Ascension Day

Chapter 250: Chapter 118: The Restoration of the Qi Refiners

Xu Ying’s gaze swept across the excited faces, meeting pair after pair of fervent eyes.

“For three thousand years, darkness has shrouded the world, but the light never left—it was merely hidden. We have been waiting for an opportunity, and you are that opportunity! Your return has brought the light!”

Xu Fu laughed heartily. “Only we Qi Refiners are the orthodox path! All other heresies don’t deserve to exist in this world! After your return, the first thing we must do is resurrect Emperor Zulong!”

Xu Ying was profoundly shaken. He turned to look at him and asked, “Resurrect Emperor Zulong?”

Xu Fu was inexplicably excited and laughed. “That’s right, resurrect Emperor Zulong! That man Dong promoted his Exclusive Nuo Art, casting the world into chaos. Only by reviving Emperor Zulong can we use an iron fist to crush the chaos and restore order!”

An excited light danced in his eyes. “Emperor Zulong will once again burn the books and bury the Nuo Masters, and this time, it will be even more ferocious than the last! This land, this New Land that has emerged, will be cleansed with the blood of Nuo Masters!”

Xu Ying composed himself. Although he had not yet recovered his memories from this lifetime, he had a nagging feeling that what Xu Fu planned to do was not necessarily a good thing.

Although the Nuo Technique had all sorts of drawbacks, it was a supplement to the Cultivation Techniques of the Qi Refiners.

‘I should tell them that one cannot achieve Longevity using only the Cultivation Techniques of a Qi Refiner,’ Xu Ying thought.

Just then, he saw two familiar figures and froze.

Xu Fu noticed his body stiffen. Slightly taken aback, he followed Xu Ying’s gaze and saw a dashing young man and a charmingly beautiful woman.

Xu Fu asked, puzzled, “Xu Master, you know Young Master Xiang and Thirteenth Lady?”

Xu Ying nodded lightly, his voice impassive. “Of course, I do.”

Xu Fu beckoned to Young Master Xiang and Thirteenth Lady. The two hurried forward. Young Master Xiang was the first to step up and bow, smiling. “This junior, Xiang Haikong, pays his respects to the Immortal! Elder Xu, this junior was blind and failed to recognize your greatness. I offended you on the Naihe River last time. I beg for your forgiveness!”

Thirteenth Lady also scurried forward, bowing gracefully. In a pitiable voice, she said, “Chu the Thirteenth Lady offended you on the Naihe River, Senior. I will never dare to do so again. Whether you wish to beat me, punish me, or do… something else, this junior will comply with your wishes.”

As she spoke, she secretly raised her eyes to peek at Xu Ying’s expression.

Xu Ying’s expression was as tranquil as an old well.

Xu Fu smiled. “So that’s what it was. No wonder Xu Master knew you two. You’ve made a grave mistake by offending Xu Master, and I cannot let you off lightly. However, this is a time when we need all the help we can get. We will record your transgressions for now and deal with them later.”

Xiang Haikong and Chu the Thirteenth Lady were both shocked and delighted. They looked up at Xu Ying.

Xu Fu chuckled. “Xu Master, just let them go like a fart in the wind.” He waved his hand, dismissing them.

“Hold on.”

Xu Ying said flatly, “You can let farts go freely, but not people.”

Xu Fu turned his head, surprised. “Could it be that Xu Master is not appeased? Young Master Xiang, Thirteenth Lady, Xu Master is not satisfied. You know what to do.”

Xiang Haikong hesitated for a moment, then drew a sword and, gritting his teeth, plunged it into his own thigh. Seeing this, Chu the Thirteenth Lady also took out a Flying Saber and stabbed it into her own abdomen.

Xu Fu shook his head and sighed. “Why must you debase yourselves like this? Xu Master, what do you think?”

Xu Ying’s gaze fell upon the two of them. He said softly, “I already took my revenge for them trying to ambush and kill me. I beat them until their bones were broken and their tendons were torn. Therefore, I didn’t stop them to seek vengeance.”

Xiang Haikong and Chu the Thirteenth Lady both breathed a sigh of relief. They stood up and said with placating smiles, “Elder Xu is magnanimous.” With that, they supported each other and made to leave.

