Ascension Day

Zhou Qiyun’s expression flickered. ’Why would Your Majesty come to Yongzhou at a time like this? And why use the Ghost Doll to collect Yang Qi? Don’t tell me...’

A strange look crossed his face. ’The wound I gave him all those years ago... it still hasn’t healed?’

He sighed and looked up at the sky. ’The Emperor of Ultimate Dao once did me a great favor, and I have no desire to assassinate an emperor and usurp the throne,’ he thought. ’But you, Holy God Emperor... your arrival in Yongzhou at this time puts me in a very difficult position.’

Xu Ying looked around and found himself on a great mountain. He was standing at the edge of a cliff. Looking down, he could only see an expanse of turquoise water.

It was a lake. Just moments ago, the Golden Armor Soldiers guarding the cliff’s edge had fished them out of it with fishing lines!

The strange thing was, a moment ago they had clearly been in the Cangwu Abyss, not a lake.

’Besides, the Cangwu Abyss should have two banks,’ Xu Ying thought. ’This cliff can only be considered one of them. So where did the other bank go?’

Xu Ying looked across. There was only open sky. In the distance were green mountains and clear waters, but no opposing cliff to match the one he was on.

’Could it be that the other bank of the Cangwu Abyss isn’t on Jiuyi Mountain?’

He wondered, where could the other bank possibly be?

"Xu Demon King, something isn’t right about this important figure from the Capital!"

Yuan Weiyang came to his side and whispered, "Look at the people guarding the mountain passes. They aren’t from any ordinary Jianghu Sects. Their uniforms... they belong to the Capital’s Jinwu Guard!"

Xu Ying looked over. Sure enough, there were armored men stationed at various treacherous points on the peaks. Being from the countryside, he was no expert on attire, but he could tell this armor was likely a collection of rare treasures.

Every single plate of the armor shimmered with a precious glow!

Streaks of light circled above their heads, dancing in the air. Every so often, a strand of Sword Qi would descend and fly into the Sword Box at their feet to continue its refinement.

Yuan Qi poked its head out from Xu Ying’s collar and whispered in his ear, "The Great Tang was founded on martial might, and the Nuo Masters of that era were known as Martial Nuo. In those prosperous times, the scions of the Capital loved to cultivate swords. They didn’t use physical Treasure Swords, but instead refined pure Sword Qi, nurturing it in a Sword Box. After a long period of refinement, the Sword Qi could soar out from the box and kill without a trace. The practice became less common over time, though. Now, only the palace’s ceremonial guards still do it."

’Strange, why is there Incense Smoke Qi?’ Xu Ying wondered, looking toward the great hall with suspicion.

The Incense Smoke Qi in the great hall was so thick that it wafted outside, forming an azure vapor—a Qingyun!

Xu Ying had only ever seen Incense Smoke Qi on such a scale emanating from the towering Divine Statues of the Underworld Celestial Court!

Yuan Weiyang gazed at the Qingyun. "Imperial Authority commands the livelihood of the people; it is their hope and the focus of their hearts. The Emperor, who gathers the faith of the masses, is himself the most powerful god in the world. Inside that hall must be the supreme sovereign of the Mortal World!"

Xu Ying was shaken. "You mean... the Emperor is inside that hall?"

Yuan Weiyang said, "It stands to reason."

Just then, a purple-robed man emerged from the great hall in the distance. He called out in a shrill voice, "There was chaos in the Underworld today, so Qi Collection is canceled for now! All of you, go and rest. We will descend to the Underworld to resume Qi Collection tomorrow!"

The Nuo Masters of the Cangwu Sect all breathed a sigh of relief. They formed a line and headed off into the mountains, some taking off their Inconstancy Masks, chatting and laughing.

’So, the ones who have taken over Jiuyi Mountain and are forcing the Cangwu Sect into the Underworld to collect Yang Qi are actually people from the imperial palace.’

Xu Ying couldn’t help but study the purple-robed man. He whispered, "That man in purple... could he be one of those legendary eunuchs?"

He had never seen a eunuch before and was naturally curious.

The purple-robed man looked down on the crowd, his brow furrowing. "Did that many Nuo Masters die? General Yingyang, go to the nearby Jianghu Sects and abduct some more."

From behind him, an imposing, powerfully built man stepped forward. "These Nuo Masters from the Jianghu Sects practice unsystematic Nuo Arts and Nuo Techniques. They’re just Loose Practitioners. Their Cultivation Power, experience, and perspective are all inferior to those of the Noble Family Descendants. Why not requisition some of them instead?"

