At the head of the Nai River Bridge, Xu Ying waited dutifully in line alongside a crowd of ghosts. Yuan Qi had transformed into a tiny snake, hiding inside his collar; the bronze bell had slipped into his Mud Pill cave-heaven; and the purple immortal plant had concealed itself within his Bubbling Spring secret realm. None of them dared show their faces.
Once, they had come to Granny Meng with savage arrogance, but now they were behaving even more meekly than Xu Ying.
Finally, it was Xu Ying's turn. Granny Meng looked up, and upon recognizing him, she hastily swapped out her teapot. Smiling, she said, "Young Master Xu, this old woman has changed her recipe. Have a taste."
She poured the tea. It was a ghastly crimson.
Xu Ying lifted the teacup and drank it down in one gulp.
Granny Meng watched him expectantly, clapping her hands with a laugh. "Fall! Fall! Fall!"
Xu Ying set down the teacup, his complexion completely unchanged. "Senior, I have come to inquire where that Mister Dongyue resides."
Granny Meng's cloudy old eyes grew bright and piercing. "He resides within the sun and patrols the Netherworld by day. But with your speed, you certainly won't catch up to that three-legged golden crow. How was my newly brewed tea?"
"Another cup, please."
Xu Ying pushed the teacup forward and asked, "Then how may I find him?"
Granny Meng poured another cup of tea and said, "The sun must set eventually. Go seek the Son of Heaven of the Nether Court; the two of them are often in contact."
Xu Ying expressed his thanks and drank down the second cup of tea. Granny Meng's expression shifted slightly. Scrutinizing his face, she asked suspiciously, "You don't feel dizzy at all?"
"Granny, it's wonderful tea," Xu Ying replied. "I feel more invigorated than ever."
Looking as though she had lost her own parents, Granny Meng waved her hand to dismiss him.
Leaving the Nai River Bridge, Xu Ying glanced back and saw Granny Meng staring at the teapot, muttering under her breath. From time to time, she raised the teacup, wanting to take a sip and taste it, yet not daring to.
Xu Ying waited a moment, but the old woman still didn't muster the courage to drink.
Xu Ying thought it a pity. "Granny Meng's revised tea is quite potent. If she took a sip... Seventh Master, let's head to the Nether Heaven."
Yuan Qi flew out immediately and revealed his true form. Xu Ying stepped onto the giant snake's brow. Swaths of sword qi as wide as woven mats whirled around Yuan Qi, lifting the great serpent into the air with a howl as it flew upstream along the Nai River.
There were two routes to the Nether Heaven. One was the path through the Palace of Heavenly Gods that Zhou Qiyun had previously taken Xu Ying through. However, after the gods of the Palace of Heavenly Gods had tried to capture Xu Ying, Jin Buyi had hacked them all to pieces, so that route was clearly impassable.
The second route was simply to travel upstream along the Nai River.
On both banks of the Nai River, amidst the rolling mountains, ancient behemoths were awakening, letting out low, melodious roars. Mortals' villages flashed by along the shores from time to time.
In this era rampant with ghosts and gods, free from exorbitant taxes and levies, these people actually lived better than before.
Sitting atop the giant snake's brow, Xu Ying gazed into the distance, his eyes deep and contemplative. He had left the Mount Shu Sword Sect to come to the Nai River Bridge precisely to find Dongyue and ask how to prolong the three-legged golden crow's life.
However, entering the Nai River Bridge required passing through the Wangxiang Platform. Upon stepping onto the Wangxiang Platform once more, his longing stirred, and he saw his hometown again. The home he saw was the same as before—not that Xujiaping village forced upon him by the sorrowful old man and Beichenzi, but another town entirely.
This time, he saw even more: beyond the town stretched a magnificent, sprawling mountain range of towering peaks crowned with millennia-old snow.
*Could the mountain range in my memory be Kunlun?* he wondered silently.
Two days later, Yuan Qi rose above the Nai River and flew toward the Nether Heaven.
