Chapter 55: Ascension Conference

May 10th, 2023

Seeing this scene, Fu Junling’s temple throbbed briefly. He turned, saying heavily with a weary heart, “Let’s quickly be on our way after all.”

Fearing that Fang Li would make trouble on the way again, Fu Junling drove the vessel day and night at a breakneck pace, finally making it to Black Star Tower. 

Black Star Tower was situated inside Taiming province’s Myriad Star Estate. 

Looking down at the Myriad Star Estate from the sky, it resembled a Taiji divination trigram. Half of it was land, and half of it was lake. There were over a thousand islands in the lake, like the myriad stars in the sky. Black Star Tower sat atop the largest island, and around the large island were eighteen little islands, like a constellation circling Black Star Tower. The islands contained an array installed by Black Star Tower, and in a critical moment, they could be used to activate the sect’s great protective array. 

Fu Junling smiled at Xie Huai. “The Tower Master heard that you were coming and has already arranged a feast to welcome you.”

Their ship descended into the river, and the three of them stepped onto the island. At the door stood an elder in scholarly green robes with his hair arranged with a wooden pin. This was the tower master, Qi Ding, and he smiled, saying, “You’re here, Yuyi-jun. This humble old man has been looking forward to your arrival.”

Xie Huai nodded in greeting, saying, “The tower master is too polite.”

Qi Ding gestured to welcome them inside, smiling. “Yuyi-jun, please.”

This year’s Ascension Conference was being arranged by Black Star Tower while the other three great sects assisted from the sides, so after hearing that Xie Huai had been invited, they’d already circulated the news all over. Today, the cultivation world was a hotbed of discussion, talk of the conference abounded, and the number of participants was also higher than before. The Ascension Conference had to be planned perfectly this time.

But Xie Huai wasn’t in a rush to enter. Instead, he turned back and took Fang Li’s hand. Only then did he continue inside.

Qi Ding stood there in a daze. 

Fu Junling hurried to transmit a message to him, explaining that this was the fool Yuyi-jun was treating. Yuyi-jun wasn’t at ease leaving him on his own, which was why he kept him by his side. 

Qi Ding immediately understood. So this was that lucky fool. Xie Huai had even been willing to ask for the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill for him, so he must be very important to Xie Huai…… Qi Ding felt a rare bit of curiosity, but since Yuyi-jun hadn’t spoken, it would be rude of him to abruptly ask.

They entered the Black Star Tower. 

Inside of Black Star Tower, there were many towers floating in midair like scattered constellations, creating a dreamlike scene.

Fang Li couldn’t help but take a few more glances.

This was also a very beautiful place.

They walked slowly along the floating staircases, walking into a splendid, imposing pavilion. Inside the pavilion, delicious wine and delicacies had already been prepared, and many cultivators in green robes were standing there respectfully. By their clothing, they seemed to be Black Star Tower elders, and they had also come to participate in the feast today. They smiled, saying, “Tower Master, Deputy Tower Master, Yuyi-jun.”

Aside from Qi Ding and Fu Junling, there were also plenty of other elders in attendance, so it could be said that they were giving quite a bit of face.

Under Qi Ding’s invitation, Xie Huai sat, and Fang Li sat beside Xie Huai.

All the elders were extremely curious about Fang Li, but they didn’t dare look too much in order to avoid displeasing Yuyi-jun.

The mood at the banquet table was jubilant.

But Xie Huai didn’t say much, only whole-heartedly taking care of Fang Li.

Whatever dish Fang Li ate a bite more of, Xie Huai would bring the platter to him. The fruit wine at Black Star Tower was pretty good, and Fang Li liked it, so he let Fang Li drink a bit more of it.

Fang Li wasn’t the least bit self-conscious sitting amongst a crowd of high-level cultivators, eating and drinking by himself. Black Star Tower’s food was good and the wine was fragrant, delicious, he’d give it nine points!

On the other hand, the spectators thought to themselves, sure enough, a fool’s ignorance was bliss. Any normal mortal would have started trembling a long time ago when faced with a group of cultivators like them. Who would be able to act so oblivious to all else?

