Ascension Day

’Their situation is probably even more dangerous than when the Celestial Gods besieged the Phoenix Tree. At least then, we could run. Now, I doubt we’ll even get the chance!’

Xu Ying whispered, "The moment they make a move, we jump into the vat and return to the Cangwu Abyss!"

In the main hall, Guo Xiaodie mustered her courage and said, "Why are there so many talismans stuck to this Qi Refiner’s body? What do these talismans mean?"

"An excellent question. I’m sure Zhou Aiqing knows the answer, don’t you?" the Holy God Emperor asked, turning to Zhou Qiyun.

Zhou Qiyun shook his head. "I am humbled, Your Majesty. Your own knowledge is profound. Surely you have some insight."

The tension between the two men crackled once more.

Guo Xiaodie slunk out of the great hall, surprised. "There’s a water vat here! What a beautiful vat. What’s it doing here?"

She lowered her voice and asked excitedly, "Is there going to be a change of dynasty today?"

Yuan Weiyang and Uncle Xiao both frowned. ’If the tension between the Holy God Emperor and Zhou Qiyun can’t be defused today, there really might be a change in dynasty!’

’Besides, a change of dynasty would have nothing to do with people like us. Whether the Emperor or Zhou Qiyun wins, neither will let us live.’

’To appear magnanimous and righteous, the victor would have to eliminate all witnesses, leaving no loose ends!’

Xu Ying frowned. His gaze fell unexpectedly upon the plaque of the great hall, which was embedded in the mountainside, and he froze for a moment. The plaque was inscribed with several obscure characters in bird-worm seal script.

Suddenly, Xu Ying stretched languidly and smiled. "I know what the talismans on the Ancient Qi Refiner’s body mean."

The Holy God Emperor and Zhou Qiyun both turned to look at him.

Standing outside the main hall, Xu Ying smiled. "The talismans are seals."

The Holy God Emperor said, "Even a three-year-old child could see that."

Xu Ying replied, "But neither a three-year-old nor Your Majesty has discerned that these talismans are meant to seal his Primordial Spirit, Primordial Qi, and Flesh Body, rendering his entire being completely sealed."

Zhou Qiyun looked over, intrigued. "Go on."

Xu Ying explained, "He was practicing a cultivation technique meant to create a perfectly sealed body, but the technique was flawed and required talismans to support it. These talismans are actually seals he placed upon himself."

The Holy God Emperor mused, ’So he used talismans to compensate for the flaws in his technique, sealing his own acupoints to achieve longevity? To think such a peculiar cultivation technique exists!’

Xu Ying shook his head. "Your Majesty has guessed wrong again."

The Holy God Emperor glared at him, his presence imposing even without any overt anger. "Are you mocking me?"

Xu Ying continued, "His purpose in sealing himself wasn’t to prevent his vital essence from escaping, but to keep something from the outside world from getting in."

The Holy God Emperor and Zhou Qiyun were both stunned. Outside the hall, Yuan Weiyang, Guo Xiaodie, and Uncle Xiao were equally dumbfounded. ’The Ancient Qi Refiner had sealed himself not to keep something in, but to keep something out?’

What was that ’something’?

"Wrong!"

The Holy God Emperor declared, "You’re wrong! There’s clearly a hole between his brows, with flesh and blood pouring out to form a massive python! If he were sealed, how could such a thing happen? I’ll have you punished for deceiving the throne!"

Xu Ying shook his head. "The hole between his brows was broken open by that something from the outside. It used that very opening to burrow into his body and take up residence inside."

A chill went down everyone’s spine as they all looked toward the corpse of the Ancient Qi Refiner on the Shen Kan.

Xu Ying continued, "A Qi Refiner has an inner world called the Mysterious Domain. That thing has taken root there as a parasite, devoured his Primordial Spirit completely, and is now controlling his Flesh Body."

Zhou Qiyun frowned. "Xu Ying, this is all just your speculation."

Xu Ying grabbed the large rings on the hall’s doors and pulled, slowly swinging them shut until only a narrow gap remained. "If you two don’t believe me," he said, "there’s a talisman on the floor. Pick it up and place it on his brow. If it doesn’t want to be sealed, it will lash out."

