Ascension Day

There were even various Magical Treasures like great bells and bronze cauldrons, also covered in inscriptions that recorded historical events.

Yuan Qi was dumbstruck, involuntarily sliding down from Xu Ying's shoulder and slithering through this long Grotto Heaven. The Snake Demon blew a puff of air, and scrolls of Ancient Texts flipped open with a RUSTLE, their characters ancient and mysterious.

Pei Du picked up a scroll and said, "During the chaotic times of Wang Mang, that man usurped the throne. He harbored ambitions of Longevity and scoured the world for rare books, ordering that all Ancient Texts from the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors to the present be surrendered to the national treasury. Later, when Wang Mang was killed, my Pei Family ancestors stormed the treasury. They didn't snatch any treasures, only these books. The Pei Family made off with one-tenth of the Ancient Texts, and this Bamboo Scroll was among them. One passage on this scroll says that in Song Mountain, there is an Immortal Cave Heaven where an Immortal Deng resides. Song Mountain is right next to the Divine Capital."

Xu Ying asked, "Could it be that the Pei Family found this Grotto Heaven?"

Pei Du shook his head. "My Pei Family searched in Song Mountain for many years but never found this Immortal Cave Heaven. It wasn't until three months ago when the Naihe River changed its course and the Underworld invaded. Song Mountain also underwent changes, and many great mountains emerged from nowhere. The Grotto Heaven recorded in this Bamboo Scroll appeared along with them."

Yuan Qi was browsing the Ancient Texts on the shelves, rapidly reading scroll after scroll. Suddenly, as he unrolled one, an illustration inside startled him, and he hurriedly closed it.

Seeing that Pei Du and the others hadn't noticed, he unrolled it again to continue reading.

This Ancient Text described events from Wang Mang's usurpation, when he was presented with ancient books from across the land. Someone offered Wang Mang an Undead, telling him that this person had the appearance of a child and had lived in the world for a thousand years, his face unchanged to this day.

Wang Mang was overjoyed and ordered the Undead to be cooked and eaten.

The record of this event ended abruptly, and it was unknown whether Wang Mang had actually eaten the Undead.

Yuan Qi's heart pounded in his chest. He turned to look at Xu Ying, only to see that the depiction of the Undead in the book bore a slight resemblance to Xu Ying.

He sneakily licked the illustration, smudging the image. 'I can't let the Pei Family find out about this,' he thought. 'Otherwise, even if Ying isn't eaten, he'll be treated like a monster and studied. The Pei Family's obsession with immortality runs too deep.'

"It's a good thing you're here!"

Pei Du's expression became fanatical again. He said, "I noticed that you've opened your Mud Pill and Jiang Palace, and the power of the Secret Treasuries flows in parallel within you. You can also decipher the Cultivation Techniques of Qi Refiners. With your help, my Pei Family can surely break free from our Longevity curse and avoid the misfortune that befalls Nuo Immortals in their twilight years!"

Yuan Qi was surprised. "How did you know Ying opened his Mud Pill and Jiang Palace? Ying only used them once on the way to the Divine Capital."

He suddenly realized. "I know! You've been watching us from the shadows, haven't you? Two or three hundred members of your Pei Family died a horrible death, yet you hid in the shadows and never showed yourself..."

Pei Du's expression suddenly darkened.

Xu Ying coughed, interrupting Yuan Qi. "Patriarch Pei, your invitation is most gracious, and I dare not refuse. Please, just tell me what you would like me to do."

Pei Du took a thin sheet of gold paper from the shelf and handed it to Xu Ying. "I have heard that your knowledge is practically divine, Xu Friend. This scroll of scriptures is a Qi Refining Skill that my Pei Family came across by chance. Our disciples have studied it for many years with little success. I'd like to ask you to help my Pei Family decipher this scripture, Xu Friend."

Xu Ying took it and looked, letting out a sound of surprise. This scripture was a Magic Skill for refining the soul and Primordial Spirit. He understood the tadpole-like script on it at a glance. It was called the "Primordial Spirit Tribulation Scripture"!

Pei Du's eyes glinted as he stared intently at him. "Can you decipher it, Xu Friend?"

Xu Ying said impassively, "It will take a few days."

Pei Du breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. "We've waited two thousand years; a few days is nothing. For the next few days, why don't you stay here at my Pei Family's home, Xu Friend?"

Xu Ying smiled. "If I stay with the Pei Family, I'm afraid you won't have a moment's peace. It would be safer to stay with the Yuan Family."

Pei Du nodded. "It is indeed not very safe for you to stay with the Pei Family, Xu Friend. Others might think I'm keeping you all to myself. In that case, I won't insist."

Xu Ying said, "Patriarch Pei, I would like to obtain the Pei Family's Jade Pool Secret Treasury."