Xie Huai always had that aloof appearance, and just from his looks, you could tell he didn’t talk much. Qi Ding pondered for half the day, not knowing what to converse about. Seeing that Xie Huai’s attention was all on Fang Li, he stroked his beard and smiled, saying, “Yuyi-jun really does have the benevolent heart of a doctor. As for the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill, because the refinement and preservation method are unique, opening the furnace to extract the pill will need to wait until the full moon, but it won’t take too long. After the Ascension Conference has ended, this humble Qi will be sure to present the pill to Yuyi-jun.”

Fang Li had originally been eating happily, but when he heard this, his hands paused.

His heart sank.

There wasn’t much time left to him to pretend to be a fool……

Xie Huai turned and said to Qi Ding, “Much thanks to the Tower Master for the trouble.”

Qi Ding said, “Yuyi-jun is the hero who killed the devil and rescued the people. Being able to help Yuyi-jun is this one’s honor.”

Xie Huai smiled, turning to look at Fang Li.

Fang Li immediately lost all appetite.

No matter where they went, there were people reminding Xie Huai of the things he’d done! Were they going to let him have a meal in peace?

Fang Li let out a mournful sigh.

Now he understood a little how the Cloudbank Keep disciples had felt back then. No wonder Tao Lu had been so sensitive……

Xie Huai could tell at a glance that Fang Li didn’t want to stay anymore. He got up and said blandly, “Much thanks to everyone for your hospitality. I should take him back to rest.”

Everyone could see how important that fool was to Yuyi-jun. The fool was only a mortal, and he had no sense of scale. Today, he’d drunk a great deal of Black Star Tower’s wine and was probably already drunk silly. Returning at this time was only natural.

Fu Junling had already arranged a place for Xie Huai to stay, and he brought Xie Huai and Fang Li to a solitary, secluded pavilion. He smiled at Xie Huai. “If there’s anything you need, send me a message.”

Having said that, he left.

Although that was what he’d said, the pavilion had already been fully prepared. It had absolutely everything and truly wasn’t lacking at all.

Fang Li gave his head a shake. He let go of Xie Huai’s hand, but as a result, he stumbled and nearly fell onto the floor. At this, he finally felt a little dizzy.

At the time, he’d only thought the wine was delicious, but he hadn’t thought the effects would be so strong. He hadn’t started cultivating yet, and if not for Xie Huai helping him forge his body, he would definitely be as drunk as a pig right now.

Fang Li was just about to crawl into bed.

Time to sleep, time to sleep.

But Xie Huai scooped him up.

Xie Huai gave a soft, helpless laugh next to his ear. “What’s the rush? You smell like wine. Wash up before you sleep.”

Right now, there was nothing more important than sleeping. Did it matter if he didn’t wash up……

Fang Li still wanted to crawl over, but Xie Huai lifted him up and went to the next room. Inside was a pool with steam slowly wafting up from it. Dazedly, he remembered the medicinal baths and immediately sobered up a bit, laughing awkwardly. “No need.”

Xie Huai didn’t pressure him. He only suddenly spoke. “Everyone says that I’m a hero for killing the devil, but I don’t think so.”

Fang Li: “……”

Then he saw Xie Huai’s expression cool slightly, giving him a profound look. “That devil took me by force, seducing and then abandoning me, letting the whole world slander and insult me, yet in the end, he concluded it all by dying, casting everything clean away…… Tell me, if I  were to discover that he was still alive, how should I get my revenge on him?”

Fang Li very independently walked into the pool.

Because he was drunk from the wine, the young man’s eyes were a little misted, and that dejected appearance with his head hung low……

So, you’re also aware of how terrible you were.

Xie Huai fixed his eyes on him.

In his heart, he hated this person’s ruthlessness to the extreme, yet…… in the end, he couldn’t bear to harm him.

Whose fault was it……

That it was all his own wishful thinking?

Only, since he didn’t love him, then why did he have to provoke him……

Xie Huai slowly walked into the pool, his murky black eyes fixed on Fang Li. He said coldly, “Wash up before you sleep.”

Fang Li felt the man’s hands untying his clothes. His entire body was ill at ease, and his mind was foggy, but as soon as he thought of Xie Huai’s accusations just now, like he was a scummy man who’d been caught in the act, he didn’t dare say a single word.

Meekly letting Xie Huai wash him.

