Ascension Day

Xu Ying stood in the sea of blood, like a small boat in a great storm, struggling to stay upright against the onslaught.

He looked back and saw the vague figure of a colossal Female Immortal in the sea of blood. A Celestial Dao Divine Artifact was pierced through her chest, but her black hair danced in the wind as she stood tall, confronting a host of Ancient Fierce Weapons. Her bearing was extraordinary!

Suddenly, a bell chimed, shattering the layers of Abnormal Phenomena he was seeing and clearing his mind. Only then did Xu Ying see clearly. At the site of the shattered coffin, there was indeed an Immortal Corpse. Despite the Celestial Dao Divine Artifact embedded in her chest, she remained as vivid as life.

Her black hair was indeed dancing, yet she could not move.

The giant Fierce Weapons all around her vibrated constantly, as if resisting her, but the surging sea of blood had already vanished.

These things were too malevolent. They were affecting his Divine Sense and putting immense pressure on his mind, causing him to see all sorts of illusions. Da Zhong used its chimes to protect his mind so he wouldn't be influenced by these fierce objects.

"Ying, hurry up and leave this wretched place!"

Da Zhong urged, "The Female Demon is trying to destroy these Fierce Weapons. Once she breaks the seal, we're doomed!"

Xu Ying walked toward the exit. After a few steps, he stopped again and said, "Lord Zhong, the thatched hut was shattered, but the tea table is still there."

Da Zhong froze.

The thatched hut had been blasted to smithereens, yet the tea table, teapot, and teacup inside it were completely untouched.

The steam rising from the teacup hadn't even been disturbed; its shape hadn't changed at all!

"Ying, this Female Demon is fighting against these Ancient Fierce Weapons. I'm afraid it won't be long before she breaks free!"

Da Zhong urged, "If we leave now, grab those three with the surname Niu, and run for our lives, we can still make it!"

Xu Ying asked doubtfully, "Lord Zhong, who on earth left this teacup and teapot here? Let's go take a look."

He walked forward. Da Zhong, helpless, could only follow him, continuously ringing to help him resist the Fierce Weapons.

Suddenly, the Immortal Corpse surrounded by the many Fierce Weapons shrank and sat up. She had become a beautiful woman with black hair, a fair face, and a bewitching and lovely appearance. Her eyes were full of emotion as she said to Xu Ying, "Darling, my chest hurts so much. Won't you come rub it for me?"

Xu Ying was completely bewitched, his heart pounding wildly. He immediately changed direction and walked toward her, saying, "Alright, I'll help you."

"DONG!"

The bell rang out. Only then did Xu Ying realize that the beautiful, black-haired woman was gone. He had somehow arrived beside the Immortal Corpse and was gripping the hilt of the Celestial Dao Divine Artifact with both hands, pulling it outward!

Cold sweat beaded on Xu Ying's forehead. If Da Zhong hadn't shattered the illusion in time, he would have pulled out the Celestial Dao Divine Artifact!

He quickly let go, still shaken by the close call.

Da Zhong said, "Ying, the Female Demon is interfering with your mind. Your Contemplation skills aren't refined enough, so she was able to affect you. You need to establish an image in the Void to stabilize your Divine Sense!"

Xu Ying performed the Contemplation of Ten Thousand Mountains Venerate Jiuyi, strengthening his Dao Image, and sure enough, his Divine Sense stabilized.

When the Female Immortal tried to tempt him again, Xu Ying remained unmoved.

A female ghost emerged from the Female Immortal's forehead, looking pitiful and lovely. "Darling," she said, "I have been suppressed here for tens of thousands of years. Surely any sin I committed has been washed clean! Can you truly bear to watch me suffer?"

Da Zhong said nervously, "Ying, establish an image in the Void to stabilize your Divine Sense!"

Xu Ying held fast to Taiyi, remaining unmoved as he approached the tea table.

The Immortal Corpse tried various other temptations. When they failed, she resorted to threats, displaying all sorts of destructive Abnormal Phenomena to frighten Xu Ying.

Xu Ying picked up the teacup and examined it carefully.

The Immortal Corpse suddenly moved. Fighting against the suppression of the Celestial Dao Divine Artifact, she forced herself to sit up and grabbed an Ancient Longbow stuck in the ground beside her.

The Longbow radiated a monstrous Fierce Qi and immediately began to vibrate, resisting her. The skin on her hand and arm, which gripped the bow, burst open, revealing bloody muscle underneath!

Because of this risky move, the Celestial Dao Divine Artifact instantly plunged deeper, stabbing further into her heart.

If she had ignored Xu Ying and focused on resisting the Ancient Fierce Weapons, she could have worn down the power of the nearest ones. It would have taken some time, but she would eventually have been able to escape.

But this time, she was determined to eliminate Xu Ying. She threw all caution to the wind, willing to sustain even greater injuries just to strike first and kill him!

