Ascension Day

Xu Ying was lost in a daze. That familiar scent... it was the aroma of Meng Po's Soup.

Everything in his dream was real.

It wasn't a dream. Perhaps it was a return to an old haunt, or perhaps this place held a mysterious power that had awakened one of his memories—one that had been sealed away three thousand years ago.

Those past events had been sealed away by Meng Po's Soup, forgotten by him, but now they were resurfacing.

He had relived that memory in his dream, and it felt surreal, illusory.

A fire ignited in his heart, one of grief and fury. 'Why did I have to go through all this? Who is manipulating my destiny?'

His grief and rage made him want to kill someone!

The white-robed old man, Beichenzi, watched as Xu Ying tilted his head back and downed a cup of Meng Po's Soup as if it were nothing. A chill ran through Beichenzi's heart. 'He drinks it like water. The two fellow Daoists should have reached the Celestial God Hall by now, shouldn't they? I hope they can deliver the Demon Suppression Rune soon, and that nothing happens on the road...'

Xu Ying's chilling gaze swept over him. Beichenzi's heart pounded, and he nearly bolted. He inwardly cried out in alarm, 'What kind of look is that? Does he recognize me?'

He was horrified. 'He remembers me? No, that's not right. I wasn't the one who sent him to the Jiang Family Field. I've only met him twice. Once on Wuyang Mountain, and the other time is right here. There was no third time. He absolutely cannot recognize me!'

The chilling aura in Xu Ying's gaze gradually faded. His expression grew somber, and he seemed distracted, constantly thinking about the events of those few months.

Sometimes, he would abruptly feel as though everything around him was still there. But when he snapped out of it, he would realize what he had already lost.

Seeing this, Da Zhong was about to ring out to help him recover. But it saw Xu Ying repeatedly activating the Heart Returning Seal Technique, steadying his Heart Spirit and forcing himself not to let his mind wander.

Da Zhong sighed to itself, relieved. 'Ying can pull through this on his own. His Dao Heart is already very strong.'

Xu Ying slowly walked a full circuit of Diqiu City. When he had first entered this Stone City, everything felt strange, but now it all seemed so familiar.

After all, he had once lived here for several months and had some wonderful memories.

Finally, it was time for them to leave.

Yuan Qi revealed his true form, and everyone sat atop his head. Xu Ying invited Beichenzi to join them. Beichenzi had been worrying about how to find an excuse to travel with them, so he was delighted by the offer and hopped onto the Big Snake's head.

"What a fragrance!" Beichenzi once again caught the scent of the Immortal Elixir on Zhu Chanchan, and his mouth began to water.

Xu Ying asked, "Senior Beichenzi, you are experienced and knowledgeable, so I have something to ask you. The time of the Great Han Emperor Wu was three thousand years ago, which is also when Nuo Masters rose to prominence. Is the disappearance of Qi Refiners and the rise of Nuo Masters related to Celestial-Human Communication?"

Upon hearing this, Da Zhong also began to listen attentively.

Beichenzi's eyes flickered, and he chuckled. "How would I know about something so ancient? The Qi Refiners declined and their teachings were gradually lost, so people turned to Cultivating Nuo. Isn't that perfectly normal? The Qi Refiners became obsolete and were eliminated by history. It's only natural."

Xu Ying pressed, "I heard that the decline of Qi Refiners and the rise of Nuo Masters was due to a problem with Celestial-Human Communication. Senior, have you heard any rumors to that effect?"

Beichenzi's expression shifted slightly. "Who told you that?"

Realizing he'd said too much, he quickly laughed it off. "That's all just rumor and speculation. There's nothing to it. Never mind three thousand years ago, who can even speak clearly about what happened three hundred years ago? I'm just a humble Nuo Master..."

"You're lying!"

With a THUMP, Zhu Chanchan hammered a fist into Beichenzi's chest and snapped, "You're clearly a Qi Refiner, so why do you call yourself a Stall Master?"

The punch landed on Beichenzi, causing the host of Magical Treasures hidden inside his body to RATTLE and jump about. He was terrified. 'This girl's fists are incredibly powerful!'

Zhu Chanchan's punch hadn't hurt him in the slightest, but the Magical Treasures hidden in his Mysterious Domain had been shaken so violently they nearly cracked, which alarmed Beichenzi greatly.

He circulated his Primordial Qi, and a series of Grotto Heavens surprisingly materialized behind him. They were suffused with Purple Qi and rooted in a vast expanse of it, swirling with the mists of Hongmeng.

Beichenzi smiled. "You see? I'm clearly a Nuo Master."

Zhu Chanchan was baffled. She scratched her head and said, "Strange. I clearly sensed the aura of a Qi Refiner's Magical Treasures on you."

Da Zhong and Yuan Qi were also surprised. They had assumed that since Beichenzi was with the grim-faced old man's group, he had to be a Qi Refiner. They never expected him to actually be a Nuo Master!

Xu Ying's expression remained neutral. He said, "I had originally thought Zhou Qiyun was the first person to cultivate both Nuo and Qi. I never expected that Senior Beichenzi was the true first."

Hearing this, Beichenzi laughed heartily. "I have indeed dabbled a little in Qi Refining. What would you like to know, Xu Demon King? I will tell you everything I know."

Xu Ying said, "During the period of the Great Han Emperor Wu, a certain Qi Refiner with the surname Dong proposed the theory of Celestial-Human Communication. He had a Great Mage communicate with the gods of heaven and earth here, but something went wrong at Diqiu, causing everyone in the city to disappear overnight."

Beichenzi's face paled, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. 'He's remembered these things? Aren't his memories supposed to be sealed?'

Xu Ying asked, "Senior, if I may be so bold, what exactly went wrong?"

Beichenzi was panicking inwardly. "How would I know about things from so long ago? I'm just an ordinary old man passing through. What happened three thousand years ago has nothing to do with me..."

Xu Ying pressed him, "Where did all those people go? Where did all the Qi Refiners go? They couldn't have just vanished overnight!"

Beichenzi gritted his teeth. "I really am just passing through, I... Fine. Regarding the matter of Diqiu, I've heard a few whispers. It's said that it might be related to the Celestial-Human Communication during the Martial Emperor Period. Back then, Qi Refining had already reached a dead end. In their pursuit of Longevity, people started down another path: Celestial-Human Communication, a way to infinitely amplify one's connection to the heavens, the earth, and nature itself."