In the sky, thunderclouds still churned with violent unrest.
The sorrowful old man and the woman in red supported the white-robed elder between them as they turned into streaks of flowing light, fleeing at blistering speed. They were top-tier Qi Refiners, each with their own specialized arts, and knew full well that someone had marked them. If they did not leave now, they would likely never leave at all.
Yet they truly were trapped.
A black coffin came hurtling through the air, dropping squarely in front of their path. Before maiden Qing arrived in person, her coffin was already there. It hovered upright in midair with two iron chains dangling from it, giving off an immensely mysterious aura.
The sorrowful old man, the woman in red, and the white-robed elder immediately scattered in three different directions. The white-robed elder was the most heavily injured, his speed the slowest, yet he still struggled desperately to escape. After a few moments, a chill seized his heart as he saw another black coffin appear before him.
From the other side of the coffin, a streak of red light shot forth, pulling up abruptly in front of it—it was the woman in red.
She looked around in suspicious shock. Just then, a whistling sound cut through the air as the sorrowful old man rushed in from yet another direction.
The three looked at one another in sheer astonishment and turned to flee once more.
The white-robed elder surged with what remained of his magic power, flying over a thousand li. But from afar, he saw another black coffin standing upright in the sky, two chains swaying beneath it, filling his heart with utter terror.
He veered away at once, only for a black coffin to loom in his vision again!
He changed course a second time, yet right ahead sat another black coffin!
In his world, every single direction seemed to lead straight toward that black coffin!
"This divine power..."
His face grew despondent. His lips twitched, and he drifted helplessly toward the coffin. "I cannot comprehend it."
Across from him, the sorrowful old man and the woman in red appeared, crestfallen, trudging toward the coffin.
In the end, the three met before the black coffin once more. They exchanged glances, but before they could speak, maiden Qing's voice rang out, gentle and mild: "Now then, can we have a talk?"
The sorrowful old man's face was steeped in misery as he said, "To cultivate to such heights even in the Dharma-Ending Age of Qi Refiners... young lady, your talent is terrifyingly high indeed. May I ask what you wish to discuss?"
Maiden Qing stepped out from behind the black coffin and whispered softly, "The ageless immortal, the rise of the Nuo Masters, and the mystery behind the disappearance of the Qi Refiners."
The three exchanged glances. The woman in red composed her expression and said solemnly, "Young lady, the matter of the ageless immortal was indeed handled by the three of us. However, we are bound by an oath; if we violate it, both body and soul will be annihilated. There is very little we can tell you. As for the rise of the Nuo Masters and the disappearance of the Qi Refiners, that had nothing to do with us. We only look after the ageless immortal and know little else."
Maiden Qing was gentle by nature. She said in a soft voice, "I will tell you what I know first. You listen, and afterward, tell me what you can. I will not make things difficult for you."
The woman in red let out a breath of relief and said, "You two old fellows, we'll test it out sentence by sentence in a moment. If any of us drops dead from the oath, the rest must stop speaking."
The sorrowful old man and the white-robed elder voiced their agreement.
Maiden Qing said, "The first time I saw him was four thousand years ago. Back then, I was merely an insignificant Qi Refiner who had just stepped onto the path, following my master to attend the Grand Fengshan Ceremony on Mount Tai. Emperor Zulong had unified Shenzhou, shaken Yuanshou with his might, subjugated the four seas, and brought all the realm under his awe. He held the Fengshan ceremony on Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven. At the foot of Mount Tai was the first time I saw him. He was a youth."
The sorrowful old man and the others looked at each other in silence. The woman in red said, "He did attend the Fengshan ceremony. He was there because he was chosen as one of the virgin boys to accompany Xu Fu across the seas in search of the immortal mountains, and he was the only one who returned. Emperor Zulong brought him to the Fengshan ceremony hoping to sacrifice him to communicate with heaven above. But Zulong did not understand the profound mysteries behind it and failed to sacrifice him."
Maiden Qing said, "Master told me, 'Look, that person is a ghost wandering the mortal world, never dying.' Master said he had already seen him when he was a boy, and he was still a youth just like that. He drifted endlessly through the world, his memory completely blank. Why was his memory blank?"
The white-robed elder weighed his words carefully, navigating the taboo of his oath with extreme caution before replying, "The reason we exist in this world is precisely to keep his memory blank."
Maiden Qing asked, "And then?"
