Day of Ascension

“Undergo a tribulation and ascend?”

The Underworld Court Emperor was deeply shaken. Even the immortal radiance surrounding the Primordial Spirit trembled.

After a moment, he spoke with measured composure, “It has been ages since I last heard anyone mention the word ‘tribulation.’ A millennium, maybe? Perhaps three. It truly makes me feel nostalgic...”

He looked directly at Zhou Qiyun. “All those who spoke such tall tales are now dead. I watched those proud geniuses fall one after another, fade into obscurity, until the world itself grew silent and no one spoke of it anymore. Only a crippled immortal like me survived, clinging miserably to life.”

Zhou Qiyun grew solemn and said respectfully, “I humbly request Your Majesty’s guidance.”

The Underworld Court Emperor replied, “The heavenly tribulation originates from the World of the Heavenly Dao. Its power comes from divine artifacts of the Heavenly Dao. No one can easily overcome it. Every Qi cultivator who reached the Ascension Stage died beneath it.

“There is no ascension. There is no Immortal Realm! So give it up, Head of the Zhou clan. Be content as an Exorcist Immortal. Even without ascension, you can live freely in the mortal world. After death, you will be welcomed into the underworld. We need talented people like you.”

Zhou Qiyun shook his head. “Your Majesty, have you seen the sparrow beneath the eaves? It never ascends beyond the treetops, nor does it dare leave the grasslands below. It mingles with chickens and dogs, fighting over grains and insects. Such a creature is born ordinary and dies ordinary. The instant it comes into this world, its destiny is already set. Its entire life can be seen in a single glance.”

The Underworld Court Emperor smiled. “Isn’t that exactly how countless people live?”

“But I do not want such a life,” Zhou Qiyun said sharply. “I refuse to live an ordinary life. Even as an Exorcist Immortal, I will not accept a predetermined fate. I am not a sparrow. I will spread my wings to fly ninety thousand li into the heavens![1] I will fulfill my ambitions!”

His face remained expressionless, yet flames seemed to flow within his eyes, as though a blazing fire burned deep in his heart and had reached his pupils.

The Underworld Court Emperor said, “You are an Exorcist Immortal. The Exorcist path was created precisely to avoid heavenly tribulation and attain immortality. There are no tribulations for you to face.”

“I’ve found a method, but I am still hesitant,” Zhou Qiyun said.

The Underworld Court Emperor gave a low hum. “What is your concern?”

“In every era, countless powerful experts emerge,” said Zhou Qiyun. “Whenever I observe the world, I sense ancient auras and hear strange whispers. They seem to come from hidden corners of the prefecture, yet also from another universe entirely.

“This underworld invasion was a warning. It made me realize that such terrifying existences still roam this world. The chaos in the mortal realm and the invasion must be part of some greater scheme orchestrated by the court. As an Exorcist Immortal of the mortal realm, I fear a surprise attack during my tribulation.”

Divine light swirled in his eyes, then suddenly surged. “I do not want anyone stabbing me in the back during tribulation. Before I attempt it, I must eliminate every hidden danger.”

The emperor’s expression turned strange. “You have misunderstood us, Head of the Zhou clan. We had nothing to do with that invasion. We are troubled by it ourselves.

“We dwell in the underworld. We do not grow old and die, nor do we suffer illness from age. We bear no tax burdens and endure none of the hardships of mortal life. We live quite comfortably. Yet now mortals rush in and disturb our peace! Honestly, we are more annoyed than you are.”

Zhou Qiyun fell silent.

The Underworld Court Emperor sighed. “The Underworld Court is merely a gathering of the dead. Mortals revere us as gods and offer us faith. What benefit would we gain from annexing the mortal realm?

“Face your tribulation without worry. No ghost god or Exorcist Immortal of the Underworld Court will obstruct you. The only thing you must guard against is the mortal realm itself.”

Zhou Qiyun was surprised. This reassurance was the very reason for his visit. Before coming to the Underworld Court, he had expected a fierce confrontation and heavy bloodshed.

Instead, everything had gone far more smoothly than he imagined. The great figures of the Underworld Court showed no intention of fighting him, nor did they care about power struggles. They possessed a detached mindset, almost like enlightened Buddhas, calm and unshakable.

