Ascension Day

Xu Ying walked along the streets of the Divine Capital, wondering to himself, 'Should I pay a visit to the Yuan Mansion?'

He couldn't help but picture Yuan Rushi's face, and a warmth spread through his heart. Suddenly, Yuan Rushi's face morphed into that of Yuan Weiyang. Xu Ying's heart jolted in alarm, and he hastily cast aside the distracting thoughts.

As he reached the banks of the Luo River, a group of young men and women approached. They were dressed quite lavishly. One of them, a fair-faced, beardless youth, gave Xu Ying a deep bow, smiling. "Xu Demon King, I am Cui Yongzhi of the Cui Mansion. This is Miss Zhu Hongshan of the Zhu Family, and this scholar is Yuan Yunkong. His ancestor is Yuan Tiangang."

Xu Ying nodded to each of them in turn. "A pleasure to meet you."

When Cui Yongzhi introduced the young man, Yuan Yunkong, Xu Ying's expression turned solemn. "Lord Qi, bring out the Sword Box."

Yuan Qi hurriedly opened his mouth and produced Yuan Tiangang's Sword Box.

Yuan Tiangang's Sword Box began to buzz and vibrate. It suddenly flew up, clicked open on its own in mid-air, and released seven streams of Sword Qi from within. The streams flew around the young Yuan Yunkong, dancing joyfully.

Suddenly, the seven streams of Sword Qi retracted sharply and returned to the Sword Box, which then fell at the young Yuan Yunkong's feet.

Xu Ying smiled. "You truly are a descendant of the Yuan Family. Now that the Sword Box has been returned to its rightful owner, I can be at ease. I once stumbled into the Wangxiang Platform by mistake and was only able to leave and return to the Mortal World thanks to Yuan Tiangang's guidance. Elder Yuan gifted me this Sword Box, saying that if I ever met a member of the Yuan Clan, it would fly to their side to convey his longing for his family."

Yuan Yunkong was both surprised and delighted. He quickly put away the Sword Box. "My ancestor went to the Wangxiang Platform all those years ago to escape a fatal calamity. He never returned, and we never knew if he was alive or dead. I never expected to encounter his Magical Treasure here."

His expression turned serious. "Since my ancestor saved you, Xu Demon King, we are not strangers. Xu Demon King, there is something I wish to say, but I'm not sure if I should."

Xu Ying's gaze swept over Cui Yongzhi and Zhu Hongshan. A half-smile played on his lips. "Then perhaps you shouldn't."

Yuan Yunkong ignored him and continued, "Xu Demon King, the Cui Mansion is known as the House of Chancellors, on par with the Pei Family. Over two thousand years, they have produced countless Nuo Immortals. The Zhu Family is a new Noble Family, their rise as explosive as oil set ablaze, a sign of great prosperity. Currently, the elders of both the Cui and Zhu families are nearing the end of their lifespans. As juniors, Cui Yongzhi and Miss Hongshan ought to share their elders' burdens. Since you, Xu Demon King, possess Longevity Meat and have opened the Mud Pill Secret Treasury, why not offer your flesh as charity?"

Zhu Chanchan's heart went cold. 'News that I carry the Immortal Elixir has already reached this person's ears? Could there be a Celestial Demon in this city?'

Xu Ying said coolly, "If you were rich, should you give away all your wealth to everyone in the world?"

Yuan Yunkong was displeased. "Xu Demon King, I'm only asking you to offer your flesh as charity to the Cui and Zhu families, not to the entire world! You yourself said that my ancestor saved your life. You can't even do this one small thing? How can you repay the debt you owe my ancestor?"

Xu Ying's face darkened. He took Zhu Chanchan's hand and started to walk past them.

Yuan Yunkong flew into a rage and immediately activated the Sword Box. With a SWISH, a stream of Sword Qi shot out from the box and stabbed toward Xu Ying. He shouted, "Xu Demon King, you ungrateful wretch! I'll take your flesh and perform the charity myself!"

Without turning back, Xu Ying casually reached out and grabbed. The Sword Qi immediately flew to him, flowing around his fingertips.

Yuan Yunkong was astonished. He tried again and again to command the Sword Qi, but it was as if a clay ox had entered the sea—his connection to it was completely gone.

Yuan Yunkong's face flushed red. He watched as Xu Ying flicked a finger, sending the Sword Qi flying back at him. Yuan Yunkong scrambled to dodge, but the Sword Qi was incredibly sharp, darting up and down. No matter what techniques or Divine Powers he used, he couldn't block it.

In an instant, tattered bits of cloth fluttered like butterflies, filling the air with the shredded remnants of Yuan Yunkong's clothes.

"To think Yuan Tiangang has a descendant like you."

Xu Ying reached out and beckoned. The Sword Qi flew back to circle around him, lingering reluctantly and flowing over his fingertips before finally shooting away and vanishing into the Sword Box.

Xu Ying flicked his sleeve, bidding farewell to Yuan Tiangang's Sword Box. He let out a great laugh that shook the long street. "On the first day of the third month, I, Xu, came from Lingling's Jiang Family Field. I slaughtered gods and men all the way to the Divine Capital, and for a few days, I played the part of a proper gentleman. It was so damned restrictive!"

He proclaimed, "To all the lords of the Divine Capital, if you want my Longevity Meat, come and trade your lives for it!"

"Well said!"

Cui Yongzhi roared with laughter as his figure shot into the air. In an instant, a rainbow-colored light rose behind him, shining in concert with his three great Grotto Heavens. The light was his Hidden Scenery Dao Image—a vast, brilliant rainbow.

"I'll be the one to take your Longevity Meat!"

Cui Yongzhi used his hand as a whip, and the great rainbow swept forward. The stone slabs of the long street CLATTERED and flipped into the air, forming a torrential flood that rushed toward Xu Ying!

Xu Ying threw a punch. A dark, starry sky materialized before and behind him, the constellations dancing and swarming with his fist. With the force of a landslide, they shattered the great rainbow.

His technique broken, Cui Yongzhi threw both hands forward to meet Xu Ying's punch. Xu Ying roared, and his Mud Pill and Jiang Palace, his two great Secret Treasuries, activated in unison, unleashing their full might!

Blood streamed from Cui Yongzhi's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth as he staggered backward.

Zhu Hongshan seized the opportunity to charge forward. Before she could even get close, a stream of Sword Qi cleaved down at her. She hastily mobilized her Grotto Heaven and activated the Zhu Family's Divine Power, the Divine Wind and Fire Linked, to block it!

The Zhu Family also cultivated the Jiang Palace Secret Treasury. Theirs was a different lineage from the Guo Family's, but it was still formidable, granting peerless strength. However, the moment Zhu Hongshan met the Sword Qi, she sensed its power surge to a level far beyond her imagination!

She hastily tried to dodge to the side, but it was too late. The sword light grazed her left shoulder, and her arm went flying!

Zhu Hongshan gritted her teeth against the searing pain. Just as she was about to call for help, Xu Ying made a grasping motion with his hand. The Qi Blood behind him transformed into a hundred-zhang-long Ba Snake that coiled around her, hoisted her upside down, and slammed her headfirst onto Cui Yongzhi, who had just managed to halt his retreat!