Ascension Day

The three of them felt a wave of relief upon seeing the words on the yellow paper. The sorrowful-faced old man said, "I'm going to the Celestial God Hall to retrieve a Demon Suppression Rune. You two stay here and keep a close watch on him. There can be no mistakes!"

The red-robed woman said, "The Sealing Rune is too important. In these chaotic times, it would be disastrous if something happened to you on the road. I'll go with you!"

The sorrowful-faced old man pondered for a moment before saying, "Alright. The situation is urgent, so we'll be as quick as we can. We'll have to trouble you with Xu Ying, Daoist Brother."

The white-robed old man said, "Just don't dally on the way. I'd rather not be left here on edge."

"We understand!" The sorrowful-faced old man and the red-robed woman departed in a hurry.

The white-robed old man looked toward the Divine Capital City, just in time to see Xu Ying obliterate Shi Beihuang with a toll of his Bell. Xu Ying then charged into the Shi Mansion, unleashing a blood-drenched Stone Axe and beginning a massacre. In an instant, a river of blood flowed.

He cut down anyone who stood in his way with a single swing of the axe. And if one swing wasn't enough, a casual toll of the Bell from Xu Ying would shatter their very souls!

The slaughter was accompanied by the sound of a pipa. Its notes were frantic and pressing, each one suffused with killing intent. The music grew clamorous and sharp whenever Xu Ying killed, only to slow when he lowered his axe.

Even for a man as worldly and experienced as the white-robed old man, the sight made his heart pound in his chest. 'If he keeps killing like this, he'll awaken more of his memories. He'll break free long before they can get back with the Sealing Rune!'

Suddenly, a heart-stopping fluctuation rippled out from the Shi Mansion. Shi Mo Lei had awakened from his seclusion to save his kinsmen.

Even with his Vitality severed by the Pure Yang Anomalous Fire and his soul grievously wounded, he was still a Nuo Immortal who had opened the Nine Cave Heavens!

However, the very instant he emerged, Xu Ying unleashed Da Zhong, trapping him and the grand hall he had been meditating in beneath it.

Trapped beneath the Bell with him was a wisp of Pure Yang Anomalous Fire. Its power was unleashed, and flames raged under the Bell's dome. Shi Mo Lei's wretched, unending screams echoed throughout the entire Divine Capital!

Da Zhong hovered over Shi Mo Lei's head, its layered walls of light rotating endlessly. The inner surface was engraved with all the things of creation, while the outer surface bore intricate patterns, all in a state of constant flux.

Trapped beneath the Bell, Shi Mo Lei's Flesh Body, his soul, and even his Mysterious Domain were all set ablaze by the Pure Yang Anomalous Fire. The flames contorted the Nuo Immortal's face into a savage mask as he frantically hammered against the wall of light!

The wall of light shuddered violently under his assault, but it held firm.

Outside, Xu Ying's form danced around Da Zhong, striking the Bell Wall with one Palm Seal after another. Da Zhong shuddered, its power erupting. The toll of the Bell stoked the Pure Yang Anomalous Fire, intensifying its might!

The Pure Yang Anomalous Fire suppressed the power of Shi Mo Lei's Spring Secret Treasury. Xu Ying had sensed this, which was why he chose to burn him with the Anomalous Fire.

Zhu Hongyi floated in mid-air, her body involuntarily following Xu Ying's every move. Her red robes fluttered around Da Zhong as the sound of her pipa grew ever more high-pitched and impassioned—each note a herald of death!

High in the skies above the Divine Capital, powerful figures watched this scene unfold, their Heart Spirits trembling.

Suddenly, beneath Da Zhong, from within the sea of fire, Shi Mo Lei activated his Hidden Land. He concealed himself within the Hidden Scenery, using Stealth and Concealment to resist the Anomalous Fire's incineration.

Xu Ying's Cultivation was also nearly depleted. The vast sea of Anomalous Fire had scorched Shi Mo Lei's Mysterious Domain, making it impossible to breach the Hidden Land within the Spring Secret Treasury.

Zhu Hongyi felt the strings of the pipa in her hands suddenly go slack. As if a great weight had been lifted, she clutched the instrument and fled in a hurry, not daring to linger for even a moment.

Just then, the Great Bell Light Wall shimmered faintly. Xu Ying froze, staying his hand to preserve the last shred of his Cultivation. The vast sea of Anomalous Fire beneath Da Zhong instantly receded, reverting to a single, small flame.

Da Zhong paused, bewildered. "Ying, what's wrong? Do you still recognize me?"

Xu Ying gave it a surprised look, wondering why it would ask such a strange question.

Da Zhong said, "You were terrifying just now. You pushed the Stone Axe to its absolute limit, fully unleashed the power of the Anomalous Fire, and even used me to release my maximum power. It was like you'd become a completely different person!"

Xu Ying chuckled. "Lord Zhong, I'm still me. There's no one else. I just suddenly felt that was how I was supposed to use the Stone Axe and the Anomalous Fire. I didn't really think about it."

Hearing this, Da Zhong finally relaxed and said with a laugh, "I just don't want anything to happen to you."

It breathed a sigh of relief. Xu Ying's behavior had been terrifying, but he was still the same Xu Ying as before. He hadn't suddenly turned into someone else.

Xu Ying was touched. He asked, "Lord Zhong, did you notice anything pass through the wall of light and enter the Bell just now?"

Da Zhong was flabbergasted. "My wall of light is a manifestation of my own Great Dao. How could something possibly pass through my Dao Image without me sensing it? Are you seeing things?"

Xu Ying said, "But I definitely sensed something strange pass through the wall of light and enter the Bell..."

Zhu Chanchan walked over, praising him. "You're every bit the Guardian I chose, Ying. Your skills as a Stall Master are quite impressive! And Da Zhong is very powerful, too!"

Yuan Qi quickly interjected, "What about me?"

Zhu Chanchan shot him a glance but said nothing.

Xu Ying asked, "Chanchan, did you see anything enter the Bell?"

Zhu Chanchan shook her head. "I didn't."

Xu Ying asked Yuan Qi, who also hadn't seen anything. Xu Ying fell into thought, then told Da Zhong to disperse its wall of light. "Let's go take a look inside the Shi Family patriarch's Hidden Land," he said. "I have a very bad feeling about this."

Da Zhong instantly grew nervous. "We only managed to trap and kill him because we had the element of surprise!" it said hurriedly. "If we face him head-on, I'm not sure I can protect you!"

Xu Ying insisted on going in. Da Zhong had no choice but to say, "Alright, but you absolutely must not leave the area covered by the mouth of my Bell. If you step outside of it, I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you!"