Day of Ascension

Xu Ying’s eyes lit up, and he smiled. “Sure! I’ve never grown chives before, let alone harvested them!”

He strode forward with a smile. Li Xiaoke handed him a sickle. Xu Ying took it and examined it closely. It was an ordinary farmer’s sickle, its inward-curved blade quite sharp.

At first, Dazhong hid inside Xu Ying’s mind. He eventually emerged; when he saw Li Xiaoke, he became anxious and retreated into Yuanqi’s ethereal void, only to be chased out.

Bracing himself, Dazhong flew forward hesitantly. After a moment of silence, he finally greeted shakily, “M-Master...”

Li Xiaoke studied him for a moment before recognition dawned. He smiled warmly. “You’re a Demon-Suppressing Bell I forged? You’re...”

He examined Dazhong from top to bottom, seemingly recognizing him but still somewhat uncertain. Dazhong hurriedly explained, “I was engraved with other runes. It’s no wonder that you couldn’t recognize me! I am the bronze bell you left on the Little Rocky Mountain!”

He was filled with anticipation.

Li Xiaoke finally realized and laughed heartily. “So, you’re the bronze bell I left on the Little Rocky Mountain!”

Overjoyed, Dazhong said, “You finally recognized me, Master!”

Li Xiaoke replied, “Of course I recognized you. You’re an exotic treasure I’d forged personally to suppress a heavenly god who was wreaking havoc. After descending to the mortal realm, He committed countless atrocities and brought great suffering to the people of Yongzhou.

“I finally managed to subdue Him with great difficulty, yet I couldn’t kill Him. So, I suppressed Him on the Little Rocky Mountain, built a temple, and hung you there.”

He was proud of that battle, so he remembered it vividly.

Dazhong said joyfully, “Master, you also suppressed that demoness Qingbi! She committed countless evils and harmed the innocent, so you suppressed her there together with the heavenly god!”

Li Xiaoke’s expression shifted slightly. “As for that matter... I don’t remember it well... Fellow Daoist Xu!”

He turned around toward Xu Ying and smiled. “Come, it’s been a long time since we last met. We have much to catch up on! Let’s talk while we harvest the chives.”

“Sure!”

Xu Ying sized him up. Li Xiaoke was rather burly and dressed in the style of the Great Han Dynasty, favoring black robes with a red sash. A neatly trimmed mustache framed the corners of his mouth, its shape resembling the character “八,” with every strand perfectly groomed.

Even while working in the fields, his clothes remained immaculate. Not a single wrinkle or speck of dirt marred them. Even as he walked through the chive patch, not a trace of green stained his robes.

He looked like he was only in his thirties. No one would have guessed that this man was an old monster more than three thousand years old. His fair, delicate skin had been preserved remarkably well.

His fingernails were also neatly trimmed. Each nail aligned perfectly with the contours of the flesh beneath. His eyebrows were perfectly symmetrical, with exactly the same number of hairs on each side.

Though Xu Ying had only glanced at him briefly, he could already tell that Li Xiaoke was extraordinarily particular about cleanliness and obsessed with absolute symmetry.

Xu Ying thought, To Li Xiaoke, Master Zhong is no longer his cherished artifact. After all, he is no longer perfectly symmetrical. Worse, he now bears another person’s mark. That is something Li Xiaoke likely can’t tolerate.

He had seen people like this before: people who pursued absolute perfection. The patriarch of the Divine Capital’s Pei clan, Pei Du, was just like him.

Keeping this in mind, Xu Ying bent down and began harvesting chives alongside Li Xiaoke.

Li Xiaoke smiled. “Fellow Daoist Xu, you really haven’t grown chives before, have you?”

Xu Ying asked humbly, “Please tell me about it.”

Li Xiaoke explained, “When growing chives, you need to choose your seeds first. You need the best, plumpest ones possible. Good seeds have good growth prospects. The chives you grow will be tall, juicy, and full of flavor.”

Xu Ying nodded slightly and smiled. “This kind of high-quality chive seeds must be rare.”

Li Xiaoke sighed with emotion. “That’s why when we farmers can’t find good seeds out there, we breed our own. We pick out some excellent sprouts from the chives we’ve grown and harvested.

“Instead of reaping them immediately, we let them grow, blossom, and bear fruit. Then, we’ll have good seeds. Instead of searching the entire mountain for good seeds, you’re better off breeding them yourself.”

Xu Ying fell into deep thought, then glanced meaningfully at Xue Ying’an.

