Ascension Day

Although Xu Ying had comprehended the Tuo Yu Immortal Book and knew that practicing this Cultivation Technique would completely drain one’s Primordial Yang, gradually changing a man’s form into a woman’s, he didn’t know exactly how the Primordial Yang was drained. His interest was inevitably piqued.

The Zhou Family’s eldest son, Zhou Zhi, shot upward from below with a roar. While still in mid-air, the Dao Image behind him transformed into a golden-furred Violent Ape. Its claws dug into the tree bark as its massive body, parallel to the ground, sprinted madly upward. When he was still dozens of yards away from Xu Ying, he suddenly threw a punch!

His frenzy was even more ferocious than an Ox Demon’s. With this fighting style, every time he threw a punch, the fist of the massive golden-furred Violent Ape Dao Image behind him also shot out. The mere force of the blow caused huge, mat-sized pieces of the Big Locust Tree’s bark to explode outward.

Xu Ying executed the Ba Snake Eight Forms, a giant python coiling around him to meet the attack head-on. However, the impact shook him so violently that his Qi and Blood churned, and he was repeatedly knocked upward. His Ba Snake Dao Image also began to smoke as if it were made of mere Incense and Candlelight, its own Qi and Blood continuously scattering!

Suddenly, Xu Ying formed a Sword Pointing with his left hand: index and middle fingers extended together, thumb holding down the other two. He then thrust it forward.

Within his Mysterious Domain, the Dao Image of the Breaking Realm Sword Qi vanished. An instant later, a beam of sword light, like a long rainbow, erupted from Xu Ying’s right shoulder and slashed down toward Zhou Zhi!

Zhou Zhi clapped his hands together, meeting the Sword Qi head-on. Behind him, the Violent Ape Dao Image did the same, its massive palms colliding with a thunderous clap!

"BANG!"

A deafening boom echoed as both Zhou Zhi and his Violent Ape Dao Image were crushed to their knees. The bark of the Big Locust Tree beneath them shattered, sending splinters flying everywhere!

Xu Ying’s Breaking Realm Sword Qi grew stronger the more resistance it met. The more forcefully Zhou Zhi blocked, the more powerful the Sword Qi became!

Zhou Zhi knelt on the splintered bark, the Violent Ape Dao Image behind him already cleaved in two by the sword strike. The beam of light pointed directly at his forehead, its immense pressure forcing blood from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth!

The blade’s descent halted just an inch from the space between his eyebrows. Blood and sweat streamed down Zhou Zhi’s face, but he managed a faint smile.

From behind, the five pursuing Zhou Clan disciples caught up. Seeing the situation, they all opened their Sword Boxes, and a swarm of Flying Swords whistled through the air toward Xu Ying!

Seeing this, Xu Ying thrust out a Sword Pointing with his right hand. Instantly, the Flying Swords spun out of control, seized by his Sword Intent. SHING! SHING! SHING! Their power surged dramatically, and, filled with immense force, they stabbed into Zhou Zhi!

Zhou Zhi’s Vajra Indestructible Body was truly formidable. The Flying Swords penetrated only two inches into his Flesh Body before they were stopped, unable to advance any further!

"Impressive skill!"

With a delicate cry, the eldest son Zhou Zhi leaped into the air. While airborne, his Abnormal Phenomenon shifted once more. The Violent Ape behind him erupted in furious flames, transforming into a Three-legged Golden Crow that lunged forward.

Flames raged on the Golden Crow’s wings, radiating an intense heat and containing terrifying Sun Essence Qi. With a single flap, it melted the Flying Swords to slag.

The Golden Crow’s three talons were capable of shattering skulls and splitting brains, crushing all resistance with ease. Even the Flying Swords that struck it failed to leave a single scratch!

Xu Ying met the assault head-on for several exchanges but found he couldn’t withstand the pressure. He kept using the force of the blows to retreat further up the tree. Then, he suddenly unleashed the "Tai" Dao Sound from the Yuan Yu Eight Sounds.

Instantly, his Five Viscera were activated. His abdomen swelled like a drum as he heard the Celestial River Water from his Mysterious Domain pour into him. It churned together with his Primordial Qi, strengthening his internal organs!

Xu Ying threw a punch at Zhou Zhi and the Three-legged Golden Crow. POP! POP! The sleeve of his right arm burst apart. A symphony of sound erupted from his muscles and bones as his Qi and Blood surged. At that moment, even the Ba Snake coiling around him solidified many times over, becoming like a true Ba Snake with the power to devour the heavens!

As he threw the punch, Zhou Zhi was still in mid-air. All he saw was the Ba Snake opening its cavernous, blood-red maw and swallowing both him and the Golden Crow Dao Image behind him in a single gulp!

However, the Ba Snake Dao Image was not a physical entity and couldn’t truly swallow him. But the Power Dao embedded in the punch struck him squarely.

Zhou Zhi’s body convulsed as if it were about to burst. The Golden Crow Dao Image behind him was completely crushed, disintegrating into dust and smoke!

"No wonder you were able to kill so many experts from my Zhou Family. Xu Demon King, you truly are incredible!"

Zhou Zhi let out a delicate laugh. As he plummeted, he performed Contemplation once more, unleashing another variation of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Hidden Scenery Technique. Behind him, a Celestial Dragon Dao Image materialized.

The dragon coiled around the tree trunk, moving as if in flight as it charged upward from below!

Xu Ying unleashed his Yuan Yu Eight Sounds, consecutively shattering several variations of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Hidden Scenery Technique.

The two fought their way from the middle of the Big Locust Tree’s trunk all the way up to its crown. The five Zhou Clan disciples far behind them were already gasping for breath, unable to keep up, and could only force themselves to push onward.

With a rush of wind, Xu Ying and Zhou Zhi landed separately amidst the branches of the treetop.

The eldest son, Zhou Zhi, raised his left hand and gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind his ear. He pursed his lips in a smile and said, "The Xu Demon King is truly worthy of his title. To think you can withstand my Zhou Family’s Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Hidden Scenery Technique... you are a true hero of this generation!"

Xu Ying’s expression was indifferent. "The Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Hidden Scenery Technique is not the Zhou Family’s ultimate Magic Skill," he said. "The Zhou Family’s old ancestor never uses this Hidden Scenery technique when facing powerful foes. This proves that the Zhou Family’s supreme Cultivation Technique has not been passed down to you."

Zhou Zhi seemed to share the sentiment. He sighed, "The internal politics of the Zhou Family have been rotting for a long time. It’s the common disease of all great clans: the old refuse to step down, and the young can’t rise up. We can never receive the ultimate inheritance. Everyone fights over a few positions as true disciples, even to the point of murdering their own kin. Heh heh... if those old fossils don’t make way for the younger generation, a great clan loses its vitality. If not for that, why would I have ever needed to practice the Tuo Yu Immortal Book?"

Xu Ying burst out laughing. He activated his Taiyi Guiding Skill, taking the opportunity to recover some of his Primordial Qi. "So you’ve comprehended the true meaning of the Tuo Yu Immortal Book?" he asked with a smile.

Zhou Zhi replied leisurely, "I was quite gifted from a young age, but I’m also self-aware. I know I’m not the most intelligent person in the Zhou Family. With so many geniuses in the family all trying—and failing—to comprehend the Tuo Yu Immortal Book, why would I bother making the same pointless effort? However, I knew one thing: all those brilliant people would surely compile their findings, organize them, and send them to the Old Ancestor."