In Order To Ascend, I Became A Modern Wage Slave - Chapter 01: Chronicles of the Divine Official

Chapter 01: “Chronicles of the Divine Official”

 

[1] Beginning

 

When I began writing the Chronicles of the Divine Official, I encountered a troublesome figure.

 

This person was named Xi Yu.

 

The Chronicles of the Divine Official, as the name suggests, recounts the past lives of divine officials. Xi Yu was not a divine official and logically should not have been included. However, when I browsed through the Divine Register, I was shocked to find that he held an official position in the Heavenly Court—still active!

 

Thus, I immediately went to investigate.

 

The one who received me was a young man who bore a 70-80% resemblance to Xi Yu, with a refined and elegant appearance.

 

I got straight to the point, without revealing my discovery. Assuming the two were related, I used this as an excuse. He thought I was seeking material for writing and treated me warmly, sharing much that might be useful.

 

According to him, Xi Yu was a mischievous and unruly child, but gifted with extraordinary talent. Despite squandering much of it, fate had favored him. At ten, he met a study companion—like a god descended to earth—who was skilled in both literature and martial arts. This companion guided him onto the right path. Within three years, Xi Yu climbed the immortal mountain to cultivate alone, descended after six years, and ascended to immortality six months later.

 

Such a legendary life! At this point, the narrative abruptly stopped. I couldn’t help but ask, “And then?”

 

“Although he attained the Dao, his mischievous nature never disappeared. Less than half a year after his ascension, he grew weary of life in the Heavenly Court, resigned his position, and descended to the mortal realm to become a ruler.”

 

So much for the moment. Hearing only one side of the story felt too biased, so I ventured to Xi Yu’s kingdom, Xi Yu Guo.

 

Xi Yu had passed away two days earlier, but the streets were bustling with people celebrating, as though it were a festival.

 

“Of course, it’s good he’s dead! Ever since he took the throne, we haven’t had a single good day! Three years of his rule brought plagues, droughts, floods, and wars, one after another, without a moment’s peace! During those years, corpses littered the streets, and we didn’t dare go out at night, constantly living in fear that we’d be next!”

 

“The gods despised him and sent calamities upon us! Xi Yu stole someone else’s fate to ascend! I always wondered how that scoundrel suddenly reformed—it all made sense after he ascended and was kicked out, returning what he stole. Serves him right!”

 

“He deserved to die! His sins were so great that even death wasn’t enough! If his body hadn’t gone missing, we’d have chopped it into pieces!”

 

…

 

The people’s anger was palpable, rising with every word.

 

A scoundrel. Incompetent. Despicable. Deceitful. Infamous.

 

Xi Yu’s reputation seemed set in stone. Because of this, his story never made it to paper.

 

On my way back, a handsome man stopped me. “I heard you’re looking for Xi Yu. I know where he is.”

 

Xi Yu wasn’t dead!

 

He said, “I heard you’re writing his chronicle. Rumors are unreliable—you should see him with your own eyes.”

 

He led me to where Xi Yu was, then left. Before he departed, I called out and asked his name. He said, “Lian Bei. I used to be called Shan Bei.”

 

Shan Bei—Xi Yu’s study companion.

 

Xi Yu was alive, so the chronicle was set aside for now. Still, I stayed and observed him for over a month out of professional diligence.

 

I learned a lot.

 

During this month, he “died” again.

 

It seemed the Heavenly Court truly did not favor him.

 

I recorded this event and tentatively titled it the “Xi Yu Chapter.”

 

[2] Continuation

 

The next time I heard about Xi Yu was a century later.

 

Three bolts of divine lightning thundered through the skies, shaking the Heavenly Court. Many assumed some great figure had ascended, but upon inquiry, it was revealed that Xi Yu had failed his ascension. After two strikes of divine lightning, he was obliterated, body and soul.

 

It seemed his chronicle would need a restart.

 

Further investigation revealed that he had failed at Hua Xi Mountain—a territory of Lian Bei’s. How could Lian Bei possibly let Xi Yu die?

 

Lian Bei claimed Xi Yu truly was dead.

 

The current heavenly order did not tolerate him; ascension was impossible. Death was the only outcome.

