"Zhou Qiyun's heavenly tribulation will likely take place in the next few days."
After Regional Inspector Zhou Heng departed, Xu Ying kept close watch over the bizarre shifts across heaven and earth.
"The tribulation in the Chaozhen Taixu Cave-Heaven covered a maximum radius of five hundred li. Zhou Qiyun's tribulation this time won't be quiet either. With all this new territory emerging, the distance from Jiuyi Mountain to here must be over a thousand li."
Xu Ying calculated the distance between the two places, thinking, *Taking Jiuyi Mountain as the center, if the tribulation clouds could reach all the way here, their span would exceed two thousand li. A tribulation cloud that massive is impossible. So this is a safe distance; the heavenly tribulation won't reach here.*
While waiting, he focused on cultivating in peace.
By now, he had already unsealed the Mud Pill and Crimson Palace secret depositories, housing their power within his body. However, he had never cultivated any Nuo techniques. Possessing the power of the secret depositories in vain, he had no way to apply it to his cultivation.
While cultivating in the ascension site, he had tried using the Taiyi Daoyin Technique to mobilize the power of the two depositories, but with meager results.
"Zhou Qiyun possesses the most profound mastery of Nuo techniques in the world today, and the other great clans—such as the Yuans, the Guos, and the Lis—also pass down profound Nuo techniques."
Xu Ying pondered. Zhou Qiyun had learned Granny Tuo's Immortal Scripture and the Nine Heavens Yang Spirit from him, combining them with the arts of the Mud Pill secret depository into a unified whole. His cultivation and power were bound to be vastly superior to the original founders of the Immortal Scripture and the Yang Spirit!
This showed that the dual cultivation of Nuo and qi was indeed a viable path.
Just then, someone approached from down the mountain. It was an old man riding a donkey, led by a dull-looking youth walking ahead of it, their steps clattering up the slope.
The youth seemed wooden and taciturn, but the donkey-riding elder looked quite shrewd. He said to Xu Ying, "We are mere hermits of the wilds passing through this blessed ground, hoping to stay for a few days."
The old man thanked him and told the dull youth to untie the donkey, then picked a room, swept it out, and settled in.
Yet the donkey was extraordinarily arrogant. Seeing Xu Ying's two bulls grazing, it sauntered over whenever it felt like it, spun around, and kicked the bulls with its hind legs.
The bronze bell whispered to Xu Ying, "This donkey bears incense smoke qi; it's no ordinary creature. That old man is no ordinary figure either."
Xu Ying nodded gently. He had already sensed that the old man, the youth, and the donkey were all unusual.
After the donkey kicked Niu Zhen and Niu Gan several more times, it finally infuriated the two bulls. Both old bulls reared up on two legs, revealing their bull demon forms, smoke billowing from their nostrils and fire blazing in their eyes.
The donkey burst into hearty laughter and brayed, "I saw through you two long ago! Showing your true forms at last?"
It rolled across the ground, and when it stood back up, it transformed into a gigantic beast with a donkey's head and a man's body. Standing over two zhang tall, powerfully built and wreathed in thick incense smoke qi, it shouted, "This lord has gorged on incense smoke qi and forged a golden body! Today, I shall subdue you two brutes to serve as my mounts!"
The old man and the wooden youth made no move to stop it.
Right then, sword qi drifted through the sky, flying toward the peak—it was Yuan Qi returning from cultivating with his sword casket on his back.
The donkey-riding old man and the wooden youth looked on in surprise and suspicion at the strange snake. It stretched over twenty zhang in length, enveloped in sword qi as it soared through the air, truly an astonishing sight!
Yuan Qi paid them no mind, landing beside Xu Ying and asking in surprise, "That donkey is awfully insolent. Where did it come from?"
Xu Ying shook his head.
Then came piercing shrieks of agony. Niu Zhen and Niu Gan, wielding their white-bone soul-thrashing whips, surrounded the donkey demon king and thrashed it relentlessly, battering it into ceaseless wails.
Its braying was so shrill and loud that it tore through the clouds, echoing endlessly.
Filled with uncertainty, the old man turned to the wooden youth and asked, "Old Ancestor..."
The wooden youth whispered, "Observe their origins first."
Xu Ying waited a moment before telling Niu Zhen and Niu Gan to stop, offering an apologetic smile to the old man: "My bulls lack manners and injured your donkey."
The old man chuckled. "No matter, no matter. It's just a foolish beast; sometimes it simply begs for a beating."
Just then, more travelers arrived at Mount Wuwang. Again, it was a pair—one old, one young—who had climbed the mountain on foot, arriving out of breath.
The elder was dressed in white, while the youth wore black. Upon arriving, the youth's gaze swept around, pausing on Xu Ying, then shifting to the wooden youth with a flash of astonishment, before finally settling on the giant stone axe propped against the corner of the wall.
"We two, father and son, are passing through this blessed ground and wish to stay for a few days."
The white-robed elder hurried forward, cupping his hands toward Xu Ying and the wooden youth with an appeasing smile. "Could you accommodate us?"
Xu Ying replied, "We are not the masters of this place either; we are merely staying here. Please, make yourselves at home."