The purple-robed man shook his head. "His Majesty’s presence out here, away from the palace, is a secret. Alerting the Noble Families would mean alerting the entire world. This operation must be handled as discreetly as possible. The Jianghu Sects are weak. Once we’re done with them, we can simply wipe them out without causing much of a stir. But the Noble Families... they aren’t so easy to get rid of."

General Yingyang agreed. "Yes. For years, Your Majesty has been trying to curb the power of the vassals and reduce the influence of the Noble Families. We are here in Yongzhou collecting Qi to extend His Majesty’s life. If the Noble Families were to find out, who knows what kind of trouble they would stir up! Before, when we were collecting Yang Qi from living people in the Mortal World, the deaths of over two hundred commoners caused a massive uproar. These bastard Noble Families kill who knows how many commoners on a daily basis, but when His Majesty does away with a few for the sake of Longevity, they start raising a fuss."

The purple-robed man sighed. "The eyes of the world are on His Majesty, countless people just waiting for him to make a mistake. We could suppress the matter of those two hundred-odd commoners by blaming it on an outbreak of evil spirits and beheading a few scapegoats from the Jianghu Sects, but we can’t continue that operation in the Mortal World. Fortunately, things changed here in Yongzhou. With the Underworld’s invasion, we no longer need to go *to* the Underworld to collect Yang Qi."

He said with a smiling sigh, "It’s just unfortunate for the people of Yongzhou."

General Yingyang also sighed. "Let the people of Yongzhou suffer for a few more years. Once they get used to it, they won’t complain anymore. Eunuch Chen, I will take my leave."

He turned and departed.

The purple-robed Eunuch Chen returned to the great hall, thinking to himself, ’Your Majesty’s old ailment has flared up again. On top of that, he’s practicing that Immortal Technique... He’s grown more and more irritable these past few days, ready to kill at the slightest provocation. Is it really safe to be cultivating a technique like that?’

Yuan Weiyang quietly nudged Xu Ying in the ribs, motioning for him to look behind them. Xu Ying turned his head and saw that Zhou Qiyun had vanished.

"Should we try to slip away?" Yuan Weiyang whispered.

Xu Ying hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "We won’t get the chance."

Yuan Weiyang thought about it and her shoulders slumped in defeat. Zhou Qiyun was simply too powerful. He had forced his way into the Yin Court and emerged completely unscathed. Escaping from him would be harder than climbing to heaven.

Xu Ying removed his mask and looked around. He saw that Jiuyi Mountain itself had changed. The mountain had not been particularly high before, and its scenery had been merely beautiful. Though he had visited before, he had never examined it closely.

But the Jiuyi Mountain of today was towering and perilous. Its peaks pierced the clouds, and its topography was varied, magnificent, and majestic—a world apart from the mountain he remembered!

This Jiuyi Mountain looked more like the one depicted on the Jade Disc in Qinyan Cave’s Mysterious Palace!

"South of the Xiaoxiang, the Cangwu Abyss. Beneath Jiuyi Mountain, an Immortal resides." ’I’ve seen the Cangwu Abyss,’ he thought. ’So where is the Immortal?’

The more they looked at Jiuyi Mountain, the more extraordinary it seemed. Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang found themselves wandering through the peaks, admiring the magnificent scenery, when they suddenly overheard someone say, "For a minor Jianghu Sect like the Cangwu Sect to occupy such a renowned mountain... I really can’t say if it’s a blessing or a curse."

"It’s a curse, for sure. After they’ve been used, I doubt even a trace of this Sect will be left."

Xu Ying looked toward the voices and saw two beautiful young women dressed in the style of the palace. They wore green dresses with white bandeaus that pushed their chests up high. They bounced as they walked, creating a dazzling sight in the sunlight.

"Confucius said not to look at what is improper, Xu Demon King. Where are your eyes wandering?" Yuan Weiyang chided.

Xu Ying asked, confused, "Aren’t you looking too? Are they ladies from the palace? Their clothes are beautiful."

"Are you really looking at their clothes?"

Yuan Weiyang rolled her eyes at him and explained in a low voice, "They’re dressed as young maidens, which means they aren’t Palace Maids or other court ladies. They have a different background. I’ve heard that the current Empress’s family name is Guo. They’re a major Noble Family. The Emperor only secured his throne by marrying into the Guo Family."

