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Chapter 504: Deja Vu

This power was akin to the force of the heavens! Even in its absence, Yun Xiao felt a lingering terror in his heart.

He knew better than anyone that the Great Dao Celestial Realm surpassed the mortal realm in unfathomable ways, a place not even the Primordial Ruins could compare with.

In other words, the challenge they faced was beyond extraordinary!

"We must have reached our destination..."

With the force gone, Yun Xiao regained control of his body, and he and Lian Xi gently landed on a white jade platform.

This platform, floating amidst the misty hues of celestial fog, had an aura of ascension about it.

"It’s alright." Yun Xiao took Lian Xi’s hand.

Amidst these strange occurrences, they seemed like a pair of lovebirds, huddling together for warmth under the immense pressure of this boundless world.

With Yun Xiao’s firm hand in hers, Lian Xi’s tense heart began to calm.

Together, they looked ahead. Before them rose tiers of white jade steps! These steps, floating in the colorful mist, appeared both sacred and sublime, infinitely wondrous. And at the top of these steps, shrouded in the deeper mists, it seemed a grand palace awaited in the clouds.

"Ascenders, make haste to join the ranks!" From the palace came a voice, kind and compassionate, bathing its listeners in a spring of sweetness.

"Ascenders?" Yun Xiao and Lian Xi exchanged bewildered glances.

"Yun Xiao, we stowed away, how did we become ascenders?" Lian Xi whispered timidly.

"It\'s alright, let\'s go with the flow. If things go south, we\'ll escape with my coffin," Yun Xiao replied.

"Coffin?" Lian Xi was still puzzled when Yun Xiao grabbed her hand and led her onto the white jade steps, heading towards their end.

Soon, he saw it clearly! At the end of the staircase stood a towering stone gate, a thousand meters high, engraved with three characters—Gate of Ascension!

These golden characters, bold and imposing, undoubtedly contained a multitude of enchanting symbols, packing a spiritual punch. Yun Xiao glanced at them and felt a surge of emotion, as if he had truly endured hardships and was about to ascend as a genuine Immortal breaking through the barriers...

"These three characters... they make my scalp tingle," Lian Xi said, her eyes reddening as she stared.

"Indeed!" Yun Xiao said little else as they stepped through the Gate of Ascension together.

WHOOSH! The scenery shifted before their eyes, celestial fog swirling around.

A few steps forward, and the vista opened dramatically, revealing a floating golden palace inscribed with the words Palace of Ascension. This palace, grand and suspended, spanned 10,000 meters in both length and width—a spectacle of opulence!

Taking a deep breath, Yun Xiao and Lian Xi stepped into the palace.

"Eh?"

"These two young daoists, so youthful."

"Could they be supreme talents from the mortal realm?"

As soon as they entered, many eyes turned their way.

Yun Xiao looked around and saw that the spacious hall was filled with nearly 100 individuals, all clad in diverse attire and of varied forms—mostly middle-aged and elderly.

They shared one trait. They were all True Immortals! In stature, they were akin to those two children, Mu Shuo and Tao Shuo, from the Celestial Court.

From their attire and demeanor, they were approachable, showing no airs of superiority. Yun Xiao quickly deduced they were all ascenders, just like himself.

"Have these people just ascended through the realm barrier?"

With questions in mind, Yun Xiao approached the gathered Immortals.

"Little daoist friend, come, come," an old man in a green daoist robe beckoned. His hair was white as a crane\'s and his youthful face radiated vitality, a very picture of an Immortal as imagined by mortal folk.

"Greetings, senior," Yun Xiao said, stepping forward.

"A fine pair of young Immortals," the elder smiled warmly, then introduced himself, "I am known as Qing Xuan, and you may call me big brother if you\'d like."

"Old man, you really have no shame. These children could well be your grandchildren, yet you wish to be called big brother?" This was said by a middle-aged man in an imperial robe, tall and commanding, likely a mortal emperor who had ascended.

After laughing at Qing Xuan, he bowed to Yun Xiao and said, "My name is Mo Daoyuan. A pleasure to meet you."

Other True Immortals also expressed a desire to get acquainted and introduced themselves to Yun Xiao, who in turn graciously shared his name.

"Your name is Yun Xiao?" A woman in a blue dress, standing a bit apart, asked. Her demeanor was cold, her face marked by a somber stillness as if weighed down by thoughts, making her seem aloof.

"Yes, and may I ask how to address you, senior?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"I am Yun Xi. It appears we share a surname," the woman in blue responded, then crossed her arms and closed her eyes, seemingly impatient.

"Never mind her, she\'s as cold as ice. Thinks the Celestial Court is just like our mortal realms." Qing Xuan chuckled, then curiously asked, "Little daoist friends, I\'m puzzled, why have you ascended without the true spirit of an Immortal?"

Mo Daoyuan, the imperial figure, nudged Qing Xuan\'s elbow, cautioning, "Old daoist, there are many strange things in the world; don\'t ask what shouldn\'t be asked."

"Indeed!" Qing Xuan exclaimed, quickly stopping himself. "Apologies, I spoke out of turn."

