Ascension Day

Suddenly, another figure flew out from the Lishan Mausoleum. From afar, they laughed and said, “The Immortal has graced us with his presence. How could we let you leave just like that?”

The figure landed. He was tall and handsome, and though old in years, he was still full of vigor. It was none other than Yuan Wuji, the sole surviving Nuo Immortal of the Yuan Family.

Just moments ago, Yuan Wuji had single-handedly fought against the Imperial Mausoleum Golden Man, a sight that had truly opened Xu Ying’s eyes. The scene of his confrontation with Xu Fu was even more admirable.

Xu Ying stepped forward and said, “This junior, Xu Ying, pays his respects to the Yuan Family Ancestor.”

Yuan Wuji quickly bowed and stepped forward to help him up, laughing. “Absolutely not! You are the Immortal. In this world, even the recently resurrected First Emperor would have to call you ‘Senior’ upon meeting you. How could you possibly perform a junior’s rite? You’ll bring me misfortune!”

Xu Ying straightened up, and Yuan Wuji laughed heartily. “A chance encounter is better than a formal invitation. The last time you came, I was not in the Divine Capital, so we were unable to meet. It’s a rare pleasure to meet you today, so I must treat you with the utmost hospitality! Weiyang, I was injured just now. Please entertain the Immortal for me first.”

Yuan Weiyang acknowledged and walked to Xu Ying’s side, saying, “Young Master Xu, this way, please.”

Xu Ying felt that he had become somewhat colder toward him again.

Although the Yuan Family was an ancient and declining Noble Family, its foundations were deep, and it had not fallen into complete ruin by Yuan Wuji’s generation. Yuan Wuji summoned a Treasure Chariot and brought out two Dragon Sparrows. These Dragon Sparrows had also become Divine Spirits through Incense and Candlelight; Noble Families often used such beings to pull their carriages.

Although the interior of the Treasure Chariot was quite vast, once Yuan Qi was stuffed inside, everyone else could only stand outside. Even Wujie Ancestor had to sit on the carriage’s shaft to circulate his energy and heal.

Lady Yuan and Elder Lady Yuan were frail and couldn’t bear the cold wind outside, so they had Yuan Qi make some room for them to squeeze into the carriage.

As Xu Ying’s group was rather large, they settled on top of Yuan Qi’s head, braving the wind and dew and sitting as if on the floor.

Seeing this, Hua Xianchen and the others each took a step forward, about to stop them from taking Xu Ying away. Feng Xian’Er quickly raised her phoenix wings to block them. “None of us are a match for that old man,” she said. “To attack now would be to throw our lives away for nothing! We’ll wait for Ancestor Xu Fu to return before we make another move!”

On the carriage, Zhu Chanchan stared with wide, round eyes, her gaze falling upon Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang. She saw one feigning a normal expression, while the other looked like they were about to speak but held back.

Suddenly, Xu Ying broke the silence. “After we parted ways in the Divine Capital, I lost my memory. I can’t remember many things clearly, only some things about you.”

Yuan Weiyang smiled. “Do you still remember the bet between us?”

Xu Ying thought for a moment, then shook his head.

Yuan Weiyang said, “Our bet was that if you could complete the missing parts of the Primordial Dao All Heavens Sensing, I would arrange for my younger sister, Rushi, to be betrothed to you. If I completed this Cultivation Technique first, you would have to promise me one thing. Now, I have already completed the missing parts. By practicing it, one can refine the Immortal Elixir from the Yellow Court Secret Treasury. What about you?”

Xu Ying shook his head. “I’ve had amnesia for three months, so I don’t remember this bet. I lose. Besides, I don’t like your sister, Rushi.”

A chill spread through Yuan Weiyang’s heart.

Just then, Xu Ying grabbed her hands, his gaze fiery. “The one I like is you! I like it when you grab my hand and we run through the streets and alleys. I like it when you take me to the Incense and Candle Post Road. I like it when you lie beside me and look at the sky. And I like it when you lean close, letting me smell the fragrance of the powder on your face.”

Yuan Weiyang’s heart was a tangled mess. She said in a fluster, “Xu Demon King, your memory is mistaken. That was my sister…”

Xu Ying refused to let go of her hands, smiling. “I remember it was you. We even picked locust flowers on the Big Locust Tree and caught Dragon Loaches together.”

Yuan Weiyang’s face flushed red, and she whispered, “Let go, let go of me first! The person you’re talking about really is my sister, not me…”

Zhu Chanchan sat beside them, her eyes narrowed into a grin, not saying a word. ‘This is getting out of hand,’ she thought. ‘Ying had his current life’s memories sealed by the Demon Suppression, and now he’s even mistaken the girl he likes. And those two scoundrels, Da Zhong and the Big Snake, aren’t even reminding him. They’re just enjoying the show.’

Suddenly, she jumped up, went behind Yuan Weiyang, and laughed. “Look at you two big men. What’s so great about holding hands? Do it like this!”

She wrapped her arms around Yuan Weiyang from behind, placed her hands on their chest, and laughed. “Give a squeeze and you’ll know he’s a real man… huh?”