Xu Ying said, “You cannot leave.”

The two stopped and looked at Xu Ying.

Xu Ying’s gaze turned chilling. “I want to know, you were the ones who summoned the Plague God, weren’t you?”

He still remembered that night, riding on the Tower Ship of the girl in the coffin, seeing the tragic scenes on both banks of the Naihe River. Countless bodies were piled up like mountains, burning in great fires.

He also remembered the Naihe River being diverted, and how many families were shattered, how many people died in the resulting Ghost God invasions!

He was searching for the truth not for himself, but to avenge all those who had died unjustly!

The complexions of Xiang Haikong and Chu the Thirteenth Lady changed drastically, and they looked toward Xu Fu.

Yuan Qi and Da Zhong hadn’t understood Xu Ying’s intentions, but upon hearing this, they instantly realized the truth. Back when the Naihe River was diverted, the girl in the coffin had asked Xu Ying to act—to drive away the Plague God with his whip and set the sky ablaze for thousands of miles. Why the Plague God had descended and why the Naihe River had changed its course were all unsolved mysteries!

“To summon the Plague God, how many people did you sacrifice?”

Xu Ying’s gaze rested on the pair, his expression neutral, betraying no hint of emotion. “How many people did the Plague God kill? A million? Ten million? Did you also divert the Naihe River? And the invasion from the Underworld? Were you involved in that as well?”

Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on Xiang Haikong’s forehead as he looked incessantly toward Xu Fu.

Xu Fu said softly, “This isn’t such a big deal. Young Master Xiang, Thirteenth Lady, if you really did it, just admit it.”

Chu the Thirteenth Lady giggled. “Summoning the Plague God was indeed related to us, and yes, we were the ones who diverted the Naihe River. If we hadn’t killed some people to sacrifice to the Plague God, how could he have descended? And if the Plague God hadn’t gone on a killing spree, how could the Naihe River have been diverted?”

Young Master Xiang quickly added, “Only by diverting the Naihe River could we flood Little Stone Mountain, assault the Deserted Temple, and rescue the Qi Refiners suppressed in the stone well!”

Hearing this, Da Zhong erupted in a furious, grief-stricken roar, “So you were the ones attacking Little Stone Mountain on the night the Naihe River was diverted! You’re the ones who destroyed my three thousand years of meritorious work in an instant! In that well of mine, I was suppressing a Celestial God who ran rampant three thousand years ago!”

Chu the Thirteenth Lady spoke quickly, “It’s just that that woman didn’t know what was good for her. We saved her, but she was ungrateful. She injured that Bell and left!”

Xiang Haikong said, “She even burned the Plague God in Zu Du Country and launched a sneak attack…”

Xu Fu coughed. A chill ran through Xiang Haikong’s heart, and he dared not say more.

Xu Fu smiled. “This whole affair is a minor issue. For the great cause of the Qi Refiners’ restoration, some things must be sacrificed. Sacrificing these lives in exchange for the rise of the Qi Refiners… I believe it was worth it…”

“Brother Xu, have you asked those who were sacrificed?”

Xu Ying asked, “Did you ever ask them if their deaths were worth it?”

Xu Fu frowned and sighed. “Xu Master, four thousand years have passed, and you’re still so stubborn. You’ve struggled in the Mortal World, living as a Mortal for four thousand years. After taking so many beatings from life for four millennia, haven’t your sharp edges been worn down yet?”

A towering rage blazed in Xu Ying’s heart. His gaze was glacial as he said, “Brother Xu, do not make an enemy of me.”

He started walking toward Young Master Xiang. “Today, I will kill two people!”

Suddenly, Xu Fu burst out laughing. He reached out from behind, placed a hand on Xu Ying’s shoulder, and said with a smile, “Everything that happened before was just a misunderstanding.”

Xu Ying found himself unable to move. He turned his head to meet Xu Fu’s gaze and said softly, “And what if it wasn’t a misunderstanding?”

The scar at the corner of Xu Fu’s eye gradually turned red. His gaze grew colder and colder. Releasing Xu Ying’s shoulder, he smiled. “It’s been four thousand years, and you still haven’t changed. You had this same look in your eyes back then, on the sea. The scar you gave me all those years ago has yet to heal.”