Xue Ying’an said excitedly, ”Brother Xu, my master is amazing at breeding seeds!”

Xu Ying nodded and turned to Li Xiaoke. “What happens after breeding the seeds?”

Li Xiaoke smiled. “Next, you need to find a good plot of land. The soil must be fertile, well-watered, and receive plenty of sunlight. You must also fertilize it regularly and guard it carefully against wild beasts, especially pigs.

“Pigs love to uproot chives. Just when your crops are ready for harvest, they can come along and destroy everything you worked so hard to cultivate.”

Xu Ying fell into thought again, casting another meaningful glance toward Xue Ying’an.

Xue Ying’an’s eyes shone brightly as he smiled. “Brother Xu, I feel like even though my master is talking about growing chives, his every word seems to contain profound truths about life.”

Xu Ying nodded and asked Li Xiaoke, “And after the chives have grown?”

Li Xiaoke replied, “Then it’s time to harvest them. Chives are perennial plants. Once harvested, they’ll grow back as long as you leave the roots intact. After about twenty days, you can harvest them again. Always choose a sunny day. Never harvest on a cloudy day, as the roots rot easily then.”

He bent down to show Xu Ying how to harvest the chives. “Take today, for example. It’s a sunny day. The chives are very happy. They’ve grown tall and are tender, so they’re suitable for harvesting. Don’t cut them all at once, however. You have to leave a little root behind, a glimmer of hope for the chives. Leave about this much.”

He pointed to a spot near the roots, roughly three fingers’ breadth above the ground. “If you cut here, it hurts them badly, but it won’t kill them. No need to worry about their survival either. Their vitality is remarkably strong. They’ll heal and sprout new shoots before long.”

Xu Ying seemed lost in thought as he cast another sideways glance at Xue Ying’an.

Li Xiaoke taught very seriously. “There’s one more secret, and that is your blade. Your blade must be sharp enough, your swing must be fast enough, and your cut must be completely level. Sharp, fast, and level. That way, the chives won’t be cut unevenly, nor will they die from their wounds.”

Xu Ying smiled. “The chives may harbor grievances, but since they are all cut at the same level, no one is treated unfairly. Thus, they have no reason to resent us.”

Li Xiaoke laughed heartily, “Fellow Daoist Xu, you truly live up to your reputation as an old immortal. You understand instantly and connect the dots right away! But there’s still one more step to harvesting chives!”

He smiled. “You must scatter some ash right onto the chives’ wounds. Plant ash will do. It disinfects, reduces inflammation, and promotes healing. Once their wounds have closed, the pain stops. That way, they will grow better!”

Xu Ying looked around at the surrounding chive fields and said emotionally, “No wonder this place is called Jiucailing Ridge. A mountain’s worth does not lie in its height; if an immortal dwells upon it, it becomes spiritual[1]. With Fellow Daoist Li residing here, skilled in growing and harvesting chives, naming this place Jiucailing Ridge[2] is perfect.”

Li Xiaoke smiled. “If you think the knowledge of chives ends there, Fellow Daoist Xu, then you’re being far too shallow! The best thing about chives is eating them.”

He handed the sickle to Xue Ying’an. Then he stepped out of the chive field, called the disciples waiting on the path to pack up the harvested chives, and brought them to the kitchen on the mountain.

Li Xiaoke extended his hand to Xu Ying and smiled. “Fellow Daoist Xu, the art of eating chives is profound. First, you must keep a close watch on your fields. Otherwise, some clueless fool might take a liking to your chives and harvest them for you.”

Xu Ying nodded and clapped. “So, you must mark your own land! Put up a marker around the chive field to let everyone know that it belongs to you and that they’re not allowed to touch it!”

Li Xiaoke smiled. “If someone comes to steal them, first try to reason with them politely. Only when words fail should you fight. After all, it’s better to avoid trouble.

“Once the chives are harvested, they’re ready to eat. Eaten raw, they’re crisp and spicy, and you can still feel them fighting their way down your throat. Fresh and delicious!”

His throat bobbed, seemingly unable to wait any longer, and he said, “Cooked chives are even better. Eating them raw once in a while to satisfy a craving is fine, but cooking is the proper way to enjoy them. First, I recommend grilled chives.”

He smiled faintly. “Prepare the oil, salt, and sauces. Skewer the chives together, brush them with the seasoning, and grill them over a fire. They even sizzle as they cook! Take a bite, and golden oil will drip from the corners of your mouth. Your mouth will feel fiery hot until it feels almost scorched.”