Seeing this, Xu Ying became even more certain that there was something special about the tea table. He quickly called out, "Lord Zhong!"

The Immortal Corpse drew the bow. An arrow of light shot out, as fast as a meteor. With a loud CLANG, Da Zhong put forth all its power to block the shot and was sent howling backward by the immense force!

"CLANG!"

Da Zhong smashed into the Jade Disc of the Ascension Land.

Black blood trickled from the Immortal Corpse's eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. She drew the bow again, firing another arrow at Xu Ying!

Da Zhong lunged forward once more. With another resounding CLANG, it was sent flying again. This time, a dent was even blasted into the Bell Wall!

Even more black blood flowed from the Immortal Corpse's face as she drew the bow and loosed another arrow. Da Zhong forced itself to fly over, crying out, "Ying, are you done yet?"

Xu Ying put down the teacup and picked up the teapot. He studied it carefully but saw nothing special. As he looked down, however, he saw a picture beneath the teapot.

The drawing was extremely simple, just a few strokes depicting a giant kowtowing to a Stone Coffin.

'This is a picture of someone accepting a master!'

Xu Ying was stunned. He suddenly felt writing under the table. He quickly flipped it over and saw clear characters inscribed on its surface, telling an old story.

A member of the Giant Race had survived many ancient upheavals and continued to exist in the Divine Land. As a prodigy of his race, he was responsible for guarding the evil Female Immortal in the Ascension Land. He realized the place was suitable for Cultivation, so he began Qi Collection here and found his training to be twice as effective with half the effort.

However, the Female Immortal in the coffin often tempted him. He eventually gave in, taking her as his master and promising to rescue her.

In order to escape, the Female Immortal taught him an incomplete Immortal Technique, intending to control him. He played along with her scheme, tricking her into giving him the incomplete Immortal Ascension Technique, and then used his own ingenuity to complete it.

Another thousand years passed. He had already broken free from the shackles of the Immortal Ascension Technique, and his learning was profound, bridging the gap between the celestial and the mortal. Yet, he still could not achieve Ascension.

The reason was that a great villain was blocking the path to Ascension, making it a one-way road to death.

Disheartened, he went into seclusion here. But he grew tired of the Female Immortal's incessant chatter, so he shattered her Cultivation Technique.

He left a cup of tea. Spilling it out would be enough to refine the Female Immortal to death. But considering she was, after all, his master and had shown him kindness, he placed the cup here instead.

Xu Ying looked at the signature. The words "Left by the Master of the Mud Mound Palace" were written there.

Xu Ying faltered, a creepy feeling suddenly washing over him as he glanced at the teacup he had set aside.

"CLANG!"

Da Zhong was sent flying by another arrow, its body now covered in dents and pits. "Ying, are you done yet?" it cried out. "I can't hold on much longer!"

Xu Ying steadied himself and, with a flick of his hand, splashed out the cup of tea!

Instantly, the world seemed to lose its color. The water from the cup transformed into a raging torrent that danced through the Ascension Land, activating the power of every Ancient Fierce Weapon. The Fierce Weapons flew within the torrent, which swirled and pulled them from the ground, circling the Immortal Corpse!

The Ancient Fierce Weapons were like tools wielded by a giant with a thousand arms and a thousand faces, unleashing all sorts of profound and mysterious Techniques as they attacked the Immortal Corpse!

The Immortal Corpse knew her life was on the line. She could no longer be bothered with resisting the Celestial Dao Divine Artifact. She stood straight up, shouting defiantly as a brilliant Immortal Light erupted from her body to mount a full-powered defense!

Xu Ying and Da Zhong were forced back again and again by the terrifying power. Da Zhong protected him as they were pinned against the Jade Disc of the Ascension Land, both man and bell utterly horrified.

Suddenly, the Female Immortal's defense was broken. The torrent of water carried the Ancient Fierce Weapons with it, surging through her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth and into her body!

The Female Immortal's body trembled violently. All at once, her flesh and blood dissolved away, leaving only a tall, white skeleton standing in her place!

Then, with a CRASH, the skeleton also shattered!

The Fierce Weapons fell to the ground, embedding themselves in the earth. Then, one after another, they shattered. Only a Stone Axe was too strong and remained intact, but its power was also greatly diminished.

Even the Celestial Dao Divine Soldier was corroded and tattered. It wobbled into the air and flew off into the void, following the Ascension Radiance.

Da Zhong fell with Xu Ying. Man and bell landed on the ground, unable to get up.

"Ying, with the injuries I took today, I won't recover even with fifty percent of my Qi Blood!" Da Zhong wailed.

Xu Ying steadied himself and shakily got to his feet. He muttered, "Since the Master of the Mud Mound Palace was a giant, why is the skeleton on top of that behemoth so small?"

He was filled with shock and uncertainty.

'Could such a powerful figure really have died at the hands of Zhou Qiyun?'