Chapter Fifty-Nine: Ascension into Transcendence

The commotion just now was so great that even the Jade Toad Palace, not far away, could hear it.

Inside the Pavilion of Celestial Mechanisms, Jade Lan Master and the Ancestor of Extreme Stars stood before a mirror conjured by magic. The reflection revealed Xu Cheng and his companions; though they could see them, their words remained inaudible.

After witnessing the entire episode of Master Tian Gui’s overwhelming display of power, Jade Lan Master couldn’t help but exclaim, “I never expected it—after all these years, her strength has surely more than doubled!”

“Indeed. She seems to have mastered another celestial art, and it appears she has perfected the traits of her ghostly form; she no longer needs to kill for blood. In the past, her thirst for blood led to countless madness...” The Ancestor of Extreme Stars’ eyes flashed with a keen light.

“Ancestor, she has helped us fend off the attack from the Grand Xia Dynasty. What should I do next?” Jade Lan Master was well aware that the people of the Grand Xia Dynasty were targeting her Jade Toad Palace, but unexpectedly, they encountered that ancient monster outside. In the end, apart from the hidden ancestor of the Grand Xia and Qu Wenbei, who was protected, everyone else perished.

“She possesses extraordinary power; the only thing that might catch her interest is a supreme artifact. Anything else she desires, she could easily obtain as much as she wished. Do you have a supreme artifact to offer as thanks?” The Ancestor’s words left Jade Lan Master stunned. The Jade Toad Palace possessed only one supreme artifact, passed down as the Palace’s treasure—it could never be given away so casually.

“Besides the Palace Treasure guarded by the Six-Eyed Toad and your own soul-bound artifact, you’ve never forged another. If you wish to show gratitude, see what it is she truly needs!” The Ancestor spoke with a faint smile, as if he held the matter in his grasp.

“Ancestor, do you know what she requires?” Jade Lan caught the smile on the Ancestor’s face and realized he must know something.

“Of course. A faint radiance shimmers on Tian Gui’s forehead, the sign of imminent ascension! As far as I can tell, her relationship with that young Netherworld Emissary is very close. When the time comes, you need only look after that young emissary as best as you can—this will be the greatest thanks to Master Tian Gui.” The Ancestor spoke calmly.

“So that’s how it is! I never imagined she was about to ascend. What about you?” Jade Lan turned to look at the Ancestor of Extreme Stars.

He did not answer, and for a moment, silence fell between them.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Library of the Grand Xia Dynasty.

Xia Ping returned in a sorry state, bringing Qu Wenbei with him.

Xia Hao, seeing this, hurriedly asked, “Ancestor, who injured you so?”

“Cough, cough! It was a monstrous being from over two thousand years ago—unthinkable, she still hasn’t ascended! All it took was a single move. Alas! Unless you fully master that ultimate technique, you may not even be able to harm her.” Xia Ping spat out a mouthful of clotted blood, ridding himself of his discomfort.

“Why must she oppose me? Why couldn’t she just let me cut her down?” Xia Hao’s fury rose, causing the air around him to freeze.

“Do not lose your temper. Haste will get you nowhere; everything depends on strength!” Xia Ping patted Xia Hao’s shoulder.

“I understand, Ancestor. I’ll accelerate my training in the ultimate technique! Let’s put the Jade Toad Palace aside for now—once I perfect my skills, we’ll revisit it.” Hearing this, Xia Hao had no choice but to calm himself. The Ancestor was right.

“That’s for the best.” With that, Xia Ping led Qu Wenbei away to recover from their wounds. Both were badly hurt, especially Xia Ping, whose very soul had suffered damage.

As time passed, winter arrived once more. The southern snow was gentle, but the cold penetrated everything. Fortunately, these people were not ordinary.

Except for the black snowflakes from last time, which had a tremendous impact on cultivators.

Over these two or three months, Xu Cheng had mastered all the spells surrounding the coffin. The name of the spell was unknown, but it belonged to the Path of Ghosts—strange and uncanny.

Some talismanic symbols gathered in Xu Cheng’s pupils: when activated, his eyes turned completely black, like two black pearls, allowing him to cast various illusions.

Other symbols adhered to his body, enabling him to change form at will—any part could transform into a sharp sword, a hammer, or alter its size.

As for the golden patterns inside the coffin, Master Tian Gui forbade Xu Cheng from touching them, saying he must wait until he reached the Soul Realm.

“Winter again, and the snow is falling,” Master Tian Gui remarked. “Time passes swiftly. Little Xu Cheng, after I ascend, I want you to find someone for me.”

“Just tell me, Ancestor! If they have not ascended, I will certainly find them!” Xu Cheng pounded his chest in assurance.

“He has already reincarnated. I can no longer recall his name from his previous life, but perhaps this item can help him regain his memories.” Master Tian Gui produced an extremely ragged cloth doll. If she hadn’t kept it in a spatial ring, the passing of a millennium would have reduced it to dust.

Xu Cheng was slightly startled—he never expected Master Tian Gui to be so sentimental. This cloth doll must have been left by her childhood companion.

No one knew into which obscure corner the person would have reincarnated, but since Xu Cheng had promised, he could not refuse. He received the cloth doll and placed it in his sleeve’s hidden pocket.

“Let’s go,” Master Tian Gui said, waving her hand. She ascended, as if walking up invisible steps, into the sky, where a vast portal of light appeared high above.

Through the portal, Xu Cheng glimpsed flying celestial maidens, shrieking cranes—a scene of immortal grandeur.

As Master Tian Gui reached the portal, she turned to glance below, then stepped inside.

The portal vanished completely, and the snowfall grew heavier.

Amid the falling snow, a warm drop landed on Xu Cheng’s brow.

It lingered, like mercury; upon close inspection, Xu Cheng saw shifting lights within it—a reflection of Master Tian Gui’s life.

He hadn’t expected her to shed a tear of sorrow upon departing.

Clutching the tear, Xu Cheng focused his senses. There was a world within—it could be used as a magical treasure: strike someone whose cultivation lagged behind, and the tear would trap them, unable to escape.

To achieve immortality, even one’s tears became so powerful?

He carefully stowed it away, just in case it proved useful in the future.

It made Xu Cheng wonder: perhaps immortality above the heavens was not always joyful; perhaps the trials and hardships beneath the sky were not always painful.

The snow thickened. Chrysanthemum, Yan Mengdie, and the others were nearly transformed into snowmen. The others fared better, but seeing Yan Mengdie’s current figure, covered in snow, the melancholy of parting was instantly dispelled.

Xu Cheng rolled a snowball on the ground and hurled it at Yan Mengdie, then darted away.

“You dare throw it at me? Don’t you know little fairies must not be pelted?” Yan Mengdie cried out, and, inattentive, tripped and began rolling across the ground.

In a blink, Xu Cheng heard a rumbling behind him and discovered a giant snowball, over three meters in diameter, chasing him.

The sight made him forget even to use magic.