The white-robed elder voiced his gratitude, dashed off to sweep out a room, and only after tidying everything up did he let the black-robed youth move in.
Xu Ying found it curious and stole a glance at them, wondering what background they had.
The donkey-riding elder and the wooden youth clearly recognized them, their expressions shifting slightly, yet they did not step forward to exchange greetings, remaining seated in silence.
Suddenly, another arrival approached Mount Wuwang. From far off, a delicate laugh rang out: "This spot is wonderful, Old Ancestor! Although this mountain was severed, it remains the tallest peak for a thousand li around! Once Old Ancestor Zhou undergoes his tribulation, we can take in the entire spectacle—you Xu fellow!"
The voice shifted to a startled cry. Xu Ying looked toward the sound and saw Li Yingzhu, Guo Xiaodie's second aunt, climbing the mountain alongside a youth in yellow.
The yellow-robed youth seemed extremely shy, blushing whenever he looked at anyone. He murmured to Li Yingzhu, "Zhu'er, do not be impolite."
Li Yingzhu cast repeated glances at Xu Ying with her lovely eyes, gritting her teeth from time to time. Remembering the ripe peach fragrance that had drifted from her that night, Xu Ying felt his thoughts wander slightly, so he hastened to visualize his Dao image to steady his divine consciousness.
The yellow-robed youth looked toward the other two groups, showing surprise before turning relaxed. He smiled and said, "Old Ancestor Shi, Old Ancestor Zhu, it is wonderful to see you both still alive. Truly wonderful. I thought you had already exhausted your lifespans and met with misfortune."
The wooden youth and the black-robed youth dared not show neglect, hastily rising to their feet.
The black-robed youth replied, "If Imperial Uncle hasn't died, how could we dare die first?"
The wooden youth added, "Indeed."
The yellow-robed youth paid it no mind, remarking, "Among our peers back then, Old Ancestor Zhou was the most impatient, yet his abilities were the finest among us. I thought the passing years might have tempered him, but who would have guessed he would still be the first unable to hold back?"
The black-robed youth laughed. "If he didn't jump out first, how would the rest of us know whether this path works?"
Just then, laughter drifted from the sky: "Thirteenth Mistress, this is the finest place for us to stop. It stands highest of all; everything that happens on Jiuyi Mountain will be in full view."
Everyone raised their heads and saw a painted pleasure boat sailing through the air as smoothly as if drifting across calm waters.
A woman's voice came from the pleasure boat, chuckling, "Young Master Xiang speaks the truth."
The pleasure boat descended, and a dashing young man and beautiful woman stepped out, making everyone's eyes light up. Young Master Xiang was poised, elegant, and exceptionally handsome, while Thirteenth Mistress had a slender, graceful figure, her eyes brimming with charm like rippling autumn waters, bringing warmth and spring wherever she looked.
The striking pair had just stepped off the vessel, glancing around with slight smiles, paying little heed to the mysterious elders and youths gathered there.
Yet the moment their eyes fell upon Xu Ying, their complexions turned pale. Cold sweat broke out across their foreheads, leaving them restless with anxiety.
These two were none other than the masters who had been soundly thrashed by Xu Ying's bronze basin on the night he escorted the Plague God—Young Master Xiang and Thirteenth Mistress!
Both possessed unfathomable cultivation and strength, yet Xu Ying had poked his finger through the basin and routed them so thoroughly they had nearly lost their lives!
After recuperating for so long, they had finally healed their injuries. Encountering Xu Ying here filled them with dread, and they exchanged glances, wishing they could slip away immediately.
That night, they had been ordered to intercept the escort of the Plague God and block Xu Ying. They had assumed they could easily capture him, never imagining that Xu Ying would display power and techniques they could not comprehend in the slightest.
Looking back on it now, fear still gripped their hearts.
Xu Ying smiled faintly at them, gesturing that they could do as they pleased.
Young Master Xiang and Thirteenth Mistress exchanged another glance, and Young Master Xiang whispered, "Play it by ear."
Thirteenth Mistress nodded gently.
The Li clan's youth, Imperial Uncle Li, glanced at the pair and could not hide his surprise. He asked the black-robed youth, "Old Ancestor Shi, forgive my lack of insight, but are those two Nuo Masters or demon cultivators?"
The black-robed youth, Old Ancestor Shi, scrutinized them with uncertainty, shaking his head. "I can't tell. They resemble demon cultivators, yet also look like Nuo Masters."
At that moment, another person came up the mountain, laughing heartily: "I could smell the stench of you old fossils from miles away! As expected, you've all arrived!"
At these words, the ancestors in youthful guise rose one after another, laughing, "Our old brother from the Guo clan is here!"
Xu Ying looked over and saw Guo Xiaodie walking up Mount Wuwang alongside a burly elder who radiated natural majesty. The burly elder had snow-white brows and beard, his gaze sharp as lightning. When his eyes swept across the crowd, everything before them went stark white, rendering them temporarily blind. Only after he shifted his gaze could they see clearly again.
*Could this be the old ancestor of the Guo clan?* Xu Ying wondered in surprise.
