Day of Ascension

Xu Ying had a feeling he was being watched. He looked around, but the area was filled with similar-looking stone statues. He couldn’t tell which one had its eyes on him.

Just then, he heard stone grinding against stone.

He turned toward the sound but couldn't identify which statue had moved. He whispered, “Master Zhong, the Plague God won’t hold grudges, right?”

“He will!” Dazhong also recalled how Xu Ying had whipped the Plague God and whispered back, “Do you still remember how He immediately poked a finger at you after you whipped Him? He not only holds grudges, but He also remembers them clearly!”

Feeling a tingle on his back, Xu Ying said, “Can I open my Third Eye to look at my back? I’m afraid the Plague God’s tentacle has already pierced my heart from behind.”

Dazhong hurriedly denied, “No! Have you forgotten what just happened? If you open your Third Eye, those heavenly gods will notice you. Their wills will flood your mind, and you'll end up like those skeletons at the bottom of the cliff!”

They walked along a narrow, winding mountain path with cliffs below. Countless skeletons, still unaware of their deaths, crawled upward, often fighting among themselves over a treasure. All kinds of treasures piled up like a mountain at the bottom of the cliff, endlessly tempting human greed.

They were people affected by the heavenly gods’ will, dead yet unaware of their demise, forever living in this dazed and confused state.

Yuanqi felt an itch on his back. He raised his tail to scratch himself.

Xu Ying's scalp tingled at the sight. His own back felt even itchier.

The grinding sound rang out again, heavy and grating. Xu Ying looked up and saw a massive stone statue turn its head like an owl and gaze down at him.

Its head was triangular and sharply pointed, giving it a bizarre appearance.

Is that the Plague God’s statue?

The moment the thought crossed his mind, more scraping sounds echoed. The stone statues slowly turned their heads in succession, and numerous strange gazes fell upon him.

The stone statue stood thousands of zhang tall, silent.

Facing such a bizarre situation, even Zhou Qiyun couldn’t help but tense up. He raised his head and said aloud, “I follow in the footsteps of Zhidao Dasheng to pay a visit to the Underworld Court. As we pass through your honored domain, I ask you, honored gods, to grant us safe passage!”

An ancient will surged through the sky. At its slightest movement, thunderclaps erupted in a deafening roar.

A heavenly god was murmuring.

Their words were ancient beyond measure, unlike the language of humans or ghosts. It was cryptic yet grand. Its syllables were simple, yet each carried profound meaning.

Though Xu Ying, Zhou Qiyun, and the others didn’t understand the heavenly gods' language, the thunderous will allowed them to sense the vastness of the gods' minds.

The heavenly god declared that a blasphemer stood among them. One who desecrated the heavenly gods had violated the laws of heaven and must face divine judgment and punishment under heavenly law.

Filled with shock and suspicion, Zhou Qiyun turned his head back to look at Xu Ying.

Xu Ying felt another chill crawl down his spine and whispered, “Master Zhong, can you hold off the Plague God?”

Dazhong was also aware of the gravity of the situation. He whispered back, “I am no match for Him, but I can hold Him back for a moment! It’s too bad that the great locust tree has died. If you had cultivated there for a little longer and let me siphon more of your vital energy, I could have lasted a little longer.”

Zhou Qiyun looked up at the sky and said in a clear voice, “Honored gods, could you show us some leniency?”

An ancient will stirred in the sky above the Heavenly God Hall. That was heavenly might, proclaiming that heavenly justice tolerated no mortal sentiments. No one who violated the law of heaven could escape punishment. All offenders had to accept divine judgment.

Zhou Qiyun turned around and said, “Xu Ying, I’ve done everything I can. Forgive me for being of no help. Yuan Weiyang, let’s go.”

Yuan Weiyang hesitated. Uncle Xiao shook his head lightly and whispered, “Young Master, think of the clan.”

Yuan Weiyang fell silent and followed Uncle Xiao.

Xu Ying called out, “Brother Yuan, help me look after Yuanqi! Xiao Qi, you should go too.”

Yuanqi hesitated for a moment. Xu Ying whispered, “I won’t be able to look after you if you stay. You will only distract me. Zhou Qiyun is an old acquaintance of your Niu family. If you follow him, he won’t treat you badly.”

Yuanqi slithered forward and said, “Ah Ying, I’ll wait for you outside!”

They sped away into the distance. Only Xu Ying remained on the long mountain path. Both sides were cliffs with a bottomless abyss at their feet.

The Heavenly God Hall suddenly went dark. Only a single beam of celestial light shone down, illuminating Xu Ying. He could not see his surroundings. Looking up, he could only make out towering stone statues looming beyond the edge of the light.

The grinding of stone echoed continuously. The heavenly might grew increasingly heavy. One by one, thousand-zhang-tall stone statues gazed at Xu Ying. The ancient will in the sky above the Heavenly God Hall stirred ceaselessly. More than ten thousand heavenly gods were reviewing Xu Ying’s crimes.

