Day of Ascension

Chapter 35 - Exorcist’s Mask

The Comprehensive Daoist Truth of the Celestial Pivot wasn’t a demonic art, so Yuanqi couldn’t understand it. Frustrated, he scratched his face with the tip of his tail and tried his best to memorize it first, though his memory wasn’t very good either.

By the time the immortal had finished reciting the Comprehensive Daoist Truth of the Celestial Pivot, Yuanqi was utterly confused.

The white-robed immortal said nothing further after the recitation and silently waited for everyone to contemplate it.

Yuanqi mustered his courage, raised his tail high, and cried out, “Immortal Master, about the Comprehensive... What is it? I didn’t understand it. Do you have any simple cultivation techniques? A supreme martial art is fine, too. I have no affinity with immortality, so I’ll just learn something shallow.”

The white-robed immortal master remained in a meditative state, unmoved by Yuanqi.

Yuanqi desperately wanted to secure even a sliver of immortal affinity. There was no way he would let this opportunity slip away. He loudly begged for a basic cultivation technique, making it impossible for those around him to meditate.

Finally, the white-robed immortal opened his eyes. “Stop making a fuss, you unruly snake. I’ll give you a martial art suitable for a snake demon like you.”

After saying that, he tossed a book down. “You and I are not fated. Begone.”

Yuanqi picked up the scripture in a hurry. He flipped it open and read the first two pages. Seeing that the book was titled True Cultivation of Ba Snake[1], he hurriedly said, “Immortal Master, I’m from the same species, but from a different lineage. It’s a Ba snake, while I am a Yuan snake. I’m afraid my own kind will ridicule me if I learn the cultivation technique of a Ba snake.”

The corner of the white-robed immortal’s lips twitched in anger. He tossed down another book and said, “Take this Dragon-Snake Spring Awakening Cultivation Method and begone.”

Yuanqi took it and confirmed it suited him perfectly. It far surpassed the Elephant-Bull Demon Fist passed down through his family. He lit up in joy and hurriedly said, “Immortal Master, I love reading. Please give me this True Cultivation of Ba Snake as well.”

The white-robed immortal waved his sleeve.

Yuanqi kowtowed to the immortal repeatedly, tears flowing down his cheek. Choking, he said, “No one’s ever been this nice to me. You’re like my second parents, Immortal Master. I must kowtow a few more times and acknowledge you as my master.”

The white-robed immortal quietly clenched his fists tight, then loosened them. He said, “You have a filial heart. Very good. Go on, then.”

Yuanqi wiped away his tears with his tail tip and slithered toward the exit.

The white-robed immortal breathed a sigh of relief, only to see that shameless snake slithering back.

Rage nearly made the white-robed immortal lose control and slaughter him on the spot. He forcibly suppressed his urges. “What is it now?”

Yuanqi smiled obsequiously. “Immortal Master, I just remembered that I have a good friend outside who couldn’t come in. He’s really smart. You’ll definitely like him if you see him. So, I’ll take it upon myself to accept him as a disciple on your behalf.

“Please give me another true scripture, Immortal Master. I’ll bring it to him, and he can cultivate as well. It’ll also remind us of your kindness.”

The white-robed immortal nearly jumped up to his feet in anger. He held himself back again and chuckled.

“You’re a brute, but a very loyal snake. Fine, fine. I shall bestow some immortal affinity upon you today. What do you not understand in the Comprehensive Daoist Truth of the Celestial Pivot? I’ll answer your doubts one by one. I’ll make sure you learn!”

Overjoyed, Yuanqi quickly kowtowed and said, “I don’t understand a single thing.”

The white-robed immortal suppressed his anger, determined to teach Yuanqi and make him meet his end. He smiled. “Then, I shall teach you from the beginning!”

***

On the immortal mountain, Xu Ying insisted on heading to the grand temple. Left without a choice, Dazhong could only follow him.

The sound of fierce clashes rang out ahead. Xu Ying hurried over. From afar, he saw an awakened stone statue going on a killing spree.

Several Yongzhou officials lay dead nearby while a few others battled the god.

They were officials from the prefectural office, each possessing formidable cultivation and profound exorcism arts. What shocked Xu Ying the most was an official carrying a big mask on his back. His actions were the most peculiar.

The mask was incredibly bizarre. It had a pale face with big eyes, a long tongue, and fangs. It bore some resemblance to the ghost of impermanence[2] of the underworld from popular folklore.

The moment the official put on the impermanence mask, countless fleshy tendrils sprouted from its edges and burrowed into his skin, fusing with his flesh and blood.

The mask's surging power completely dominated him. He grew rapidly, becoming sixteen chi tall, gaunt and skeletal, yet filled with terrifying strength.

His tongue also hung from his mouth, stretching two to three chi long!

Upon putting on the impermanence mask, a chilling wind spread from the official. He no longer resembled a human, but an underworld god—the ghost of impermanence!