This was Xu Ying's second visit, but it was the third for Yuan Qi and the bronze bell. The last time they had come here, Jin Buyi had gone on a killing spree, forcing Dongyue to reveal himself.
"What happened to the Palace of Heavenly Gods?"
Xu Ying looked toward the palace from afar and saw it had collapsed, with numerous stone statues lying scattered in disarray across the ground.
Within the Nether Court, Earth Gods scurried to and fro like shuttles on a loom. A diminutive Earth God cried out, "Disaster! Xu Ying, the traitor and rebel, has come to the Nether Court!"
Upon hearing this, the other Earth Gods fled in all directions, screaming, "Xu Ying has fought his way back to the Nether Court! He's going to stage a rebellion and usurp the throne!"
Xu Ying drew back his gaze. He finally tasted the grandeur Zhou Qiyun had once displayed. Smiling, he said, "If one wishes to seize power in the Nether Court, there is no need to lift a finger—just taking a stroll through here is enough."
The bronze bell gave off a low, resonant chime and remarked leisurely, "When you came back then, it was Zhou Qiyun's grandeur. Today, it is the grandeur of Lord Bell!"
Xu Ying agreed and laughed. "Lord Bell is indeed imposing and awe-inspiring!"
The bronze bell hummed with smug satisfaction.
Yuan Qi, having manifested his true serpentine form, nearly crushed the ghostly avenue beneath his bulk, tilting the buildings on both sides. He thought to himself, *Could it be that Seventh Master isn't imposing at all?*
Earth Gods and other ghostly deities scattered in terror, crying out, "Demon King Xu leads a hundred thousand gods and demons, marching upon the Ghost Gate!"
Yuan Qi looked back over his shoulder, certain there was no one behind him.
Yet in the next breath, several short Earth Gods hoisted banners and marched in Yuan Qi's wake. Some even clambered onto his back, shouting, "Emperor Xu graces the Nether Court! Assistant magistrates and ghost kings of all departments, why have you not welcomed the Son of Heaven back to court?!"
Even more Earth Gods rushed over, swapped out their flags for dragon banners, and sang in unison, "Today the dynasty changes to welcome the new sovereign; tomorrow every household embroiders the dragon banner! Traitors, false emperor, and rotting corpses of the court, why have you not surrendered to greet the royal army?!"
The Nether Court erupted into utter chaos. Towering statues of judges and ghost kings awakened one after another. Seeing the growing throng of gods and demons following behind Xu Ying, they defected to his side in droves to bolster his momentum.
Xu Ying knew very well that he could never command such sheer terror, nor could the bronze bell. It was undoubtedly because Jin Buyi had slaughtered his way through last time, chilling the entire Nether Court to the bone, leaving them completely stripped of the will to resist.
*These nether deities truly have no backbone,* he thought, shaking his head inwardly.
Finally, the Son of Heaven of the Nether Court came out to greet him personally, calling out with a smile from afar, "The new emperor has finally arrived! When will Emperor Xu pass away, so that you may ascend the throne of the Netherworld?!"
Xu Ying chuckled. "We... I have come today merely to make an inquiry, not to usurp the throne."
The moment those words were spoken, the throng of ghostly deities behind him immediately lowered their banners, silenced their drums, and scurried in a flurry back behind the Son of Heaven of the Nether Court.
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court paid it no mind; he was long accustomed to the fence-sitting nature of his court officials. He asked politely, "What brings Young Master Xu here in such grand fashion?"
Xu Ying was surprised. *It seems Lord Jin truly beat him half to death last time.*
He stated his purpose, saying, "I ask Your Majesty to introduce me to Mister Dongyue."
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court's expression shifted slightly, and he hesitated. "It is not that I am unwilling to introduce you..."
Xu Ying's face darkened. "Your Majesty once joined Li Xiaoke in hunting me down, nearly ending my life. In the end, Li Xiaoke's body and spirit were utterly destroyed. Does Your Majesty intend to follow in his footsteps? Relying on that half-corpse behind you?"