Xu Ying saw celestial light in the sky gradually take the form of a book. A brush moved by itself, listing the sins he had committed.

“On the first day of the third month, the Underworld Court reported: Criminal Xu slew a god in Jiangjiatian Village, Lingling County. Punishable by death.”

“On the second day of the third month, the government office reported: Criminal Xu committed one count of murder on rocky mountain, Lingling County. Punishable by death.”

“On the third day of the third month, the Underworld Court reported: Criminal Xu slew a god in Mount Jian Village, Lingling County. Punishable by death.”

“On the fourth day of the third month, the Underworld Court reported: Criminal Xu slew twelve gods on Mount Xiao, Lingling County. Punishable by death.”

“On the fourth day of the third month, the government office reported: Criminal Xu committed four counts of murder on Mount Xiao, Lingling County. Punishable by death.”

......

Still looking up, Xu Ying shouted, “Stop reading! I did it all, and my conscience is clear for every single deed! You heavenly gods who oversee the Heavenly Dao are only punishing me because I whipped and burned the Plague God.

“What does it have to do with my past deeds? I only have one worthless life. If you want to kill me, just come at me. No need for such pretense!”

Those thousand-zhang-tall stone statues remained still and expressionless, perched on the tree branches.

The ancient will above the Heavenly God Hall continued reciting Xu Ying's crimes one by one. It stopped only after reaching the incident in which he whipped the underworld's bull demons.

In the sky, an even more ancient will rumbled, “This child’s sins run deep. Check his Book of Three Lives and settle all his debts at once.”

Ancient wills stirred one after another, recalling the deeds of Xu Ying across his past three lifetimes.

“Past life: no authority to view.”

“Two lives ago: no authority to view.”

“Three lives ago: no authority to view.”

The Heavenly God Hall fell into terrifying silence. The expressionless stone statues revealed looks of astonishment. A delicate atmosphere gradually spread among the thousands of heavenly god stone statues in the hall.

Dazhong had been ready to erupt at any moment. He intended to do everything he could to send Xu Ying out of the Heavenly God Hall, considering it the least he could do for their brotherhood. Yet, at that moment, he couldn’t help but freeze.

He was dazed, unable to come back to his senses for the time being. In the Heavenly Dao World, even the heavenly gods who wielded the Heavenly Dao can’t view Xu Ying's past lifetimes?

Just then, an even stronger heavenly will descended from the Heavenly Dao World. It carried an aura more primeval than all the others. It transformed into rolling thunder that boomed across the sky above the hall.

That ancient will delivered the final verdict in the language of the heavenly Dao, rumbling, “Forego looking into his past three lifetimes. Focus on this life. Uncover his evils and mete out divine punishment to uphold heavenly principles and statutes!”

Immediately afterward, several wills within the Heavenly God Hall boomed.

“Heavenly Laws have no authority to enforce punishment.”

“Heavenly Principles have no authority to enforce punishment.”

“Heavenly Statutes have no authority to enforce punishment.”

“Heavenly Justice has no authority to enforce punishment.”

“Heavenly Enforcement has no authority to enforce punishment.”

“Heavenly Authority has no authority to enforce punishment.”

......

When the thunderous voices faded, silence returned to the Heavenly God Hall.

The same frightening silence.

After a long moment, an even more weathered will stirred in the air.

“Dismiss the case.”

The characters within the heavenly book rapidly vanished. Soon, the entire record of sins faded away without a trace. The heavenly book and brush flew back into the Heavenly Dao World.

That same weathered will spoke, rumbling. “Escort the Young Master out of the hall.”

A beam of celestial light descended from the sky, illuminating the path ahead and showing Xu Ying the way forward.

Xu Ying walked forward unevenly, his mind in a daze, unsure of what had just happened.

Dazhong was just as confused. The gods of the Heavenly God Hall had appealed to higher powers three times, each time summoning a heavenly god of greater status than the last. The final heavenly god was likely a leader of the Heavenly Dao World.

Yet that leader had dismissed the case and erased every charge of murder and deicide from Xu Ying's record.

Dazhong thought, Even the heavenly gods of the Heavenly Dao World are not authorized to look into his past three lifetimes, or to mete out divine punishment upon him. Something must have happened in his past!

Pondering for a moment, he asked, “Ah Ying, how do you think the Supreme Yin Primordial Nurturing Art compares to your Grand Unity Guiding Method?”

Xu Ying snapped out of his shock. He couldn't understand why Dazhong had suddenly changed the subject. “The art uses the simplest method to temper the physique, soul, primordial qi, divine sense, and bloodline. It even disregards cultivation realms. Practicing it can improve one's talent, and breakthroughs come naturally.”

“As for the Grand Unity Guiding Method, though incomplete, it’s not inferior to the Supreme Yin Primordial Nurturing Art. I practice both cultivation techniques, and the more I do, the more extraordinary the Grand Unity Guiding Method seems.”

Dazhong led him patiently, “Ah Ying, do you think the Grand Unity Guiding Method is hidden within your memories, or your bloodline? Why do memories of it awaken whenever you reach a certain level?”