Their warmth was clearly tinged with curiosity, suspecting that these young ones might have backing from the Celestial Court.

"There\'s no need for formality. In this vast cosmos, our meeting is a fortuitous fate. With such fate, comes affection. As newcomers to this realm, we can support each other and advance together," Yun Xiao earnestly replied.

"Your words have enlightened this old man," Qing Xuan confessed, visibly moved.

After this conversation, Yun Xiao and the others felt their camaraderie deepen.

After chatting a bit more, Yun Xiao scratched his head and asked Qing Xuanin in a low voice, "What exactly are we waiting for here?"

"You don\'t know?" Qing Xuan replied, surprised.

"The ascension was quite sudden; my master did not explain it fully," Yun Xiao feigned ignorance.

With this mention of his master, confirming some sort of background, Qing Xuan did not dare to delay and patiently explained, "We are waiting to enter the Ascension Pool."

"The Ascension Pool? What happens once we enter?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"You are quite naive, child," Qing Xuan replied with a bitter smile, yet he explained patiently, "Upon ascending, entering the Gate of Ascension, and joining the ranks of Immortals, the first step is to bathe in the Ambrosia Nectar within the Ascension Pool, which imbues our spirits with the Great Dao Imprint. With this imprint, we truly become Immortals of the Great Dao Celestial Realm. Otherwise, merely approaching the realm would see us reduced to ashes by the celestial formations of the Celestial Court!"

Yun Xiao listened, his relief palpable. Fortunately, the heavenly power had mistakenly swept him into this Palace of Ascension. Otherwise, he and Lian Xi would have turned to ash by now.

He thought again—all who broke through to the Great Dao Celestial Realm likely ended up here directly, making it difficult to turn to ash.

"Bathing in the Ascension Pool... And then?" Yun Xiao continued.

Looking deeply into the distance, Qing Xuan spoke with longing, "According to legend, the next step is to join the ranks of the Immortals. A great Heavenly Officer will descend to personally assess our qualities, sorting us into one of 108 celestial ranks. The high achievers ascend higher, transcending the mundane, while the lower ones start at the grassroots, yet they too shall enjoy celestial fortunes, free from worries!"

"Ah, I see..." Yun Xiao listened nervously. He and Lian Xi were stowaways; if a great Heavenly Officer were to truly assess their qualities, wouldn\'t that be the end for them?

He glanced into the misty depths and then asked again, "How long have you been waiting here?"

"I was the first to arrive. I saw the previous group enter; it\'s been a full quarter-hour since then," Qing Xuan sighed.

"I\'ve been waiting about half a quarter-hour," Mo Daoyuan said.

"How many were in the last batch?" Yun Xiao asked.

"Each batch, 100," Qing Xuan replied with a smile. "Do not worry, little daoist friend; it will soon be our turn."

"Ah, okay." Hearing this, Yun Xiao exchanged a glance with Lian Xi.

"A quarter-hour for 100 ascenders, that’s quite a few, isn’t it? Why did Arbiter Lu mention that it\'s been a while since there were any ascenders?" Yun Xiao whispered to Lian Xi.

Lian Xi speculated, "Maybe he doesn\'t pay much attention?"

Yun Xiao was still pondering when suddenly someone softly announced ahead, "The Heavenly Officer meant to guide us has arrived."

None among them knew who was coming since all of them were first-time ascenders.

Yun Xiao looked forward and saw an elderly Immortal approaching with a spring in his step. This Immortal had a notably large head with a shining forehead and short legs, leaning on a cane, a gourd hanging from his belt, and his white eyebrows nearly sweeping the ground, giving him a festive appearance.

"Greetings, esteemed Immortal!" The ascenders bowed respectfully.

The old Immortal waved them off, saying, "No need for that, stand up, stand up. We\'ve got 100 here; hurry up and cross the bridge, the next batch is almost here."

"Yes." Seeing the old Immortal\'s hurried demeanor, which was somewhat endearing, everyone quietly marveled at how many ascenders there were.

It couldn\'t be helped. Like stars filling the sky, it was rare for a star to produce an ascender, but when the stars were numerous, so were the Immortals.

"Keep up, keep up." The old Immortal hopped onto the bridge, and the 100 ascenders quickly followed.

Yun Xiao and Lian Xi blended into the crowd.

Lian Xi\'s appearance could easily draw attention, so Yun Xiao had her wear a white tiger mask.

With the mask, she looked even more like Chen Xi.

"The Ascension Pool is just ahead." Yun Xiao smelled a fragrance.

The scent was clear, natural, rich, and somewhat like coconut, very sweet.

Ahead, the mist was thick with celestial fog swirling, and the sound of flowing water was heard.

They were nearly at the Ascension Pool!

Each ascender gazed forward with a burning intensity in their eyes.

Just then, the woman known as Yun Xi, dressed in blue, suddenly stepped forward and caught up with the old Immortal.

SPLASH! She suddenly burst into tears, kneeling before the old Immortal, crying out, "I beseech you, esteemed Immortal, to champion the mortal beings of my realm!"