Anyways, as long as it wasn’t dual cultivating, it was fine……

Xie Huai watched the young man in his arms. He was clearly embarrassed beyond belief, his body stiff, yet he insisted on keeping his eyes closed, pretending to be an ostrich with his head in the sand. His pale pink lips were pressed tightly together, his guilty conscience making him unusually docile, looking as if he wanted to leave but didn’t dare…… Ha, so that’s all the courage you have.

Making it impossible to become angry at him.

If he was bullied any more than this, he would probably start to cry.

………………………………

When Fang Li woke up the next morning, he’d more or less sobered up.

He’d really miscalculated yesterday. Who would’ve thought the aftereffects of Black Star Tower’s wine would be so strong? It was all his own fault for getting in over his head before his cultivation had recovered. He gave his head a shake. Yesterday’s memories weren’t quite clear, and he only vaguely remembered that Xie Huai had cleaned him up again.

When he ate after that, Fang Li didn’t touch a drop of wine.

Five days passed in that manner, and it was finally the day of the Ascension Conference.

The setting for this Ascension Conference’s trial was one of the islands. Countless cultivators were already waiting there, and in the center of the island was a tall platform a hundred meters high. The platform was divided into two layers, top and bottom. The lower layer was where the various cultivation sects’ sect masters and elders sat, whereas the upper layer was arranged with four tables, for the four great cultivation sects’ sect masters.

Right now, the other sects’ sect masters and elders had all arrived, leaving only the seats on the upper layer empty.

After a moment, a large ship stopped beside the platform.

The first one to disembark was Black Star Tower’s Qi Ding. Dressed in green, the old man’s presence was out of the ordinary, and as the official host, he sat unabashedly in the very middle.

The second to descend was Jade Hawk Palace’s Ji Yuyao, a stunning woman in a black veiled dress, her clothes fluttering. Atop her high bun, the adornments on her golden hairpins dangled and swayed, like black lotuses atop an icy mountain. The aura she emitted was even colder than Xie Huai by a few degrees.

The third to come down was Heaven’s Summit’s Xin Hanzhou. Xin Hanzhou was attired in gray Daoist robes, a longsword on his back. Although he had the appearance of a youth, his expression was grave and stern, and eyes were murky, with an imposing air that was impossible to ignore.

Xie Huai was the last to exit. Cloudbank Keep’s Elder Ming Yin was in closed door cultivation for a trial of mortality. Originally, they were going to invite some other elders to take his place, but after hearing that Xie Huai was going to attend, they simply had Xie Huai represent Cloudbank Keep.

Xie Huai led Fang Li by the hand, slowly stepping out of the large ship.

Fang had originally decided not to come join in on the excitement. He didn’t have much interest in this Ascension Conference. If Xie Huai was going to go be a mascot, he could have a few days of unrestrained freedom, and taking the chance to visit Wu Yimei wouldn’t be bad either. Who could’ve known that Xie Huai would even bring him along for an occasion like this?

Atop the platform, the sect masters of the three great sects and the sect masters and elders of all the sects around them were all experts at the pinnacle of the righteous sects.

And below them were the tens of thousands of cultivators who had come to participate in the trial.

If a normal person were to see this scene, their feet would probably already be shaking.

But Fang Li, who had once been the demon lord, had a calm expression.

After all, back at Hollow Ridge, he could summon hundreds at his beck and call, and when he’d attacked Cloudbank Keep with tens of thousands of troops, it had been an even more imposing spectacle than this. He wouldn’t be unable to hold it together for such a trifling occasion. His only vexation was that he wouldn’t be able to do as he pleased these few days.

Fang Li’s expression was casual, but everyone else present was full of astonishment.

Although Qi Ding had witnessed Fang Li’s importance to Xie Huai, he hadn’t in a million years thought that Xie Huai would even bring Fang Li to an occasion like this, so he was truly a bit surprised.

Ji Yuyao had originally been cold and indifferent, looking as if she didn’t care about anything at all, but seeing this scene, she couldn’t help but give Fang Li a few more glances, as if she wanted to see what was special about him.

Xin Hanzhou’s sharp gaze swept past Fang Li, and his eyebrows lifted slightly, pensive.