Of course, he wasn’t fully convinced.

If the Underworld Court were truly as harmless as its emperor claimed—like benevolent saints and living Buddhas—why would they expand their influence so aggressively and interfere in worldly affairs?

The Underworld Court Emperor sighed again. “The court does not rule the underworld. We merely occupy a corner of it. Vast regions remain unknown even to us. For example, the people you brought have wandered into uncharted territory. If you hurry, you may still recover their corpses intact.”

Zhou Qiyun rose. “Thank you, Your Majesty. If I achieve my ambition, I will repay this favor.”

“I would dare not accept it,” replied the emperor with a smile.

Zhou Qiyun took his leave and departed Yama’s Palace.

Suddenly, the emperor’s voice came from behind him. “Head of the Zhou clan, the road ahead has already been severed. Why persist? Wouldn’t it be better to settle in the underworld? If you force your way forward, you will die.”

Zhou Qiyun glanced back with a smile and waved before continuing on his way.

The Underworld Court Emperor sighed softly. “You cannot persuade someone who seeks death. I have said all that can be said. Right or wrong, the choice is yours.”

At that moment, a voice emerged from the thick darkness behind him. “His danger does not come from the Underworld Court. We merely feed on scraps. Those others intend to devour him completely.”

The emperor bowed slightly. “Indeed. But we cannot survive on scraps forever. We, too, desire blood and flesh.”

“Heh heh heh!”

A strange chuckle echoed from the darkness.

“The beings in the Abyss can no longer restrain themselves. This invasion of the mortal realm is only the beginning. Soon, every region of the prefecture—and even the entire Yuanshou—will be consumed. When that time comes, the mortal realm will inevitably clash with the Abyss. That will be our opportunity.”

The eerie chuckling soon became booming laughter. A rush of wings followed as a flock of crows flew out from behind the Underworld Court Emperor and vanished into the distance.

They were underworld jackdaws capable of traveling between the two realms.

The emperor watched them go and murmured, “Will I finally stop being a puppet then?”

Though he was dead and had long since abandoned struggle, it seemed hot blood was still flowing in his veins.

Outside the Underworld Court, Zhou Qiyun looked up at the sky. A flock of jackdaws crossed the sky, adding a bleak and murderous air to the underworld.

“The emperor’s words were only half true,” he muttered to himself. “If the court truly resigned itself to being trampled, why would they compete for Xu Ying?”

His eyes flickered. “Underworld Court Emperor, perhaps you are not a true ghost immortal. If you had truly ascended through Qi cultivation, you would understand the cultivation system completely. There would be no need to fight for Xu Ying.”

Xu Ying’s greatest value lay in deciphering the so-called demonic arts of the world, which were actually the cultivation arts of the Qi Cultivators, and using them to reconstruct the Qi cultivation system.

If the Underworld Court Emperor truly understood that system, he wouldn’t have ordered the Controller General and the city gods to hunt down Xu Ying.

“The key to ascension must lie with Xu Ying.”

Zhou Qiyun strode in the direction the great bell had gone. “If he can reconstruct the Qi cultivation system, I may be able to merge Qi cultivation with Exorcist arts. Only then will I have the confidence to ascend through tribulation.”

***

Underworld, Willow Forest.

A huge bell lay in the forest, inching forward and forcing willow trees aside. Behind it slithered a great serpent with dragon-like horns. From time to time, it raised its head above the forest and looked around.

The fog grew thicker and thicker until it swallowed Xu Ying, Yuan Weiyang, and Uncle Xiao. Yuanqi could only follow behind the bell. Unable to see anyone, he began to panic.

“Ah Ying!” Yuanqii shouted.

Echoes answered from all directions.

“Ah Ying!”

“Ah Ying!”

“Ah Ying!”

Then came the little ghost’s giggles. Yuanqi felt a chill run down his spine and hurried forward.

A moment later, Xu Ying’s voice rang out from ahead. “I’m here.”

Only then did Yuanqi calm down.

He looked up and suddenly shouted, “Ah Ying! Look! The sun is rising!”

“It’s midnight,” Xu Ying said. “What sun?”