The sorrowful old man said, "We cannot speak of it."
Maiden Qing asked, "How long has he lived?"
The three looked at each other and shook their heads together. "We cannot speak of it."
"Why did he end up like this?"
"We cannot speak of it."
"You watch over him—just who are you working for?"
The three grew tense, keeping their mouths sealed shut, refusing to utter a single word.
Seeing this, maiden Qing did not press them. She gave a light wave of her hand and let them go.
Only after the three had gone far did she let out a faint sigh and murmur softly, "In the thousand years that followed, I would still run into him from time to time. By then, Master was gone too; his lifespan had run out, and he died in gloom. All his life he yearned to cross the tribulation, yet he never dared to take that step. Only the ageless immortal continued to live in this world in dazed ignorance. He assumed many identities, wandering this world like an undying ghost."
She leaned against the black coffin, drifting quietly into thought, talking to herself: "On the eve of the great upheaval, I saw him again at the foot of Mount Jiuyi. He was still that same youth. He didn't remember me, looking at me as if I were a stranger. Yet he carried so many of my memories."
Then the great upheaval occurred. She was suppressed for three thousand years, and the moment she emerged from the well, she saw that youth once more.
She still remembered him, but across a gap of three thousand years, he had forgotten her yet again.
She smiled with relief and flew away, searching the world over, only to find that the mountains and rivers had transformed and everything had changed beyond recognition. In this whole world, only she and he remained.
When she stood in the Mud Pill Palace Grotto-Heaven of her old acquaintance, looking up at the jade wall, she noticed that he and a snake had also arrived in the palace. Only then did she chant aloud:
"South of the Xiaoxiang, in the abyss of Cangwu;
beneath Mount Jiuyi dwells the ageless immortal."
It had been a sigh of lamentation—her grief over the vicissitudes of the world and the fate of the ageless immortal.
***
Across the rippling waters of the Nai River, the Son of Heaven of the Nether Court's tower ship sailed against the current, heading into the Netherworld.
Before long, the ship drew to a halt beside the Nai River Bridge.
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court stepped off the vessel. His Primordial Spirit drifted forward onto the Nai River Bridge, lining up behind the throngs of ghostly souls. The spirits ahead were drinking tea, while those behind shuffled forward a step from time to time.
After an unknown stretch of time, it was finally his turn. He received the bowl of tea handed to him, and just as he was about to drink, a sudden surge of vigilance struck him: *I nearly fell for it!*
Endowed with vast divine powers, the Son of Heaven of the Nether Court instantly suppressed the allure of the Meng Po soup. He set down the bowl and laughed heartily. "Granny Meng, this joke of yours goes a bit too far!"
The old crone raised her trembling head and gave a sinister chuckle. "The Son of Heaven does not sit in his court, but comes to my stall instead—could it be that you wish to be reincarnated? If you wish to reincarnate, you must drink a bowl of my tea; not even the Son of Heaven is an exception."
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court knew well that she had never answered to any summons or commands, belonged to no faction of the Nether Court, and had entirely separate origins. He said, "Granny Meng, I will not dispute this with you. I came here today solely to ask about that old man holding a green paper umbrella who comes to you every few days to ask for Meng Po soup. What is his background?"
Granny Meng's brow twitched. She cast him a sidelong glance and said, "Your Majesty, you are an ant trying to shake a giant tree, prying into things you shouldn't know. If I were to tell you, it would only destroy you."
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court was infuriated. He said coldly, "Are you saying that not even I am qualified to know?"
Immortal radiance surged around him like blazing flames, dazzling and magnificent, as if an immortal had descended in person, unfathomably profound.
On the Nai River Bridge, the bewildered ghosts had never witnessed such a display; terrified out of their wits, they dropped to their knees, trembling and daring not move an inch!
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court's aura swelled ever higher as he demanded icily, "I possess an immortal body and was relegated to the mortal realm, where I enjoy mortal incense and receive veneration across ten thousand generations! I command the heavenly court of the Netherworld and the divine orders of the mortal realm, with more than a million deities under my banner! I am not qualified?!"
Granny Meng said indifferently, "Indeed."
She seemed entirely oblivious to his terrifying pressure, remarking faintly, "Your Majesty is merely a pseudo-immortal, half-dead and half-alive. Putting on airs before me is useless. Have the person behind you step forward, and I shall tell the truth as it is. Your Majesty had best return and ask for instructions first."