Faced with the measuring stares of the crowd, Fang Li stared back without any courtesy, a shallow smile hanging off the corners of his lips. Aside from Cloudbank Keep’s Elder Min Yin who was absent, the three main figures of the Thousand Immortals’ Alliance were all here. Xin Hanzhou was the person who had advocated creating the Thousand Immortals’ Alliance and attacking Hollow Ridge that year. As a master of the cultivation world who had made his name hundreds of years ago, he unexpectedly had the appearance of a worldly young man.

This was actually the first time he’d met face to face with Xin Hanzhou and the others.

They probably wouldn’t be able to imagine even in their dreams that the devil they’d besieged back then was right in front of them today.

At this thought, a curious emotion arose in Fang Li’s heart.

But Fang Li didn’t actually have any grudges against these people. It was no more than the struggle between good and evil, and although Heaven’s Summit was a bit preoccupied with glory, their actions did protect the common people, so there weren’t any major problems. After all, you couldn’t possibly ask people to do good without seeking any reward, could you?

Doing good for the sake of one’s reputation was understandable.

When he thought up to here, Fang Li even gave them a friendly smile.

Xie Huai pulled Fang Li along by the hand. Seeing that there was only one chair before the table, his brow furrowed slightly. With a wave of his hand, a soft divan appeared next to it, and he settled Fang Li there to sit.

Xin Hanzhou and Ji Yuyao’s expressions both wavered.

Exactly who was this?

He looked to be no more than a mortal who had never cultivated before, and although Fang Li’s appearance really wasn’t bad, with an exquisite face, standing next to the world’s number one…… beauty, Yuyi-jun, he looked rather ordinary. Moreover, they’d never heard of Yuyi-jun raising a pet lover before.

Besides, it wasn’t very respectable for a righteous cultivator to be raising a pet lover, after all, so who would bring one to a public occasion, much less have him sit side by side with Xie Huai like this?

Only after Xie Huai had supported Fang Li to sit down did he look toward the three of them and say mildly, “He and I have a fated union from a previous life, and he’s also my future Dao companion.”

Qi Ding, Ji Yuyao, Xin Hanzhou: “!”

The expressions on the faces of all three pinnacle-level masters changed.

The future Dao companion who had a fated union from a previous life with Yuyi-jun? How come they’d never heard of this before?

Xie Huai had always been ascetic and aloof, detached from worldly desires. Those who didn’t know would even believe he was cultivating the path of apathy, yet without so much as a whisper, even a Dao companion had appeared?

Seeing as it was his future Dao companion, then naturally, he had the right to sit by Xie Huai’s side.

Qi Ding looked at Fang Li absently.

Although he’d known earlier that Fang Li was important to Xie Huai, this sentence still shocked him into a daze. So that was it, so that was it…… If this person was Xie Huai’s future Dao companion, then it was natural to ask for the Nine-Turns Wisdom Pill for his sake. If that was the case, then it all made sense.

Although this person was a fool and a mortal, with such a fated union with Yuyi-jun, was there any fear that his cultivation wouldn’t show results? Even a pig could be carried along.

Once his illness was cured, they would probably be hearing good news from Yuyi-jun!

Who could’ve thought, who could’ve thought?

On the other hand, Ji Yuyao and Xin Yuyao didn’t know of this matter, and they stared at Fang Li with creased brows, as if they were trying to look for something different about him.

Fang Li had originally been leisurely preparing to watch the show, but who could’ve guessed that a single sentence from Xie Huai would push him into center stage? His body immediately stiffened.

He still remembered that those words were things he’d said at Lover’s Pass for the sake of harassing Xie Huai……

Just as Fang Li was finding it hard to sit still, Xie Huai leaned slightly closer into his ear, saying in a low, hoarse voice that only he could hear, “Back then, there was someone who prayed for a fated union across lifetimes with me, wanting me to be unable to escape from his grasp across every lifetime, but it’s a pity…… Now, that person has forgotten all of it.”

Fang Li: “……”

What fated union across lifetimes, that was all marketing from that stupid flower in the Lover’s Pass. If something like that were to be effective, that would be even stranger, wouldn’t it? He immediately began to regret the lines he’d added for himself back then, insisting on taking Xie Huai to Lover’s Pass. In the end, he hadn’t managed to disgust Xie Huai; instead, he’d dug a pit for himself right now.