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court's face changed again, and his fists clenched tightly. After a brief pause, his fingers unclenched, and he said, "Young Master Xu, please wait a moment."
He blew a sharp whistle. Suddenly, countless winter crows burst out from the Nether Court's grand palace with a rustle of wings, flying directly toward the sun in the sky.
Seeing those winter crows, Xu Ying was startled. *These winter crows... Could Dongyue be the mysterious expert who struck that blow against Li Xiaoke that night?*
A moment later, stars suddenly flickered across the sky. A single winter crow descended from above, landing like burning paper ash. With a soft puff, it dispersed, and from the ashes slowly rose a figure.
The figure was composed of paper-money ashes, its features impossible to discern. As it moved, unextinguished flames could faintly be seen flickering inside its body.
This ash figure was likely an avatar of Dongyue.
"Fellow Daoist Xu, why do you seek me?" the ash Dongyue asked with a human voice.
More winter crows flew down from the sky, landing and transforming into separate ash figures. Another ash Dongyue spoke: "I must drive the sun chariot on patrol. Bound by my duties, I cannot come to meet you in person. Please forgive me."
The thousands of ash Dongyues bowed in unison, speaking with one voice: "Please forgive me."
Xu Ying bowed in return. "Dao Brother, the golden crow Jin Buyi has followed me for many years. Now he is old and his life is drawing to a close. Seeing that Dao Brother also possesses a golden crow, I wished to ask whether you have a method to prolong his life."
"So that is it," the ash Dongyue replied. "Fellow Daoist, if I had such a method, why would I have let my golden crow turn into dry bones, just like myself?"
Xu Ying felt a pang of disappointment and asked, "I noticed that Dao Brother's golden crow was colossal and majestic, far surpassing Jin Buyi. May I ask the reason?"
The ash Dongyue laughed aloud. "Fellow Daoist is indeed perceptive. While I do not possess an art of immortality for golden crows, my golden crow cultivated alongside me in those days. Though neither it nor I succeeded in overcoming the tribulation to ascend, it left behind an art known as the Great Sun True Scripture, which should be able to prolong Jin Buyi's life. My golden crow cultivated this very art to attain its boundless frame, retaining endless might even after death."
Another ash Dongyue added, "Jin Buyi has merely awakened the golden crow bloodline; he has not pushed its power to the absolute limit. If he cultivates the Great Sun Melting Heaven, he should easily extend his lifespan by ten thousand years, and restoring his youth will be well within reach."
Xu Ying was overjoyed and was about to make his request when yet another ash Dongyue said, "However, my Great Sun True Scripture does not come for free. If Fellow Daoist wishes to obtain this art, you must do something for me."
Solemnly, Xu Ying said, "Please speak, Dao Brother."
The ash Dongyue smiled. "This tidal surge of the Three Realms has finally opened the Kunlun Realm. Within the Kunlun Realm lies the Jade Pool, an extraordinary place. Fetch me a ladle of Jade Pool immortal water."
Xu Ying's spirits rose, and he smiled. "It's a deal!"
The ash Dongyue laughed. "It's a deal! If you set out now, I shall visit the Fusang tree in a dream to personally teach him the Great Sun True Scripture."
Satisfied, Xu Ying led Yuan Qi, the bronze bell, and the purple immortal plant away from the Nether Court.
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court stepped forward and asked, "Exalted One, can he truly find the Jade Pool immortal water?"
"Of course he can."
The ash Dongyues all chuckled. "Whether others can find the Jade Pool immortal water depends on luck, but he certainly can. Because his hometown lies within Kunlun."
The ash Dongyues laughed heartily as they soared into the air, turning into plumes of paper-money ash that rustled away.
Innumerable ashes transformed into winter crows, catching up to the sun in the sky and flying into it.
The ashes within the sun grew denser, causing the sun to appear ever dimmer.
"Others are also scheming for the supreme treasures within Kunlun, dispatching carefully chosen disciples and even bestowing golden and immortal talismans for protection. But how can they compare to me?"