Inside the hall, the Holy God Emperor and Zhou Qiyun exchanged a look, then glanced at the talisman on the floor.

Zhou Qiyun bent down, picked up the fallen talisman, and reached out to place it on the Ancient Qi Refiner’s forehead. Just as his hand was about to touch the corpse’s brow, the Ancient Qi Refiner suddenly grinned.

Its mouth split open to its ears.

Revealing a mouth full of sharp teeth.

His eyes were almost entirely white, with only a vertical slit for a pupil in the center!

SLAM!

Xu Ying slammed the heavy doors shut. Instantly, thunder boomed from within the hall, accompanied by the roars of dragons and tigers. The entire edifice shook violently as a dazzling light burst forth, shooting out through the crack between the doors.

Piercing WHOOSHING sounds filled the air as the beams of light shot out, striking a mountain peak miles away. Xu Ying, Yuan Weiyang, and Guo Xiaodie stared blankly. The distant peak now looked like a steamed bun that had been scored a dozen times, yet it hadn’t crumbled.

The commotion inside the hall grew even more terrifying, as if Ancient Giant Beasts were fighting, causing the entire mountain to shake!

"Xu Demon King, what is it that burrowed into that Qi Refiner’s body?" Guo Xiaodie shouted.

Xu Ying looked up at the plaque above the doors. The bird-worm seal script on the plaque was complex and difficult to decipher, but he recognized it.

Chaozhen Taixu Cave Heaven Demon Suppression Hall!

"A Celestial Demon," he told Guo Xiaodie.

The Qi Refiner on the Shen Kan was a Demon-Suppressing Qi Refiner, but he was ultimately invaded by a Celestial Demon. The Celestial Demon devoured his Primordial Spirit and took control of his corpse. It sat upon the Shen Kan like a god, basking in the worship of mortals, attempting to become a Divine Spirit itself.

BOOM!

Another violent tremor rocked the Demon Suppression Hall. Beneath Xu Ying’s group, the earthworm-like tendril of flesh connected to the vat suddenly twitched and spasmed before falling still again.

Everyone’s hearts pounded in their chests as they stared at the doors of the great hall.

The hall fell silent.

Suddenly, a foul-smelling stream of blood began to gurgle from the crack between the doors.

Guo Xiaodie and Yuan Weiyang quickly covered their noses and mouths. Just then, the doors were pulled open from within. Zhou Qiyun emerged, covered in blood and looking utterly battered. His face and body were covered in fresh, unhealed wounds.

Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth and stained his white eyebrows. He limped out of the Demon Suppression Hall. A gaping wound on his thigh even revealed the ghastly white, jagged edge of a broken bone!

When had the great Elder Bai Mei of the Zhou Family ever looked so pathetic?

He grabbed Xu Ying by the collar, lifted him up, and said viciously, "You tried to kill me?"

Xu Ying dangled from his grip like a salted fish, offering no resistance. "I figured," he said, "that as a Nuo Immortal who dares to attempt Ascension by Crossing the Tribulation, Elder Zhou wouldn’t be outmatched by a mere Ancient Qi Refiner, would he? If you have no means of suppressing demons, what business do you have talking about Crossing the Tribulation?"

Zhou Qiyun stared at him, his gaze chillingly cold. After a long moment, he finally set him down.

"Don’t let this happen again," he said, his expression placid.

Xu Ying rubbed his neck and looked behind him. He saw the Holy God Emperor also walking out of the great hall with a gloomy face, his condition not much better than Zhou Qiyun’s.

These two supreme experts had nearly met their end in that Demon Suppression Hall!

The Holy God Emperor looked at Xu Ying, a Divine Light flickering in his eyes. He spoke slowly, "My gaze alone can kill a man. But I will spare you for today."

He coughed violently, a spray of blood erupting from his lips. He leaned against the door for support, his legs still trembling slightly.

Leaning against the door, he panted heavily while glaring at Xu Ying. "You’re a born traitor!"

Xu Ying whispered, "Lord Zhong, with your current power, could you get rid of them both?"

Da Zhong said, "I cannot."

Xu Ying smiled. "Your Majesty, this was all just a misunderstanding."

Yuan Weiyang interrupted them, asking, "In that case, why did the Celestial Demons and Celestial Gods team up to besiege the Phoenix?"