The exorcism techniques he executed also became peculiar. They carried a ghostly aura and targeted the soul, injuring the god’s divine soul and forcing him back.

Even so, the statue they were fighting was unusually powerful. It had a third eye on its forehead, stood upon a black tortoise, and was clad in golden armor. The mystical power formed from his incense qi was incredibly robust, far stronger than the god pursuing Xu Ying earlier.

Incense qi swirled around him, and the prayers of the masses buzzed. The chants condensed into tangible golden runes that fused with the incense qi and transformed into flowing ribbons.

He retreated a few steps. Then, the third eye on his forehead fired a beam of divine light with a swish. It nearly sliced the impermanence official in half at the waist.

Meanwhile, the black tortoise beneath his feet was ferocious and menacing. It moved with astonishing speed, nothing like the sluggish pace of an ordinary tortoise. Carrying the god, it charged forth unstoppably.

The black tortoise opened its mouth and bit down with force capable of shattering metal and stone, crushing the man along with his artifact.

Watching with his Third Eye, Xu Ying could see that the god’s mystical power contained many interruptions and flaws. The same was true for the black tortoise.

Xu Ying thought, Even if I can discern these flaws, I’ll die before I can make a move.

The gap in their cultivation was too great. Technique alone could not bridge it.

Suddenly, a government official flew out and crashed not far away from Xu Ying.

It was the official with the impermanence mask. Only half his body remained. The mask fell from his face and rolled to Xu Ying’s feet.

Lying on the ground, he stared straight at Xu Ying, his breath faint. The corner of his mouth moved slightly.

“Save me...”

Pish!

A huge foot came down and crushed him into pieces.

The black tortoise lumbered over with the three-eyed god on its back and crushed the half-bodied official to death.

Looking ferocious and menacing, the black tortoise followed the Exorcist’s dying gaze, but discovered no one. It let out a roar and began climbing the mountain.

Xu Ying and Dazhong were hiding in a ravine to the side. Xu Ying gripped the impermanence mask tightly and held his breath, eyes wide. Only after the black tortoise and the three-eyed god had gone far away did he dare gasp for air.

Dazhong was also trembling in fear.

Xu Ying stood up and climbed out of the ravine, only to see the ground covered with corpses. That god had slaughtered all of the officials. Not a single one escaped.

“Strong! Too strong!”

Xu Ying furrowed his brow. More and more statues were awakening. With strength like this, reaching the grand temple would not be easy.

“And what’s with this mask? Why does wearing it cause a physical transformation?”

Xu Ying examined the mask. Recalling how the official had turned into a ghost god of the underworld, he thought, Yuanqi is well-read. If he were here, he would surely know what this is.

He carried the impermanence mask on his back and looked up at the sky. He could see gods on every one of the floating boulder belts.

He looked into the distance. There was also a boulder belt there, though he didn’t know if it also had gods. He rushed over; suddenly, terrifying fluctuations of exorcism techniques came from ahead, even more terrifying than before. The force even toppled a whole swath of forest.

Xu Ying hurried over stealthily and saw the three-eyed god on the black tortoise clashing again. This time, his opponent was a middle-aged man.

Xu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. It’s a high-ranking official who serves beside the prefect of Yongzhou!

Zhou Heng had sent this man to lead a group of experts to pursue him. Thus, Xu Ying had a deep impression of this official.

The name of that middle-aged man was Zhou Zheng. He let out a roar that shook mountains and rivers as he charged toward the three-eyed god. Mid charge, he suddenly transformed into a golden-winged roc. His wings swept out like blades as he slashed toward the god.

His cultivation far surpassed Zhou Yihang’s. Although Zhou Yihang had received the clan’s true teachings, he clearly hadn’t inherited its greatest legacies.

After transforming into a golden-winged roc, Zhou Zheng managed to injure the god. Soaring through the air, he flapped his wings and seized the advantage of the high ground. He unleashed a relentless barrage of attacks with his wings, golden feathers, and razor-sharp claws. Every strike carried a terrifying force.

After several exchanges, wounds covered the three-eyed god. The third eye at his forehead suddenly opened, fired a beam of blinding light, and severed Zhou Zheng’s wings with a swish!

Zhou Zheng’s golden feathers withered and fell. Muscles swelled rapidly across him as he transformed into a violent ape several zhang tall, then crashed down from the sky.

The violent ape had golden fur, bronze muscles, iron bones, and a steel forehead. He engaged the god in close combat, even breaking the tortoise’s bones and forcing them back repeatedly.

The three-eyed god resorted to his old tricks once more, opening his third eye and firing a beam of divine light toward the violent ape.

Zhou Zheng suddenly shed his violent ape form and swayed. Golden scales emerged from under his skin, transforming him into a giant with a dragon’s head. Lightning crackled beneath his feet while the blue sky arched behind him.

The three-eyed god’s beam struck Zhou Zheng, yet the dragon scales deflected it in all directions. Hundreds of holes tore through the earth and forest, but the attack failed to pierce his body.