Pei Du smiled. "Haven't you already obtained it, Xu Friend? This forbidden area is also the place where my Pei Family disciples open their Jade Pool Secret Treasury."

Xu Ying was slightly shaken. He had indeed followed the peculiar Energy of the forbidden area to find the location of his own Jade Pool Secret Treasury!

Pei Du said, "Others cherish their Secret Treasuries, considering them secrets never to be passed on, but we in the Pei Family don't follow that principle. The Jade Pool Secret Treasury has long since spread throughout the Jianghu. Many smaller Noble Families and Jianghu Sects have the Cultivation method. It's just that my Pei Family's is the orthodox version."

He personally escorted Xu Ying out of the forbidden zone and ordered Pei Jingting to take him back to the Yuan Mansion.

A long while later, Pei Jingting returned to the Pei Family home. He found Pei Du washing his hands, the water in the basin pitch-black. A servant girl at his side had already replaced the water with several basins of fresh water, and only after Pei Du washed his hands again and again did the water in the basin gradually become clear.

"Patriarch, what happened?" Pei Jingting saw that the water contained a potent poison and was alarmed and confused.

Pei Du's expression was calm as he said, "I was poisoned by snake venom while looking through a book. This snake venom is extremely potent. Even I had to expend some effort to force it out."

Pei Jingting quickly looked to the side and saw an unrolled Ancient Text lying on the desk.

On that Ancient Text was an illustration of a youth with a blurry face, which had been soaked with some liquid for an unknown reason. 'That liquid must have been the snake venom!' he thought.

'Even someone as careful as the Patriarch fell for it!' Pei Jingting thought, shocked and bewildered.

Pei Du dried his hands, then carefully picked up the Ancient Text. "This book tells the story of Wang Mang cooking an Undead. It's absurd, but very interesting. Jingting, I want you to select a hundred disciples, go to the Library Cave, search through those Ancient Texts, find every book that records stories of the Undead, and compile them for me!"

Although Pei Jingting didn't understand his intentions, he still bowed in acknowledgment and immediately left to carry out the order.

Pei Du put down the book and murmured, "The Undead... could it be you?"

Xu Ying returned to the Yuan Family home and slept soundly. The next morning, just as he finished washing up, he heard the sound of a bird pecking at his window lattice.

Xu Ying pushed open the window and looked out to see Yuan Weiyang's sister, Yuan Rushi, standing prettily below. With her hands behind her back and her posture perfectly straight, she whispered to him, "I'm wearing a new kind of rouge today. Would you like to have a taste?"

Xu Ying said, "I haven't had breakfast yet."

The young woman stood on her tiptoes, leaned closer, her breath as fragrant as orchids, and said, "It'll be rubbed off after breakfast. You should have a taste first."

Xu Ying leaned halfway out the window and had a taste.

Just then, the sound of a cough was heard. Yuan Rushi, like a startled bird, scurried away in a flurry.

A moment later, Uncle Xiao walked over with a dark expression and said slowly, "Young Master Xu, it's time for breakfast."

Xu Ying's heart pounded. He acknowledged him, thinking, 'That was a close call. I'm in the Yuan Mansion, I can't act so recklessly. If Brother Yuan finds out I'm doing this sort of thing with his sister, we might not even be friends anymore... Right, I have important things to do! I still have to decipher the "Primordial Spirit Tribulation Scripture" for the Pei Family!'

After breakfast, Xu Ying bathed, burned incense, and changed his clothes, preparing to decipher the "Primordial Spirit Tribulation Scripture." Just then, Yuan Rushi called from outside, "Brother Xu, do you want to go out and have some fun? We can buy some new rouge!"

Xu Ying stuffed the Scriptures into the mouth of the Big Snake, who was sunbathing, and said, "Wait for me!"

That afternoon, Xu Ying returned after having tasted a lot of rouge. 'This won't do,' he thought. 'I'm letting Brother Yuan down. I can't do this tomorrow.'

On the third day, Yuan Rushi took him out to "taste rouge" again, and they didn't return until evening. That night, Xu Ying lay in bed, reflecting. "I absolutely cannot go on like this," he said to himself.

On the fourth day, after another full day of "tasting rouge," Xu Ying said in frustration, "I still have important work to do. Prime Minister Pei is waiting for me to decipher the Scriptures."

On the fifth day, Xu Ying thought, 'Prime Minister Pei said the Pei Family has waited two thousand years. A couple more days shouldn't matter, right? I wonder what flavor Rushi's rouge will be tomorrow…'

On the sixth day, Xu Ying said, "I need to get serious!"

...

At the Pei Mansion, Pei Jingting stacked a thick pile of Ancient Texts, covering the entire desk in the study.

Pei Du looked up in surprise. Pei Jingting nodded and said, "Patriarch, these are all the records regarding the Undead from the Library Cave."