Upon seeing him, Guo Xiaodie was delighted. Leaving the Guo clan ancestor behind, she rushed over and whispered, "Demon King Xu, why are you still in the new territory? Where is Brother Weiyang?"
Xu Ying explained how he and Yuan Weiyang had parted ways, then asked, "Why did you and your ancestor come here?"
Guo Xiaodie laughed. "Old Ancestor Zhou's tribulation—who in the world doesn't know about it? To prepare for this tribulation, he killed and injured so many experts, thrashing every master across the new territory and even assaulting the underworld. When he undergoes his tribulation, of course the experts will gather to watch."
Xu Ying gave a muted grunt. He had chosen Mount Wuwang because it had already suffered an undeserved disaster, thinking no one would ever return here.
He had not expected that Zhou Qiyun had not forgotten this place, and that his tribulation would draw countless experts here once more.
*I won't be able to enter the ascension site over the next few days,* he thought. *Otherwise, if these people discover it, it will no longer belong to me.*
Guo Xiaodie leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Zhou Qiyun's tribulation is a rare opportunity to observe for anyone from the great clans who has reached the pinnacle of cultivation. Miss it, and there will never be another chance. That's why anyone who caught wind of it has rushed over."
Soon, ancestors from several other great clans arrived, settling on the sunny southern slope of Mount Wuwang. Some were acquainted with the others, chatting and laughing freely, while others had faces unfamiliar even to these ancient ancestors, known to no one.
Xu Ying looked around, thinking, *Will Brother Yuan come? His family's ancestor is named Yuan Wuji, who was defeated by Zhou Qiyun. He'll surely come to watch the spectacle, won't he?*
"The Yuan clan ancestor is here!"
Guo Xiaodie suddenly grew excited, then deflated, shaking her head. "Brother Weiyang didn't come."
Xu Ying looked over. Yuan Wuji of the Yuan clan was an elder with a handsome beard. Rather than maintaining a youthful form, he had allowed himself to age naturally. Even so, the Yuan clan was renowned for their good looks, and despite his advanced age, one could still glimpse his dashing elegance from years past.
When night fell, the Nai River reappeared. A multistoried barge bearing the banner of the Son of Heaven floated along the river, docking at the foot of Mount Wuwang.
A carriage emerged from the vessel, bearing a sarcophagus up the mountain.
The onlookers watched in complete silence.
Once the coffin reached the summit, it swung open on its own. Within lay the immortal corpse of the Son of Heaven of the Nether Court, while his Primordial Spirit stood in midair, gazing toward Jiuyi Mountain.
"In this world today, whoever dares step within a thousand li of Jiuyi Mountain will face Old Ancestor Zhou's thunderous wrath,"
the Son of Heaven of the Nether Court sighed. "Now, we too can only stand here and gaze upon his tribulation from afar."
Imperial Uncle Li spoke softly, yet his voice reached everyone's ears: "Zhou Qiyun will verify for us whether this path is the right one."
Someone murmured, "Does the dual cultivation of Nuo and qi truly lead straight to immortality?"
Right then, a clanking sound rang out from the sky. Two thick iron chains dragged across the air as a colossal figure arrived under cover of darkness, landing upon the severed cliff of Mount Wuwang that bridged the two peaks.
The onlookers peered from a distance, unable to discern what the behemoth on the cliff was. They could only see the massive chains dangling from the precipice, swaying back and forth.
Xu Ying raised his head and silently activated his Heavenly Eye, looking toward the giant entity, only to see a chain-bound giant sitting barefoot upon the mountain cliff.
As if noticing his gaze, the giant glanced in his direction.
Xu Ying's heart jolted, and he hurriedly dispersed his Heavenly Eye. Around him stood the old ancestors of the great Nuo Master clans; how could they tolerate being spied upon? Sensing the giant's gaze, they lifted their heads one after another, their gazes intersecting like lightning as they glared toward the cliff!
*Boom!*
The giant on the cliff vaulted into the sky, vanishing into the clouds and mist without a trace.
Atop Mount Wuwang, the gathered ancestors were filled with bewilderment and dread.
Xu Ying was equally shaken. *Could that giant be the Master of the Mud Pill Palace?*
At that very moment, chains rattled through the air once more. He looked toward the sound and saw a black coffin soaring through the night sky, coming to rest upon the cliff where the giant had just landed.
The black coffin stood upright, perfectly motionless.
Thinking the behemoth had returned, the ancestors looked over, but seeing only a black coffin and a quiet maiden standing before it, they withdrew their gazes one by one.
The maiden paid no mind to their rude stares, possessing an exceptionally gentle disposition.
*It's her!*
Delighted, Xu Ying walked toward the cliff, intending to catch up with the maiden in the coffin. Just then, another figure descended onto the mountain, his face weighed down by sorrow.
Xu Ying took a sharp breath, recognizing him as the sorrowful old man who had forced him to drink Meng Po soup.
Just as the sorrowful elder landed, two more figures descended behind him—one an old man in white robes, the other a woman in red clothes, both wearing expressions of profound sorrow.
Xu Ying braced himself and walked past. When the three saw him approaching and walking right by them, their expressions grew even more sorrowful.
Chapter 85