"You!"
The Son of Heaven of the Nether Court was incandescent with rage and wanted to strike, yet the old crone gave him an impression of fathomless depth!
He turned and swept his sleeves as he strode away, thinking to himself, *Does that old man who feeds Xu Ying Meng Po soup truly possess such an enormous background? He is a Qi Refiner, yet his strength might not necessarily surpass mine. Why is Granny Meng so secretive about him, unwilling to even mention who stands behind him?*
***
Atop Mount Wuwang, Xu Ying looked into the distance. With the three hundred and sixty heavenly gods putting their lives on the line to assist him, Zhou Qiyun's Heavenly Tribulation had remained safe despite the danger, and the tribulation clouds in the sky were gradually thinning out.
This Heavenly Tribulation that had drawn the eyes of the entire world was finally drawing to a close.
Xu Ying's heart surged with emotion. He smiled toward the bronze bell and said, "When Zhou Qiyun crosses the tribulation and ascends, he will become the very first Nuo immortal to ascend. At that point, the dust will be settled; even if the master of the Mud Pill Palace makes a move, he won't be able to lay a finger on him."
Though his relationship with Zhou Qiyun was far from amicable—with Zhou Qiyun repeatedly threatening his life—Zhou Qiyun had never actually struck him down, and Xu Ying had learned a tremendous amount from him.
He certainly harbored resentment toward Zhou Qiyun, but far more than that, he felt admiration and appreciation.
The tribulation clouds in the sky shrank at rapid speed. The final strike had finally arrived!
Xu Ying watched the lightning bolt crash down, as thick as the main peak of Mount Jiuyi. His blood surged with excitement, and he smiled. "In Old Ancestor Zhou's last letter, he said that if he ascended, my life would be safe. It seems I no longer need to fear for my life."
The bronze bell remarked with feeling, "This man is truly a formidable hegemon."
No sooner had their words fallen than the tribulation clouds dispersed from the sky. A beam of ascension rosy glow descended from the heavens, showering Mount Jiuyi.
That light was holy, vibrant with splendid colors, containing inscrutable mysteries as it poured over Zhou Qiyun, who stood atop the summit of Mount Jiuyi.
A smile touched the corners of his mouth. This tribulation of ascension—he had finally crossed it.
Surviving this tribulation had exhausted the wealth he had accumulated over two hundred years, countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures, innumerable magical treasures left behind by ancient Qi Refiners, and the flesh and blood of ancient creatures!
Three hundred and sixty heavenly gods had protected him through the tribulation, and even these lofty incarnations of the Heavenly Dao had suffered severe injuries as a result!
Zhou Qiyun was also heavily wounded.
His Mud Pill secret depository and nine great cave-heavens were in tatters; the Realm of Xiyi within his physical body was riddled with gaping wounds; and his Primordial Spirit had been struck until it nearly shattered.
Yet he had ultimately won. He had survived and crossed this grand tribulation.
At this moment, he desperately wanted someone to confide in, a friend to talk to, a way to vent the soaring spirit in his chest and pour out the sheer thrill in his heart!
He looked up at the ascension rosy glow descending from another world beyond the heavens. Xu Ying's figure suddenly surfaced in his mind, and he laughed softly under his breath. *Is he watching me cross the tribulation as well? For some reason, I actually want to confide in him. Could it be because he is also a snake catcher?*
Could it be that he, too, came from Lingling and shared the same background and fortunes?
*Perhaps not,*
he thought silently. *It is likely just appreciation for him. An outstanding youth like that is rarely seen anymore. Seeing him is like seeing myself all those years ago.*
In the sky, one heavenly god after another took advantage of the descending ascension rosy glow to fly toward the heights, following the glow back toward the Heavenly Dao world. The Immortal Realm lay above the Heavenly Dao world.
To both the Immortal Realm and the mortal realm, the Heavenly Dao world was a layer sandwiched between the two.
Zhou Qiyun looked up. The colossal bodies of the heavenly gods blocked the glow, but he was unconcerned.
*My appreciation for Xu Ying is merely rooted in my own narcissism,* he thought with a smile.
The bodies of the heavenly gods completely blotted out the rosy glow, plunging Mount Jiuyi and the surrounding Hundred Thousand Mountains into pitch darkness.
Just then, a shadow caught his eye.
