Ascension Day

Xu Ying gazed toward the ominous land. It was the Immortal Realm the Pei Family had attempted to create by pooling the power of all their Nuo Immortals.

As the most ancient of the Nuo Master Families, the Pei Family’s heritage was undeniable, as was their ingenuity. And yet, the Immortal Realm they had crafted with the combined wisdom of so many masters had rotted and decayed, becoming a place of great misfortune.

He keenly sensed a strange, corrupting power within the decaying Immortal Realm, one that was faintly eroding its way outward.

He activated his Celestial Eye and could even see space itself decaying under this strange power!

The Hidden Land formed from the Dao Image had also long been reduced to ruins!

Suddenly, the White Bone Giant lunged forward, slamming into an invisible barrier with a loud THUD. The giant opened its cavernous mouth, greedily extending a rotten tongue to lick the seal, as if desperate to devour them.

"Is he a Nuo Immortal?" Xu Ying asked.

"He was my grandfather."

Pei Du made no effort to hide the truth. "In his time," he said, "the Immortal Realm project was ready. My Pei Family had already studied Demon Clan Techniques and knew of the existence of the Mysterious Domain within the human body. So, over the course of ten generations, we used the Mysterious Domains of dozens of Nuo Immortals, poured in the entirety of the Pei Family’s wealth, and used Magical Treasures accumulated over a millennium to forge this Immortal Realm. We named it Peach Blossom Spring."

Yuan Qi tilted its head back and recited, "During the Taiyuan reign of Jin, a man of Wuling, a fisherman by trade, followed a stream, forgetting the distance he had traveled."

"For a snake, you’re surprisingly well-read," Pei Du said, surprised.

Yuan Qi replied humbly, "I’ve only read a book or two here and there. But over the past century, it’s added up."

Xu Ying wasn’t as well-read as Yuan Qi, who could recall literary classics and allusions at a moment’s notice. As he gazed upon this Peach Blossom Spring, he felt nothing but profound shock.

There were two or three hundred Immortal Mountains floating within this Immortal Realm. They were arranged in a pattern mirroring the Five Viscera, corresponding to the Five Peaks Immortal Mountain of the Mysterious Domain.

Huge Magical Treasure Fragments also hung in the sky. Some looked like a Jin Mountain, others resembled a Celestial Sect. There was a shattered great bell, and a Treasure Cauldron corroded so badly its bottom was gone.

The Pei Family’s ambition had been immense. By combining the Mysterious Domains of dozens of Nuo Immortals, a Hidden Scenic Area formed from a Dao Image, and countless Magical Treasures—all guarded by Nuo Immortals—they had sought to preserve this Immortal Realm and attain Longevity.

"At its peak, Peach Blossom Spring housed a thousand people. In addition to the Nuo Immortals and clan elders, many exceptionally talented disciples came here to study the wisdom of our ancestors. The longest-lived ancestor among them reached the age of eight hundred. Everyone in the Pei Family believed Peach Blossom Spring would stand for eternity. They thought that by living in this Immortal Realm, they would never have to face death."

Pei Du’s eyes dimmed, but his expression remained calm. "In those years," he said, "we didn’t even have the late-life misfortunes that plague Nuo Immortals. Not a single one was eaten. My grandfather was one of those who became a Nuo Immortal here. But the good times didn’t last. Peach Blossom Spring suddenly collapsed."

Xu Ying, Yuan Qi, and Da Zhong were all startled.

How could a place as perfect as Peach Blossom Spring suddenly collapse?

Pei Du said, "The collapse came swiftly. First, the Immortal Mountains began to decay, losing all their Vitality. Even channeling Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi couldn’t revitalize them. Then, the flesh of the Nuo Immortals started to putrefy and rot. Some parts of their bodies died off, while other parts grew with wild abandon. Their Divine Sense decayed, their sanity vanished, and they became inhuman and bloodthirsty. Even the disciples who had entered Peach Blossom Spring started to mutate. Longevity... it was like a curse."

Xu Ying looked at the White Bone Giant. That was Pei Du’s grandfather. He was still alive, living on in another form—a twisted kind of Longevity.

’But this was a form he almost certainly wouldn’t have wanted.’

The White Bone Giant roared at them and furiously pounded on the seal, desperate to tear through the forbidden zone and escape.

Suddenly, masses of writhing flesh crawled madly onto its body, quickly engulfing it.

Pei Du said, "We sealed off Peach Blossom Spring. Afterward, we pooled our collective wisdom and concluded that they hadn’t been devoured by the ancient evils because they were tainted by the curse of Longevity. It seems those ancient evils avoid the curse of Longevity like the plague."

’The "ancient evils" Pei Du mentioned must be the Master of the Mud Mound Palace and his ilk,’ Xu Ying realized.

Pei Du’s expression turned strange. "My father was getting old, and his Qi Blood was failing. He took a risk and entered the forbidden zone of Peach Blossom Spring. He harvested a piece of cursed flesh and grafted it onto his own body. He’s three hundred and seventy years old now and still hasn’t been devoured. But his mind has also been cursed. He sometimes descends into madness..."

Da Zhong asked, puzzled, "That’s strange. Qi Refiners live longer than Nuo Immortals, so why aren’t they affected by a longevity curse?"

Xu Ying nodded. ’He’s right,’ he thought. ’Besides Qi Refiners, there are also many Great Demons with long lifespans, and I’ve never heard of them suffering from any kind of curse.’

Pei Du sighed. "After what happened with Peach Blossom Spring, the Pei Family’s focus shifted."

They began to study "Demon Techniques."

"However, that was when Zhou Qiyun and the Zhou Family rose to power. Zhou Qiyun was a brute from the countryside, unbound by the etiquette of the Noble Families. He acted with reckless abandon, digging up the Hidden Lands of Nuo Immortals and even hunting for the tombs and Grotto Heavens of Ancient Qi Refiners."

The Pei Family stood no chance competing against a brute like him.

For the next two centuries, the Pei Family was suppressed by Zhou Qiyun. The pressure on Pei Du’s father was so immense that he didn’t dare to die. That was why he went to the forbidden land to steal a piece of the undying flesh and graft it onto his own body. He feared that if he died, the Pei Family would be unable to resist the Zhou Family.

"But the Pei Family has flourished for two thousand years, and that is not an empty boast."

Pei Du led him onward, bypassing Peach Blossom Spring and arriving at another Grotto Heaven. This place was dedicated to storing the rare Ancient Texts collected by the Pei Family. Countless bookshelves stood in rows, filled with books made from paper, silk, sheepskin, cowhide, bamboo, and even gold!