Three Ascensions

Chen Xuan had practiced martial arts for three years, honing his skills to near-peak secular levels. Later, when he started refining Qi, he didn't neglect his martial arts.

Martial Arts Grandmaster.

Using this term, which shouldn't typically apply to a young person, to describe the current Chen Xuan was not an exaggeration in the slightest.

"This person's martial arts are not beneath mine."

Chen Xuan only needed a glance at the young man to immediately sense something was off.

This was a terrifying realization that only someone who had reached the pinnacle of martial arts like himself could grasp.

The young man appeared to be standing casually, seemingly unguarded, but his movements were naturally integrated, without the slightest flaw. No matter from which direction an attack was launched, the opponent could instantly counter.

"Besides me, are there actually other cultivators in this world willing to hone their martial arts to such an extreme level?"

Chen Xuan mused to himself, finding it incredible.

Because as one's cultivation level increased, close-quarters combat no longer seemed important. The power of Immortal Qi and illusions was too great, too profound...

"Swish!"

The young man's senses were sharp. He instantly turned his head, met Chen Xuan's scrutinizing gaze, and raised an eyebrow, asking:

"What are you looking at?"

"..."

Chen Xuan smiled and, for the first time, took the initiative to introduce himself:

"I am Chen Xuan, a martial artist."

Seeing Chen Xuan's friendly attitude, the young man didn't flare up and said in a muffled voice:

"My name is Ye Kui. Do you know what a Kui is? A type of ox... You're a martial artist? Aren't you a fisherman?"

Chen Xuan was carrying a fishing fork on his back and had a fishing net around his waist, so he indeed didn't look like a martial artist.

Chen Xuan didn't mind the offensive tone. Instead, his gaze was sincere, even carrying a hint of fervor, as he said:

"Fellow Daoist Ye is also a martial artist, right? Your sincere heart for the martial way is truly as dazzling as the scorching sun above. I can feel it. Please forgive my presumption, but I would like to spar with you. How about it?"

At this moment, Chen Xuan felt a strong urge to engage in a martial arts spar without using Immortal Qi with the man named Ye Kui before him. It would surely be a thrilling, peak-level, world-shaking battle...

This was the feeling of mutual appreciation that those who had reached the furthest in the same field felt towards their peers.

In a trance, Chen Xuan felt as if he had returned to the glorious years of practicing martial arts in the Willow Town martial arts hall, where he could do whatever he found interesting at will.

"Whoosh!"

At this moment, a profound aura of a Martial Arts Grandmaster, returning to simplicity, emanated from Chen Xuan's body. The other party would surely understand his meaning!

"Sincere heart for the martial way? What are you talking about?"

Ye Kui's face was bewildered, as if he couldn't feel Chen Xuan's grandmaster aura at all. He shook his head: "I don't understand. Farewell."

He turned around and left directly.

His speed was very fast, and in the blink of an eye, his figure disappeared.

"???"

Chen Xuan stood rooted to the spot. After a moment, the accumulated aura of a Martial Arts Grandmaster dissipated completely.

He scratched the back of his head, looking at the fishing fork sticking out from his shoulder, his expression bewildered and confused.

This Ye Kui.

Didn't he want a satisfying, fist-to-flesh battle between martial artists?

The importance and intention he had, which he didn't even have time to address with his ally Yan Yushu, were just rejected by the other party...

In an empty alley.

The young man named Ye Kui walked very casually, with his hands behind his head and a foxtail grass in his mouth. He seemed to be in a good mood.

"Hey, that beautiful girl with a bad heart must be the Six Desires Heaven, right?"

"After waking up tomorrow morning, I'll be able to see that utterly unlucky Longevity Species."

"That's great, two of my kind are still alive."

"I heard there used to be a Yellow Millet Dream in Red Crow City, but unfortunately, it died. I arrived a few days late."

Ye Kui muttered to himself as he walked. As he walked, the image of the young Qi Refiner named Chen Xuan he had just met flashed through his mind.

Chen Xuan subtly gave him a special feeling, as if it was a resonance from the soul level...

But Chen Xuan's gaze was too sincere and fervent, which made his heart turn cold and gave him goosebumps. He quickly fled.

What a strange look!

"Sincere heart for the martial way? I didn't practice martial arts for many days. Back then, I directly..."

"Added points."

Ye Kui's lips curved into a strange smile, and a hint of blood seemed to flash in his eyes.

"Filled up..."

A violent, bloody smell seemed to permeate the air.

Inside a courtyard provided by Peach Blossom Garden Ancient Village, within a room.

"You're Ascending?"

Yan Yushu's clear voice sounded in his mind.

"Yes, I met a very interesting person... very dangerous."

Chen Xuan looked out the window. On top of a taller wooden building, Yan Yushu's clothes fluttered, her radiance dazzling, like a fairy about to ride the wind away. She overlooked the entire village on the mountainside, observing for potential hidden threats.

In fact, no accidents would happen.

Because hundreds of ancient people lived here, and if anyone caused trouble, they would be quickly suppressed.

If there were any accidents, it would be after meeting the Heaven's Chosen [Longevity Species] of Peach Blossom Garden tomorrow, and after the group of cultivators and ghosts, carrying Ancient Sage Relics, left this place.

"Oh right, that person is named Ye Kui. I feel like he was looking at you from behind, his gaze was different."

Chen Xuan reminded her. Although he had the thought of sparring, it was just a momentary impulse and wouldn't make him lose his basic observational skills.

"I'll be careful," Yan Yushu replied.

However, it was the most normal thing for her to be looked at. If she met someone who didn't look at her one day, that would be abnormal and require immediate vigilance.

"Click!"

Then, Chen Xuan closed the wooden window and began his Ascension.

His current Qi and blood strength was over sixteen thousand catties. Once he stepped into the third Ascension, the huge boost brought by Yellow Millet Qi and the enhancement of the Ascension Immortal Garment would simultaneously improve his body, enough to directly break through the twenty thousand level.

"Whoosh!"

Soon, white mist steamed up, filling the small room with a faint fragrance of grain ears.

"Hiss!"

A cyan-gold Immortal Qi thread was the first to appear, shimmering with a metallic luster. This seemed to be the opening of a prelude. Immediately after, thousands of brilliant threads burst out rapidly, performing the final, thorough cleansing of his body.

Chen Xuan slowly closed his eyes and fell into a shallow sleep. Every part of his body was being reborn. His internal organs rumbled, and his skin glowed with a jade-like luster...

If possible, I still hope to fight that martial artist named Ye Kui once, even if I have to use Immortal Qi.

Chen Xuan thought at the end.

"Whoosh!"

Not long after, a cyan-gold Ascension Immortal Garment gradually outlined itself in the air and slowly drifted down.

The Feathered Garment settled upon him.

Time flowed, and dusk descended.

At the foot of the mountain, within the tall wooden archway, the ancient scholar was organizing books and packing up his tools.

How strange, with Peach Blossom Garden descending this year, all sorts of demons and ghosts have come.

He sighed in his heart, preparing to have the other ancient people seal the mountain roads and end the day's work.

Just then.

In the distance, a group of people wearing black robes, their faces hidden under hoods, approached silently, like a flock of black birds in the night.

Seeing this, the ancient scholar's expression became extremely solemn, and he sat back down properly in his seat.

A moment later.

A figure wrote a name on a book, then separated from the group and walked alone towards the village in the twilight.

A gentle breeze blew, causing the hood to flutter, revealing a pair of gloomy eyes like those of a phoenix.

On his fingertips, a letter was rapidly spinning.