A low chuckle echoed from within the solar ashes. "I went straight to someone from the Kunlun Ruins to fetch the Jade Pool immortal water for me. This time, half the victory is already in my grasp."
One of the winter crows did not return to the apocalyptic sun. Instead, it spread its wings and flew onward, crossing mountains, ridges, rivers, and lakes until it reached the mortal realm, gliding over the great marsh.
Without alerting anyone, it silently entered Jin Buyi's dream.
Jin Buyi was sound asleep when a figure covered in ashes suddenly appeared in his dream, addressing him: "Jin Buyi, I am Dongyue, ruler of the myriad worlds of the Netherworld..."
Jin Buyi grew enraged. "What sort of demon dares trespass into my dream? Where is my blade?!"
The ash Dongyue sensed trouble. In a flash of blade light, his ash avatar was hacked to pieces!
"What a savage bird!"
A furious snort came from the apocalyptic sun in the Netherworld. Then, over a dozen winter crows flew out of the sun, crossing mountains, ridges, lakes, and rivers to reach the great marsh.
"Jin Buyi, hear me out..."
"Disturbing my peaceful slumber, and you still want to leave last words? Where is my blade?!"
Within the Netherworld, the mighty being inside the apocalyptic sun was utterly enraged. He yanked violently on the chains, shaking them with force, and the golden crow skeleton pivoted, flying toward the mortal realm!
Wherever the apocalyptic sun passed, heaven and earth turned dim and murky, with gusts of eerie wind howling about. Countless skeletons in graveyards scrambled joyfully from their graves, singing and dancing. Only when the apocalyptic sun flew past did they lose their vitality and collapse into piles of bones.
The golden crow skeleton dragged the apocalyptic sun all the way to Yunmeng Marsh, the black sun pressing down with terrifying, suffocating weight.
In the next moment, the skeletal golden crow and the apocalyptic sun rode straight into Jin Buyi's dream. A towering figure surrounded by endless fluttering paper-money ashes rose from the sun, his voice echoing with boundless majesty: "Jin Buyi, I came to visit your dream and impart Dao arts to you. Try hacking me with your blade again!"
Jin Buyi chuckled in his sleep. "I can't beat you, so I might as well be open-minded about it."
Dongyue snorted and left his ash avatar behind, saying, "I will teach you the true scripture to extend your life. You are not allowed to draw your blade against me again!"
Jin Buyi nodded meekly.
The skeletal golden crow dragged the apocalyptic sun out of the dream and returned to the Netherworld.
Yet this time, Dongyue suffered immensely. Jin Buyi was simply too old; he continually forgot the contents of the Great Sun True Scripture. Even when he remembered, he would constantly forget how many heavenly cycles he was supposed to circulate the technique.
Sometimes, right in the middle of practicing, he would forget he was cultivating at all.
Dongyue's avatar taught him for months on end until he was driven to near madness, fuming with rage. Dongyue's true body could no longer bear the vexation either. Turning to the skeletal golden crow, he said, "I grant you leave. Go teach him for a while."
He released the chains binding the golden crow skeleton. Spreading its wings, the skeleton took flight. Before long, it arrived at the Fusang tree and landed gently upon its boughs.
Seen from afar, two giant birds—one large, one small—perched upon the tens-of-thousands-of-zhang-tall divine tree.
The larger bird was the skeletal golden crow, even more immense than the Fusang tree itself, while the smaller one was Jin Buyi.
Jin Buyi looked at the skeletal golden crow beside him, a cunning glint flickering in his eyes. After a moment, he asked, "Are you my kin?"
"Yes, my child,"
the golden crow replied, its divine consciousness rippling unhurriedly. "During the Shang-Tang era, I gave birth to you and placed you where Xu Ying could reach. I watched as he stood on tiptoe, took you from the nest, held you carefully in his arms, and climbed down the tree with utmost caution. Only then could I die in peace."
The skeletal golden crow spread its wings and took flight toward the sun. "Come with me, child. I will take you to cultivate."
Behind it, the aged Jin Buyi flapped his wings, following in pursuit of the morning sun.
Chapter 222