***
Atop Mount Wuwang, Xu Ying gazed toward Jiuyi. Though the ascension rosy glow had been blocked by the heavenly gods' bodies, casting Mount Jiuyi into darkness, occasional beams of rosy glow still leaked through the gaps between those colossal frames, spilling across the Hundred Thousand Mountains.
Vaguely, he saw an immense frame flying through the dark toward Mount Jiuyi.
Xu Ying's heart pounded violently. He opened his mouth, wanting to shout a warning to be careful, yet no sound came out.
It was too far. This place was over a thousand li from Mount Jiuyi.
There was no way his voice could carry that distance.
His heart twisted into a tight knot. His eyes widened, and he even pushed his Heavenly Eye to its limit, staring fixedly at the darkness cloaking Mount Jiuyi, thinking silently, *Zhou Qiyun has no flaws left. He has already crossed the immortal tribulation. He is an immortal—he won't lose...*
Vaguely, he seemed to catch one or two faint glimmers of light coming from Mount Jiuyi, like people engaged in mortal combat.
"Lord Bell! Qi!"
Xu Ying shouted, "We're going to Jiuyi!"
The bronze bell and Qi were startled into action; one flew into the back of Xu Ying's head, while the other hid inside his collar. Niu Zhen and Niu Gan moved to follow, but Xu Ying shook his head. "Guard the Mud Pill Palace Grotto-Heaven well and wait for my return!"
The two brothers bowed and obeyed.
Sword qi surged around Xu Ying, darting and weaving about his frame before blasting through the air in an instant, leaving behind a sonic boom in the sky.
Mount Wuwang was over a thousand li away from Mount Jiuyi, a treacherous journey. Ancient creatures lurked among the great mountains and vast marshes, passable only by the truly powerful.
Yet Xu Ying paid them no heed, flying straight over them.
Whenever a terrifying beast in the mountain waters stirred up trouble and tried to intercept him, the chiming of the bell would ring out, naturally forcing everything into submission and quelling all movement.
"Ah Ying, going to Jiuyi like this is walking right into a trap,"
the bronze bell warned. "He never fully dispelled his intent to kill you, and he even harbored some envy toward you."
Xu Ying said nothing, continuing to hurtle toward Jiuyi.
Though there had been friction between him and Zhou Qiyun, he vaguely felt that the other man regarded him as a friend. Their conversations time and again felt more like confidants sharing their hearts.
He moved at incredible speed, breaking the barrier of sound. At this pace, it would take merely two quarters of an hour to reach Jiuyi.
Two quarters of an hour was very short. As long as Zhou Qiyun held out for that long, the bronze bell might just be able to save his life!
When Xu Ying neared Mount Jiuyi, the massive frame of the last heavenly god in the sky had already receded from the ascension rosy glow back into the Heavenly Dao world. The glow shone down, making the night exceptionally beautiful.
Xu Ying stumbled as he landed beneath the parasol tree on Mount Jiuyi, his cultivation nearly spent.
Beneath the parasol tree, the ascension rosy glow fell upon a white-browed youth.
The white-browed youth sat under the tree, facing east.
In the east, the light of the rising sun had already appeared.
He turned his head to look at Xu Ying, a smile touching his face. "You came to see me off."
He turned back to gaze toward the east and said calmly, "I thought of you before my end. I knew you would come. Snake catcher Xu Ying... I lost."
He remained just as calm as before, whispering softly, "I wanted so badly not to die. So badly not to die... I am so reluctant to let go..."
Xu Ying stood behind him and saw that the back of his head had split open, with light shining out from within his body.
His physical body was nothing more than an empty shell.
He turned back to smile at Xu Ying, his smile filled with encouragement. "You must be craftier than I was if you want to survive."
The sun rose, its first ray of sunlight falling across his face.
"The mortal realm is truly wonderful. I really wanted to live another lifetime," he said with a smile.
This great grandmaster, who had cultivated both Nuo and Qi to synthesize the greatest achievements of both schools, the very first Nuo to ascend, collapsed right before Xu Ying's eyes, turning into a sheet of human skin.
Behind Xu Ying, exhausted members of the Zhou clan made their way up the mountain at some unknown point, staring blankly at the scene.
Boundless sorrow surged into their hearts.
Silently, they fell to their knees, prostrating themselves deeply upon the earth.
Chapter 88