Ascension Day

Xu Ying was also startled and whispered, "Are these Grand Generals, Prime Ministers, and Ministers all Nuo Immortals?"

Yuan Qi shook his head. "I don’t know. The books don’t say. But I can tell you this for sure—the gray-robed elder before us is a Nuo Immortal who has mastered nine Grotto Heavens! He isn’t among the Grand Generals, Prime Ministers, or Ministers of the Pei Family recorded in the books. I’m afraid the Pei Family has even more Nuo Immortals than that."

Xu Ying was astonished. ’A single Noble Family has produced at least eighty-seven Nuo Immortals in two thousand years. Can they really be cultivated in batches? Or is there some other reason?’

’Does the Pei Family grow like a patch of leeks?’

He recalled the fate of Nuo Immortals in their old age, and a sense of absurdity washed over him. He whispered, "How do you write the ’Pei’ in Pei Family?"

Yuan Qi used the tip of his tail to write out the character. Xu Ying feigned a sudden realization, saying, "The part on top looks like the character for ’leek.’ No wonder they have so many Nuo Immortals."

Yuan Qi said, "As soon as they got here, they started picking a fight. They were incredibly arrogant, claiming this wasn’t ownerless land but was originally the Pei Family’s property. Then they produced a land deed, but the ink on the seal was still wet. They tried to drive us away, and Niu Qian lost his temper and injured a dozen of them. Niu Qian was injured too, so I challenged them to set the terms for a fair duel."

Xu Ying glanced at Pei Jingting and said, "I was their target from the start. Everything else was just a pretext to start something."

The gray-robed elder, seeing them whispering to each other, cleared his throat and said, "Xu Demon King, the Pei Family invites you to the Capital. Do you accept?"

Xu Ying agreed readily. "I accept. I have old ties with the Yuan and Guo Families, and I was planning to visit them in the Capital anyway."

The gray-robed elder, Pei Jingting, was slightly taken aback. He hadn’t expected Xu Ying to agree without any resistance. He smiled. "My meaning is that our Pei Family wishes to invite you to the Capital alone. This has nothing to do with the other Noble Families."

Xu Ying still agreed without hesitation, but his tone was meaningful. "As long as the Pei Family can stand against the other Noble Families on its own, I have no objection. I’m just afraid your family can’t handle that burden."

Pei Jingting’s heart went cold. He carefully mulled over the meaning of Xu Ying’s words and was deeply shaken. ’That day on Wuyang Mountain, during Elder Bai Mei’s Tribulation Crossing, the patriarchs of all the great Noble Families were there. They must have all recognized the boy with the big snake. Yet, for the past ten-odd days, none of those old foxes have made a move. Logically, that shouldn’t be the case.’

A cold sweat beaded on his forehead. ’The Patriarch didn’t come himself this time, sending me instead. It must be because this trip is truly perilous. The Patriarch has to remain hidden to ensure a foolproof plan! But it’s clear I’ve been set up. No wonder he’s the Patriarch, and I’m just the one running errands.’

Yuan Qi whispered, "Ying, are we just going to let them force us into going to the Capital?"

Xu Ying chuckled. "A Nuo Immortal came in person to invite us, and with so many experts present, we don’t have much choice. Besides, it’s hard to say who’s coercing whom."

He looked at the Nuo Masters of the Pei Family and remarked with a sigh, "I wonder how many of these people will make it back to the Capital alive?"

Yuan Qi was very worried. He asked Da Zhong, "Lord Zhong, can you take out a Nuo Immortal?"

Da Zhong replied, "Lately I’ve been... ah, diligently cultivating. My injuries are about forty or fifty percent healed. If it’s just one Nuo Immortal, I could kill him. But if there are too many, I can’t handle all of them."

"Too many Nuo Immortals?"

Yuan Qi was puzzled. He looked around but saw no other Nuo Immortals besides Pei Jingting. ’Where are the other Nuo Immortals Lord Zhong is talking about?’ he wondered.

Xu Ying instructed the Niu Zhen and Niu Qian brothers, "Your master is going to the Capital for a while. You two look after the Grotto Heaven, remember your morning practice every day, and cultivate diligently. You must not be lazy while Master Yuan and I are away. When I return, I will test your cultivation."

The two bulls hurriedly stood up on their hind legs, crossed their front hooves before their chests, and bowed. "We shall obey Master’s teachings."

Xu Ying quickly packed some dried clothes and stuffed them into Yuan Qi’s mouth. Then he retrieved the large Stone Axe that was leaning in the corner and told Yuan Qi to open wide.

Yuan Qi jumped in fright. "It’s so big! How will it fit? You’ll hurt me!"

The head of the Stone Axe was taller than Xu Ying himself, and its handle was even longer. It certainly wouldn’t be easy to stuff inside.

Xu Ying said, "We’re heading to the Capital, and we might run into Yuan Tiangang’s family. If so, we’ll have to return the Sword Box. Besides, we might need to chop some people up in the Capital. How can we do that without a proper weapon?"

Yuan Qi had no choice but to open his mouth as wide as possible. Xu Ying shouldered the axe, walked into his stomach, placed the weapon carefully, and then walked back out.

Once he was all packed, Xu Ying smiled at Pei Jingting. "Elder Pei, after you."

Pei Jingting was very courteous. "Xu Demon King, this way, please. I have a Treasure Chariot waiting at the foot of the mountain."

Xu Ying followed him. The Da Zhong flew up from behind and entered the back of his head. Yuan Qi also slithered forward, his body shrinking rapidly until he leaped onto Xu Ying’s shoulder. He hooked his tail around Xu Ying’s collar and let his head hang down, watching his surroundings with an eerie gaze.

However, the Pei Family’s party now included forty to fifty injured men, and the air was filled with their groans of pain.

"Elder Pei, next time you want to invite me somewhere, you can just ask directly."

Xu Ying said to Pei Jingting, "There’s no need for all this fuss with land deeds and duels. Even country folk like us would laugh at that. We’re simple people, you know. We don’t know how to hold back. It would be a shame if we accidentally killed them and made you unhappy, Elder Pei."

Pei Jingting agreed readily and called someone over. "Bring Nu’Er up here to heal them."

A moment later, a person was led forward. Xu Ying looked at this "Nu’Er" and saw a pot-bellied man with a dog chain around his neck. Sharp hooks pierced his collarbones, and his body was covered in blood. He walked on all fours like a dog, panting heavily as he moved.

A young Pei Family disciple kicked Nu’Er and shouted, "Hurry up and start healing the masters!"