He jumped up and poked his head above the fog. Sure enough, a sun hung in the sky of the underworld. Yet it was clearly nighttime.

The sun looked anything but normal. A true sun should have radiated endless heat and light. This one was stuffed with joss paper, all of it already burned. It looked like the offerings people burned for their ancestors. Before long, the air was thick with the scent of incense and scorched paper.

A flock of jackdaws flew beneath it, cawing loudly. Their wings stirred ashes from the sun itself.

Yuan Weiyang leaped up and cried out, “There’s actually a sun here? What kind of world is this?” “公子镇定。记得主母是如何交代的吗?泰山崩于前而不形于色。”

“Stay calm, Young Master.” Uncle Xiao’s voice came from the fog. “Remember what the Matriarch said: no matter what happens, never show it on your face.”

The old man then jumped above the fog himself. The instant he saw the sun, he exclaimed, “This is outrageous! A sun like this actually exists?”

“Uncle Xiao, stay calm. Don’t show it on your face,” said Yuan Weiyang calmly.

A moment later, she lost her composure again. Something enormous stirred within the ashes covering the sun. It spread its wings, scattering ash across the sky, and burst out of the underworld sun in pursuit of the jackdaws.

It was a colossal bird made of little more than bones and feathers. It had three legs and no flesh whatsoever. Its head resembled a crow’s, yet it was covered in golden plumage. Though it had been dead for who knew how long, it still radiated a terrifying, overwhelming aura of ferocity.

As it flew, three massive black chains trailed behind it, each shackled to one of its legs.

The Three-Legged Golden Crow beat its wings, dragging the underworld sun as it chased the jackdaws into the distance.

No one spoke for quite a while. Finally, Yuanqi broke the silence. “What kind of world is this? A bird just dragged away the sun, and nobody cares? Nobody? Hmph!”

As the fog thinned, the elusive little ghosts appeared, rubbing their sleepy eyes and yawning as they climbed up the trees. They clung to the charred branches with their feet and hung upside down, arms folded across their chests, like pale bats.

More and more ghost children appeared from every corner of the forest. They climbed onto the trees and hung upside down to sleep. Soon, dozens of them dangled from every willow tree, making the trees look as though they had borne strange fruit.

Everyone was still puzzled over the sight when the forest fell into an eerie silence. A cold wind swept through. The fog gradually receded until it hovered at waist level.

In the dim surroundings, a white figure drifted toward them. It floated through the air, its feet never touching the ground.

It was entirely snow-white and over one zhang tall. A long white robe draped over it from head to toe. It held a staff wrapped in white cloth strips, and even its hair was white. Only the long tongue sticking out of its mouth was crimson.

It drifted through the forest. Whenever it passed a hanging little ghost, it paused and licked the little ghost’s face. The ghost child would visibly wither, their auras weakening rapidly.

“Ghost of Impermanence!” Xu Ying whispered.

He had once used a Ghost of Impermanence mask to disguise himself among the ghost gods of the broken temple world. Yuanqi had told him Exorcists crafted such masks from the severed faces of Ghosts of Impermanence.

He had never expected to encounter the real thing here.

“It’s harvesting energy,” whispered Yuan Weiyang.

Xu Ying immediately understood. It was feeding on the little ghost’s Yang qi.

The little ghost first hunted wandering spirits and living beings, draining their Yang qi. Once they fell asleep, the Ghost of Impermanence came to harvest what remained.

More Ghosts of Impermanence soon appeared. They wore the same white robes, carried the same-looking staff, and let the same crimson tongues hang from their mouths. They moved through the willow forest, stopping beside each tree. The little ghosts looked like fruit waiting to be picked.

Xu Ying had been about to leave when a voice suddenly rang out. “Senior Brother, there are people over there!”

“Quiet! Don’t speak!”

Xu Ying’s mind shook violently. He turned toward the Ghost of Impermanence in disbelief.

“They’re human? Third Eye, open!”

1. This comes from the legend of the Kunpeng. The Kun (鯤) is a giant fish thousands of li in size, and it transforms into the Peng (鵬), an equally massive bird that flaps its wings once and soars ninety thousand li into the sky. It then complains that the sky is too small for it. ☜