Zhou Zheng waved his palm as lightning gathered beneath it like a sword. With a sharp crack, he cut off the three-eyed god’s head.

“You slaughtered so many of our Yongzhou prefectural office’s disciples. Not even death can wipe away your sins!”

Zhou Zheng stomped down with immense force, crushing the black tortoise.

Xu Ying held his breath and focused his mind, not daring to move in the slightest. Dazhong didn’t dare to breathe either. This judicial adjutant of Yongzhou was far more powerful than Zhou Yihang.

Zhou Zheng’s voice rang out. “Where on earth is Xu Ying hiding? The five immortal mountains cover too much ground, and so many gods are awakening. Finding him is truly troublesome! Verdant Army!”

He raised his foot and stomped down hard, unleashing his exorcism technique.

The moment Xu Ying heard the shout, he knew trouble was coming. As expected, a surge of vigor erupted in all directions with Zhou Zheng in the center. Everywhere it passed, trees and plants rose from the ground.

Be it wild grass, flowers, shrubs, or gigantic trees, all of them were granted life. The grass turned into little figures in green clothes and pointy hats, the flowers turned into ladies with straw hats as thick as a thumb, the shrubs ran like wolves clad in thorns, and the gigantic trees turned into massive tree-men with lush crowns.

Like a tidal wave, they surged in every direction to search for Xu Ying.

In the next moment, countless little figures in green clothes and pointy hats looked up at Xu Ying from his feet. Some straw-hatted ladies ran over, blinking their dark, shiny eyes and staring at him.

Xu Ying silently pointed into the distance.

These little figures, however, didn’t fall for his deception. They put their heads together and whispered among themselves, “Iguigu!”

One of the straw-hatted ladies took out a tiny portrait and unfurled it. She compared it to Xu Ying twice before lowering her head to examine the portrait again.

Xu Ying leaned in close and looked at the portrait. Sure enough, it was him. He whispered, “This person is not me. Look. My shirt has a hole here, but his doesn’t.”

These little figures in green and straw-hatted ladies whispered among themselves, then suddenly looked behind him in unison.

Xu Ying’s heart skipped a beat. He straightened his back and whispered, “Master Zhong, is that high-ranking official from Yongzhou right behind me?”

Dazhong tolled once, producing a muffled sound.

Wearing a smile, Xu Ying slowly turned around. As expected, he saw Yongzhou’s judicial adjutant, Zhou Heng, standing not far away, looking at him leisurely.

Xu Ying thought, frustrated, I thought I’d tricked these little grasses and flowers. Damn, all the trees between him and me have run away.

Zhou Zheng had used the Verdant Army to bring life to all the plants and trees in the area. Originally, a dense forest stood between Xu Ying and Zhou Zheng; now the trees had turned into tree-men and fled. Xu Ying’s attempt to fool the little grass and flowers had naturally fallen straight into Zhou Zheng’s sight.

Zhou Zheng said leisurely, “Criminal, what do you have to say?”

Xu Ying laughed out loud, then abruptly took off, running to the edge of the immortal mountain and jumped off.

Zhou Zheng hurried after him. When he reached the edge and looked down, he saw Xu Ying riding a great bell slightly larger than an adult. The bell floated slowly through the air toward the grand temple.

Zhou Zheng laughed involuntarily. He slowly transformed into a divine being with a bird’s head and a human’s body. Lightly flapping his wings, he flew toward Xu Ying unhurriedly.

Meanwhile, Xu Ying channeled the Grand-Unity Guiding Method frantically. A half-mu field of light shone resplendently over his head, expanding again and again into a substantial size until it was a full mu of field of light.

Zhou Zheng paid it no heed and smiled. “Xu Ying, even if you recover your strength, it means nothing to me. Why go through all this extra trouble?”

Suddenly, his expression changed slightly as he realized Xu Ying’s intention. He isn’t using his demonic art to recover his strength. He is using the phenomenon as a signal to mark his location.

Just as he had thought of this, he saw streams of green incense qi rapidly approaching. Before they even arrived, the streams of incense qi transformed into sharp flying swords that contained terrifying power and slashed toward him!

Zhou Zheng followed the source of the incense qi and saw the city gods of various regions, such as Ningyuan, Dongning, Daozhou, Jiangyong, and Lanshan, soaring through the sky atop auspicious clouds as they rushed over.

The flying swords arrived before the city gods themselves, all to prevent Zhou Zheng from capturing Xu Ying.

Zhou Zheng was furious inside. Golden feathers shot into the air as he beat his wings, clashing against the flying swords with a series of metallic clangs. For the moment, he couldn’t break free.

He glanced over and saw Xu Ying riding the bell and slowly flying toward the grand temple.

A strong sense of helplessness rose within him. That brat’s back looks so damn infuriating!

1. A python-like Chinese mythological giant snake that ate elephants. ☜

2. Black and White Impermanence are two deities in Chinese folk religion who escort the spirits of the dead to the underworld. In some instances, they are represented as a single being. ☜