After speaking, her face contorted with grief, tears and snot streaming. Her shoulders shook, betraying her helplessness.

The old Immortal was momentarily taken aback before he turned and gently helped Yun Xi to her feet, asking in a soft voice, "Child, what sorrows weigh upon you? Speak to this old Immortal."

With her eyes red and voice choked with misery, Yun Xi cried out, "In my realm, a century ago, a True Immortal came. Using methods unknown, he transformed the Five Calamities into the Five Decays, drawing the power of Heavenly Decay to afflict all living beings. He forced thousands of worlds to practice the Ascension Technique, burning their lifespans in vain as he devoured them! Now, the living are few, suffering immensely. I have endured a lifetime of hardship, solely to bring this plea to the Celestial Court on behalf of my people!"

"Can this be true?" The old Immortal\'s eyes widened in shock, deeply moved. He took Yun Xi\'s hands in his, his eyes blazing with resolve as he reassured her, "Calm yourself, child. I will report this matter forthwith. The Emperor will send someone to verify, and if true, the culprit shall surely be dealt with by the laws of heaven!"

Yun Xi, forever grateful on behalf of countless generations, bowed deeply before the old Immortal, her tears flowing freely as she knocked her forehead to the ground, heedless of the blood.

"Uh..." Yun Xiao and Lian Xi watched this unfold, a chill running down their spines.

Wasn’t this the work of the Three Immortals? The Ascension Technique was practiced in Yun Xi\'s mortal realm too?

"That old Immortal didn\'t even ask Yun Xi for the location of her homeland..." Lian Xi suddenly remarked with concern.

Indeed, he seemed shocked and angry, but why hadn\'t he asked where this was happening?

As Yun Xiao frowned in thought, he saw Qing Xuan suddenly kneel before the old Immortal, his eyes burning with indignation, "Esteemed Immortal, in my realm, similar atrocities are being committed by four unknown True Immortals! I had planned to report this after joining the celestial ranks..."

"Esteemed Immortal..." Mo Daoyuan took a deep breath, his voice trembling, "In our realm, two demonic Immortals are tormenting the people with poisonous parasites. Now, beings of all ages have prematurely aged."

THUD! THUD! THUD! One by one, the ascenders around Yun Xiao knelt down, each recounting the hardships of their own worlds.

They had all been enduring in silence. Only Yun Xi could no longer hold back. And now, as they clenched their fists and fought back tears, voicing their suffering, they choked up and blamed themselves for their helplessness.

These were the doings of powerful True Immortals!

Until that moment, they had merely been fortunate enough to ascend. They had risen, carrying the hopes of their entire realms.

In the end, including Yun Xiao and Lian Xi, only nine ascenders remained standing.

"So many? So many calamities in the mortal realms? How could this be?"

Even among these nine, there was a sense of shock. What was happening? Such a high proportion? Could this all be just a coincidence?

In that instant, Yun Xiao, witnessing all this, could honestly say that even his toes felt ice cold. His understanding of everything was under a terrifying assault.

His eyes were fixed intently on the old Immortal\'s face, watching it shift from initial shock and anger to something else.

As more people knelt, his anger suddenly took on a sinister edge; his face seemed to blaze with rage, yet Yun Xiao saw him smile.

It was a merciless, chilling smile that seemed to crawl under the skin.

"Fellow daoists of the Immortal path!" The old Immortal\'s eyes were red with fury as he declared, "Such atrocities in the mortal realms will surely provoke the Emperor\'s wrath. This matter is beyond my authority. Please, hasten into the Ascension Pool, receive the Great Dao Imprint, and join the ranks of Immortals. I will take you to the Golden Throne of Heaven immediately!"

"Thank you, esteemed Immortal!!" Qing Xuan and the others, their tears dried, now held only hope in their eyes.

The scene was laden with irony.

"Yun Xiao, no matter what, we shouldn\'t enter the Ascension Pool!" Lian Xi said urgently.

But as she spoke, the bridge beneath them vanished, and a celestial canopy slammed down, pressing them into the pool below, which was pure white!

That canopy descending reminded Yun Xiao of a pot lid. And they, forced into the water, were like ingredients pressed into a pot… Their entire world turned into a white furnace!

BOOM! A loud noise sealed the furnace completely!

Amidst rising mists, the old Immortal floated upward, his white eyebrows fluttering.

He took a contented sip from his gourd, then looked down at the white furnace below and chuckled dryly, muttering, "Every batch has to play out this tragic drama; will it ever end? My face is about to fall off from all this acting!"

Humming a tune, he floated amidst the celestial fog, legs crossed, thoroughly enjoying himself.

"Longevity Immortal!" In the distance, a group of tall celestial guards in dragon armor saluted the old Immortal and then announced, "The next batch of ascenders has entered the hall, please guide them."

"Ugh!" The Longevity Immortal spat disdainfully, grumbling, "What\'s with all the mortal realms? Ascenders are as common as dogs; can\'t they give me a break? Always brewing soup, so annoying!"

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