practiced it. On the contrary, they would progress with lightning speed. Still, portions of the cultivation method felt incomplete. Certain passages were vague, as though important sections were missing.

Xu Ying went on to skim through the mystic arts and divine abilities in the text. Most of them could only be unleashed by pairing with the cultivation technique. Without learning the cultivation technique, one could not unleash their full power.

Meanwhile, Yuan Weiyang appeared fascinated by the Granny Tuo Immortal Book. He started from the beginning and studied every line carefully.

Xu Ying approached him and whispered, “Brother Yuan, this is a cultivation technique for women. Men can’t practice it.”

Yuan Weiyang whispered back, “I think this cultivation technique seems to suit me well. It appears to complement my clan’s exorcism art.”

His expression dark, Uncle Xiao appeared behind them. He reached out to separate the two, saying, “Young Master, your heads are almost touching. Mind your conduct.”

Just then, Xu Ying noticed a dozen or so elders with white hair seated in the center of the hall. They were not looking at the floating scripture. Instead, they were staring at a jade-green bamboo floating above the altar in the center.

It was a jade bamboo slip.

The jade slip was roughly one chi long, emerald green and translucent, as if carved from beautiful jade. Yet it also resembled a bamboo sprout that had just emerged from the soil, still giving off a faint scent of bamboo.

On the bamboo was a line of characters written in the bird-worm seal script.

Xu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. This is the real Granny Tuo Immortal Book! No... It’s not the Granny Tuo Immortal Book. The characters on the jade bamboo read the Supreme Yin Primordial Nurturing Art!