Yuan Qi added, "I heard that after the Emperor of Ultimate Dao became incompetent, the nation was nearly destroyed. It was the Guo Family who turned the tide and saved the empire from the brink of collapse. That’s how they became such a great Noble Family, held in high esteem by the Emperor."

Yuan Weiyang said, "If the Guo Family doesn’t give their approval, the Emperor’s position on the throne is not secure."

Along the path, they encountered many more handsome men and beautiful women, who were presumably also descendants of the Guo Family. Jiuyi Mountain was simply too large; the Jinwu Guard could only block off a few strategic paths up the mountain. They couldn’t seal off the entire summit, so people were free to wander and enjoy the sights.

Before they knew it, they had reached the mountainside. Suddenly, Yuan Weiyang cried out in shock, "Why is there another Jiuyi Mountain over there?"

Xu Ying joined her and followed her gaze. He saw another Jiuyi Mountain standing tall amidst a sea of clouds. At a glance, it looked almost identical to the one they were standing on; he couldn’t spot any difference!

"There’s another one!" Yuan Weiyang pointed out, having spotted a third Jiuyi Mountain.

The third mountain was tall and graceful, with a magnificent presence. Iridescent clouds hung from its slopes, creating an extraordinary vista. But the mountain’s structure was, once again, nearly identical to the other two!

Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang gazed out even further. There, in the mist, peak after peak of Jiuyi Mountain stood proudly amidst the clouds, all of them nearly identical!

"The name ’Jiuyi’ means ’Nine Peaks.’ It refers to nine mountains that look alike." Yuan Qi poked its head out from Xu Ying’s collar, looking down on the two for their ignorance. "It says so in the books. All nine of these are Jiuyi Mountain."

Da Zhong’s voice rang out, "Do the books also say that these nine mountains are this tall and this vast?"

Yuan Qi fell silent. The books made no mention of that.

The height of these nine mountains surpassed that of any mountain known to the world!

Suddenly, a long, melodious cry echoed from within the mist. Xu Ying looked toward the sound and saw an exceptionally brilliant, great bird emerge from the mountain. Trailing seven-colored tail feathers, it flapped its wings and soared past the peaks.

All manner of exotic birds flew at its side, including rare Divine Birds like the Bifang, the Dapeng, and the Peacock!

Closest to the great bird were three Cyan Simurghs.

The three Cyan Simurghs were enormous. Their wings, when spread, were like clouds hanging from the heavens. Each balanced a Treasure Bead on its head, which hovered in the air and shone with countless rays of light.

They escorted the magnificent great bird as it flew toward the summit.

"A Phoenix!"

Yuan Weiyang cried out in astonishment. "A Phoenix lives in these mountains! Come on, let’s go comprehend its Phoenix Dao Image!"

Xu Ying’s heart also pounded with an inexplicable excitement. He sprinted after her toward the summit. The Phoenix, accompanied by a hundred other birds, was soaring directly toward their peak.

Many other people on the mountain had also witnessed the scene and were rushing toward the summit.

"Such an Abnormal Phenomenon only happens once in a thousand years! Hurry and try to comprehend it! We might be able to refine an extraordinary Hidden Scenery!"

"A Phoenix never lands where there is no treasure! There must be an Exotic Treasure on the mountain!"

Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang quickened their pace, making a beeline for the summit.

Although Jiuyi Mountain was exceedingly high, it was not infinite. When Xu Ying and Yuan Weiyang finally reached the summit, they saw a single Phoenix Tree growing at the cliff’s edge. The flock of marvelous Divine Birds circled and danced around it. Occasionally, one would land on a branch to rest for a moment before taking to the air again.

The Phoenix Tree was truly a majestic sight, as if another mountain peak had grown upon the summit!

Xu Ying felt his spirit soar. He exclaimed in admiration, "If I could fully grasp the mysteries of this Divine Bird Dao Image, I bet I could create a Cultivation Technique on par with the Zhou Family’s Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Hidden Scenery Technique!"

The young man stood beneath the Phoenix Tree on the summit and gazed out. Below, a hundred thousand mountains, like peaks of black and green jade, loomed in and out of view amidst the sea of clouds. There could be no landscape more vast.

Suddenly, Xu Ying noticed something strange. The peaks of the hundred thousand great mountains below were not pointing straight toward the sky. Without exception, every single one of them was tilted, leaning in the direction of Jiuyi Mountain!

It was as if a hundred thousand great mountains were bowing in shared reverence to Jiuyi!