Sure enough, karma always struck sooner or later, didn’t it?

Fang Li felt ill at ease in his entire body. Luckily, after saying that sentence, Xie Huai quickly let him go.

The Ascension Conference was about to start.

The others also stopped looking at Fang Li.

As Black Star Tower’s deputy tower master, Fu Junling was also in charge of hosting the trial this time. He faced the tens of thousands of cultivators below, his voice gentle and calm, yet traveling distinctly into everyone’s ears.

Fu Junling said, “The venue for the trial will be the Mirage Star Trial Domain. Those participating in the trial have already received a jade talisman. Each of you can use your jade talisman to enter the trial domain, and as soon as you encounter danger, you can leave the trial domain by breaking the jade talisman. The trial period will last for three days, and inside the trial domain, there are silver mist beasts. The top ten scorers who can hunt the most mist beasts will be able to enter the four great sects.”

When he finished speaking, he waved his hands, and ten pillars of water shot towards the sky around the island, forming a whirlpool entrance in the air above the island. Fu Junling said in a clear voice, “Trial participants may enter.”

The tens of thousands of cultivators below raced to be first to fly inside in a flurry.

Fang Li watched this scene with interest. The pillars of water were coming out of the lake, so there should be a huge array at the bottom of the lake, creating this unique space. To be able to create such a trial domain that was isolated from reality—sure enough, Black Star Tower was the sect most proficient in mechanisms. This style sure was grand!

After everyone had entered, the entrance disappeared, becoming a huge screen of water in front of the crowd.

Displayed on the water screen was the inside of the trial domain.

Inside the trial domain were a jagged mountain range, floating clouds, and blue waters, making for a scenic paradise. There were many spiritual beasts with silver pelts inside that looked similar to wolves, but their eyes were also silver. These were the silver mist beasts that Black Star Tower raised inside the trial grounds. When they weren’t hosting the Ascension Conference, normally, they could also be used for the sect disciples to train with.

Fang Li’s chin was propped up in one hand.

His line of sight fell on the scene inside the trial domain.

Unexpectedly, although they were all cultivators from small sects and families, there were also some pretty promising young talents among them. Some were full of latent talent, some were clever and quick-witted, and as they displayed their tricks, many of the silver mist beasts were quickly slain.

But there were also some pretenders or unlucky fellows who encountered silver mist beasts as soon as they entered and couldn’t even defeat a single one, hurrying to break their jade talismans to exit and leaving with ashen faces.

Fang Li ate from the fruit platter in front of him and sampled the tea, and very soon, a shichen had passed. He yawned, bored.

He wouldn’t have to sit here for three days, would he?

Fang Li was pondering whether he should discuss it with Xie Huai so that he could leave first. Just as his interest was flagging and he was starting to doze off, the eyes of one of the silver mist beasts inside the trial domain suddenly turned red, and its cultivation rose explosively by a level, immediately snatching the arm of a cultivator in its jaws. The cultivator was about to break their jade talisman in a panic, but before they had time to act, the rampaging silver mist beast ripped them into shreds!

The accident happened in the blink of an eye.

Seeing that someone had died in the trial domain, Fu Junling’s brow creased, and he was just about to move that person’s corpse out when the eyes of all of the silver mist beasts in the trial grounds turned red, and their tempers became incomparably irascible, pouncing ferociously at the trial participants with no regard for death. Some people quickly broke their jade talismans, but they didn’t get transported out and were instead despairingly ripped to pieces.

The trial domain sank into a miserable state, and the faces of the crowd changed in astonishment.

Before everyone had come back to their senses and realized just what was happening, a black mist shrouded the entire screen of water, and the scenery inside the trial grounds couldn’t be seen anymore. A demonic cultivator with a face as gaunt as a skull appeared in the water screen, his entire body cloaked in demonic energy, and he gave a cruel, uncanny laugh. “My master bade me present everyone with a grand gift.”

Everyone on the platform abruptly stood up.

Fang Li’s expression sank, his face becoming grave. At a single glance, he recognized that this demonic cultivator was one of Wu Yimei’s subordinates. Could Wu Yimei have sent this person here?