Xu Ying froze in place. He had never considered this issue.

Dazhong said, “Ah Ying, I think you should visit Xujiaping Village once.”

Xu Ying’s expression darkened as he said wistfully, “Xujiaping Village is only a small village near Yongzhou and was destroyed in a great fire. With the invasion of the underworld and the emergence of new lands, I’m afraid it can no longer be found.”

“Do you still remember the way to Xujiaping Village?”

“How could I forget it?”

“Then, let’s go to Xujiaping Village once we’ve shaken off Zhou Qiyun. We must find that place no matter what!”

Xu Ying nodded in agreement. After a moment of silence, he said, “Thank you, Master Zhong.”

Dazhong was taken aback for a moment and smiled. “We’re friends, no need for thanks. You’ve always silently contributed your vital energy to heal my injuries without a single complaint or asking for my gratitude. Why thank me now?”

Xu Ying chose his words carefully and said, “Master Zhong, don’t you think my contribution of vital energy was actually just a result of you guilt-tripping me?”

“Hahaha, what a funny joke. Don’t make jokes like that again!”

***

Zhou Qiyun and the others stepped out of the Heavenly God Hall. Just a little further ahead was the Underworld Court. Yet Yuan Weiyang and Yuanqi stopped one after another rather than following him.

Frowning, Zhou Qiyun stopped in his tracks. “No need to wait. He won’t be coming out. The Heavenly God Hall is a place of ascension. Heavenly gods can descend through it and wield the power to reward good and punish evil throughout the world. With a myriad of gods gathered in one place, not even an immortal can save him.”

Shaking his head, Yuanqi said, “Ah Ying has always been very quick-witted. He’ll surely escape.”

Zhou Qiyun shook his head. Facing judgment from a myriad of gods, not even he could make it out alive from such a situation. How could Xu Ying possibly escape?

The group stood outside the Heavenly God Hall, waiting quietly.

Frowning, Zhou Qiyun was about to bring them away by force when Yuan Weiyang said softly, “Old Ancestor Zhou, I've heard that a heavenly god's descent requires offerings from someone in the lower realm.

“The offering allows communication with the Heavenly Dao World and opens a bridge between the two realms. Why can heavenly gods descend here without anyone making any offerings?”

Zhou Qiyun temporarily set aside the idea of forcing them away. “This is the ingenious function of a place of ascension.”

Yuanqi was surprised. He had also heard of a place of ascension. Back then, in Qin Yan Cave on Mount Wu Wang, the coffin maiden had mentioned the phrase “place of ascension” in the Mud-Pill Palace while facing the jade wall.

The place of ascension she spoke of should be Qin Yan Cave itself.

If Zhou Qiyun said this place was a place of ascension, then what exactly was it?

Zhou Qiyun explained, “While exploring Exorcist Immortals’ land of sublimation and ancient Qi Cultivators’ grotto heavens and blessed lands, I came across some interesting texts. The records stated that there exist many places of ascension in the world.

“Rumors claim that places of ascension are where Qi Cultivators face their tribulations and ascend to immortality. Some rumors even suggest that places of ascension are formed from fragments of the Heavenly Dao World. Such places possess a mysterious power, and the world's barriers are thinner there, making them sacred grounds for cultivation. Therefore, heavenly gods can descend through these weaker barriers.”

Just then, a voice came from the Heavenly God Hall, asking, “Old Ancestor Zhou, if heavenly gods descend upon places of ascension, they shouldn’t be able to step out of them, right?”

The corner of Zhou Qiyun’s eye twitched. He looked up in disbelief toward the rear exit of the Heavenly God Hall, only to see a beam of celestial light shining down on it. Stepping on the celestial light, a familiar figure emerged.

Zhou Qiyun’s mind went blank. For a moment, he forgot to answer the question.

Xu Ying posed a second question, asking, “Would places of ascension deteriorate over time?”

Earlier, he heard Zhou Qiyun talk about places of ascension from within the Heavenly God Hall. He thought of Qin Yan Cave and had some doubts. If Qin Yan Cave were a place of ascension, why were there no signs of a weakened world barrier?

When they cultivated in Qin Yan Cave, they had sensed a mysterious energy that could stimulate their Mud-Pill Secret Trove. However, it originated from the Mud-Pill Palace Master, not from the Heavenly Dao World or remnants of an immortal’s ascension.

“If places of ascension are where immortals ascend, or fragments of the Heavenly Dao World, then all places of ascension should share the same characteristics. However, the characteristics of the Mud-Pill Palace in Qin Yan Cave are completely different from those of the Heavenly God Hall!”

Xu Ying had a vague sense that something was amiss, but he couldn’t wrap his head around it, so he could only drop this matter for now.

Zhou Qiyun finally regained his composure. “How did you get out?”

Xu Ying smiled faintly, “I walked out. The Heavenly God Hall is fair and impartial with rewards and punishments. After investigating, they found no wrongdoing on my part and sent me out.”