Yuanqi’s mouth watered at his description. But... is he really talking about chives?

“If you don’t like them grilled, you can also stir-fry them. You can stir-fry them with meat, with eggs, or even plain. They have a wonderfully savory flavor that isn’t quite meat, yet somehow tastes even better. You can also use them to make dumplings, steamed buns, or flatbreads. Use plenty of oil and salt, and the aroma will be irresistible!

“The best way to eat chives is with glass noodles[3]. Chop the noodles finely and mix them with the chives. One mouthful is enough to make them so fragrant that you won’t be able to sleep!”

Yuanqi was confused. “Senior Li, are you talking about chives?”

Li Xiaoke burst out laughing. “What did you think I was talking about?”

Yuanqi smiled. “I thought you were talking about people.”

Li Xiaoke exclaimed in shock, “Wouldn’t that be cannibalism? What utter nonsense!”

Xu Ying asked, “Fellow Daoist Li, why do we harvest and eat chives?”

Li Xiaoke smiled faintly and said, “Chives taste delicious, they’re easy to grow, and once you harvest one crop, another grows right back. Eating chives also boosts our Yang energy and strengthens us. So why not eat it?”

Xu Ying hesitated momentarily before asking, “Fellow Daoist Li, are you really talking about chives?”

Li Xiaoke burst into laughter. With a flick of his sleeves, he picked up his pace and strode up the mountain. He said casually, “Just think of it as chives.”

Dazhong was still reeling from excitement. He drifted over swiftly and hovered above Li Xiaoke, shielding him from the sunlight.

Xu Ying pondered for a moment, then hurried after him.

Xue Ying’an hurried over from behind and smiled. “Aren’t my master’s words philosophical?”

Xu Ying sighed with emotion. “Indeed. A lecture from your master has taught me more than studying for ten years.”

Yuanqi couldn’t hold himself back and said, “Ah Ying, you haven’t studied for ten years. Don’t flatter yourself. You only started reading after you began following me. Before that, you were completely illiterate.”

The corner of Xu Ying’s eyes twitched. I’d better not decipher the ‘jail’ character Dao rune for now and put it aside first.

They arrived at the top of the mountain. Although the name Jiucailing Ridge lacked refinement, it was actually an incredible mountain filled with unusual pines, bizarre rocks, flying springs, and cascading waterfalls. Its terrain was also extremely rugged.

Most peculiar of all was a horizontal ridge stretching across a vast canyon. The depths below were utterly unfathomable, while the opposite side was shrouded in dense mist.

Leading the way, Li Xiaoke disappeared into the mist. Xu Ying followed and passed through it, as if he were passing through a thick spatial barrier. He couldn’t help but feel a slight stir in his heart.

When he emerged from the mist, he saw the setting sun hanging in the sky in front of him.

This was another world!

Back then, Li Xiaoke’s group of Qi Cultivators performed Heaven-Man Resonance and connected with mysterious, powerful beings from another world in the deep abyss. Those beings taught them an even more profound method of resonance.

When the Qi Cultivators of that era combined their techniques with exorcism techniques, the Heaven-Man Resonance they developed warped the sky and tore the earth apart, plunging heaven and earth into the abyss.

Those mysterious, powerful beings were different from the heavenly gods of the Heavenly Realm. People call them otherworld gods.

Xu Ying stopped in his tracks and gazed at this unfamiliar landscape. He saw that the other half of Jiucailing Ridge was jutting out directly from the sky, slanting downward and more than ten li above the ground of this otherworld!

He gazed into the distance. He saw mountain ranges, lakes, and even oceans in this otherworld’s shattered sky.

The sky wasn’t blue, but a blood-stained reddish-black.

The air here was also extremely polluted, filled with the stench of sulfur. Even breathing made his throat feel uncomfortable.

The spirit qi of heaven and earth here seem extremely thin. Xu Ying sensed almost no spirit qi here. Even that setting sun didn’t contain much sun essence!

The world where Jiucailing Ridge was in seemed completely unsuitable for cultivation!

He thought, Could it be that the Qi Cultivators who sealed heaven and earth back then were also chives of others?

1. A line from the prose-poem ”陋室铭” (The Scholar’s Humble Dwelling) describing living in a simple dwelling, following a life that is refined in culture and learning by the Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi. ☜

2. Reminder: Jiucailing means Chives Ridge. ☜

3. Glass noodle can also mean fan, as in followers, in Chinese. ☜