A look of confusion appeared on Zhu Chanchan’s face. She squeezed again and whispered, “What’s going on? Why…”

She let go, then squeezed her own chest and muttered, “So soft… and about the same size.”

She walked away, looking utterly bewildered.

Da Zhong, who had been guffawing, suddenly stopped, baffled. “Wha—?”

The Big Snake, which had been stifling its laughter, was now also utterly astonished.

Yuan Weiyang broke free from Xu Ying’s grasp and straightened her clothes, which Zhu Chanchan had disheveled. With a serious expression, she said, “You two, stop being so improper. Otherwise, we can’t even be friends.”

Xu Ying quickly sat up straight and proper. “Weiyang is right to scold me. I’m not usually such a frivolous person. My memories must be in disarray. I’ll need some time to adjust.”

Yuan Weiyang secretly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. “After I comprehended the improved method for the Primordial Dao All Heavens Sensing, I tested it and found it could be used to refine the Yellow Court Immortal Elixir, so I passed it on to my ancestor. Now that he has refined the Immortal Elixir, he no longer has to worry about being consumed. This time, he was also unaffected by that blood sacrifice and was able to go head-to-head with the scar-faced man.”

Xu Ying was astonished. “Wujie Ancestor is that powerful? He can confront Xu Fu head-on?”

Yuan Weiyang didn’t know why he was so surprised, but Xu Ying had personally witnessed just how heaven-defyingly terrifying Xu Fu’s combat strength was.

The evil flesh and blood formed from the deceased Ancient Qi Refiners in the Huo Tong Cave Heaven had been incinerated to nothing by a single blast of Xu Fu’s Sanmei True Fire. In the Lishan Mausoleum, the Imperial Mausoleum Golden Man had been suppressed the very moment it began to awaken, unable to fully rouse!

The Evil God Worms in the Mercury River were no match for his Immortal Body, Immortal Power, and Immortal Fire, and were burned to cinders.

When he stood on Fangzhang Immortal Mountain fighting those Nuo Immortals, even though the distance was great and the view was unclear, Xu Ying had still seen Xu Fu dispatch a Nuo Immortal with a single move. He didn’t even need a second strike!

‘And Yuan Wuji can be compared to Xu Fu just by refining the Immortal Elixir in his body?’

“My ancestor also deciphered an Ancient Technique for Qi Refining that leads directly to Ascension, called the ‘Yellow Court Daoist Skill’.”

Yuan Weiyang smiled. “He focused on the Yellow Court Daoist Skill and cultivated both Qi and Nuo, which is how he achieved his current success.”

Xu Ying had a sudden realization and smiled. “No wonder.”

He looked at Yuan Wuji, who was sitting on the carriage shaft healing himself. Just then, Da Zhong’s voice sounded in his mind. ‘Ying, right now, Yuan Wuji’s Cultivation Power can probably be compared to Zhou Qiyun’s before his Ascension, right? However, I estimate that Xu Fu’s power far exceeds Zhou Qiyun’s.’

Xu Ying did not reply.

‘Xu Fu, standing on Fangzhang Immortal Mountain, was a true Immortal,’ he thought. ‘The fact that Yuan Wuji could fight him to a draw makes me suspicious.’

As if sensing his gaze, Yuan Wuji looked up, smiled faintly, and gave Xu Ying a slight nod.

Xu Ying gave a slight bow and whispered, “Lord Zhong, don’t use your Divine Sense to speak in front of him again. The elixir in his Yellow Court is a Divine Sense Immortal Elixir. Using your Divine Sense is like showing off your axe before the master carpenter; you can’t possibly deceive his senses.”

Da Zhong was alarmed. ‘You’re saying he heard me?’

Xu Ying nodded silently.

Startled, Da Zhong hastily flew up from the Sea of Chaos into Xu Ying’s Mysterious Domain. It passed through the Profound Gate, crossed Heaven-Flipping Mountain, and arrived at Xu Ying’s Fourth Heaven.

In the sky above this Heaven, Water and Fire Inter-refining churned in endless turmoil. Xu Ying was stuck before this stage, unable to break through.

If his Spiritual Soul could enter the water and fire, activate the Samadhi True Fire and Samadhi Divine Water, and forge an Alchemy Pill within the Furnace Cauldron, he would be considered a master among Qi Refiners!

Da Zhong, together with Xu Ying’s Spiritual Soul, began to crookedly write on the ground. “If he can fight Xu Fu to a draw, then his power far exceeds that of Zhou Qiyun on the eve of his Tribulation Crossing! At my peak, Xu Fu could ignore my chimes and grab my handle with one hand. Zhou Qiyun shouldn’t be able to do that! He could injure me, but nowhere near as easily as Xu Fu.”

Xu Ying also wrote on the ground, “Zhou Qiyun once said that he defeated Yuan Wuji. So, what caused Yuan Wuji to improve by leaps and bounds?”

The man and the bell fell silent, each having a few ominous suspicions.

Xu Ying wrote, “Is it possible for him to have surpassed Zhou Qiyun and reached Xu Fu’s level in just six short months?”

Da Zhong wrote, “If that’s not possible… then is this Yuan Wuji still Yuan Wuji?”