 

But this “death” meant only that Xi Yu was absent from the present. Lian Bei had preserved a fragment of his soul with his own power.

 

With Xi Yu’s story again on hold, I turned to leave. Lian Bei stopped me and said, “If you can’t write about him, why not write about me?”

 

Thus began the Shan Yu Chapter.

 

Through this, I understood why Lian Bei did what he did.

 

“If he’s dead, how much longer can you last? Can you keep him alive?”

 

Lian Bei chuckled, “At least until I see him again. If this world cannot accept him, there will come a time when it will.”

 

[3] Resumption

 

Eons passed, with the world undergoing vast changes. I lost track of how many millennia had gone by.

 

Yet, the day Lian Bei spoke of truly arrived.

 

His power held out, though he was now hanging by a thread. I had watched him sustain that final breath for centuries.

 

He struck a deal with the Heavenly Sovereign. Xi Yu was reborn.

 

I was tasked with keeping an eye on Lian Bei.

 

I knew he would secretly help Xi Yu ascend again.

 

I said, “Why bother? You’ve already gone beyond what’s expected. He’s alive, but ascension in this world is practically impossible!”

 

“That divine position still exists,” Lian Bei replied. “As long as it does, he will always be a divine official, with no need to ascend. I told you—this era has changed, and now, it is time.”

 

—Bai Fan, August 15, 2023

 

[4]

 

Xi’ai Immortal, the overseer of love and marriage, had been worshipped by mortals for over a millennium.

 

Normally, a thousand years of merit would suffice for one to ascend. Yet Xi’ai Immortal always fell short of claiming a divine official’s position.

 

Bai Fan remarked, “There’s a ghost blocking the way.”

 

Lian Bei suggested, “Remove the ghost?”

 

Bai Fan replied, “I received Xi’ai Immortal’s life scroll. If I’m meant to write his biography, that likely includes eliminating him as well.”

 

He planned to involve Xi Yu.

 

—Prologue—

 

A torrential rain poured down.

 

Kneeling in front of a weathered statue of Beishang Zun Jun, its features long eroded, Xi Yu bowed devoutly.

 

Amid the sound of raindrops hitting the ground, a discordant splash of footsteps approached. A pair of tiger-head boots stepped into view.

 

Xi Yu didn’t bother looking up, but the newcomer hooked a finger under his chin, forcing him to raise his head. The man’s tone was full of mockery: “Xi Yu, I never thought I’d see you praying to a god. Beishang Zun Jun? Never heard of him in the Heavenly Court. Even if he existed, he wouldn’t be of any use. You’d be better off praying to me. Bow to me, and I’ll spare your life. How about it?”

 

Xi Yu met the man’s mocking gaze. He knew what reaction the man wanted: fear, panic, or even groveling. But he refused.

 

He wanted to live, but not like this.

 

In this situation, cursing the man would be like complimenting him.

 

Xi Yu couldn’t stand to let him win.

 

The man grew irritated at Xi Yu’s calm demeanor. “Xi Yu, you’ve lost.”

 

Xi Yu slowly curled his lips into a smirk and then burst out laughing. “So what?”

 

Meeting the man’s furious gaze, Xi Yu’s grin widened. “You’d better make sure I’m completely dead. Even if only a wisp of my soul remains, I’ll come back.”

 

Before the words had fully landed, the man slapped him in rage.

 

“Fine.”

 

“Fine!”

 

“Fine…so be it!!!”

 

Xi Yu: “Scared? So afraid of me, huh?”

 

The other person looked up at the sky, suddenly at ease, and said, “Afraid of what? If that’s the case, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Ending up like this is all your own doing!”

 

He laughed sinisterly and took two steps back.

 

The sky was covered with dark clouds, flashing with streaks of lightning.

 

Xi Yu struggled to stand, barely propping himself up. He was about to face the heavenly tribulation, but ever since fifteen days ago, torrential rain had poured continuously, flooding houses. He, of course, hadn’t fared any better.

 

With this tribulation, there was no way out but death.

 

The other person didn’t give up, crossing his arms and saying, “Won’t you beg me? I mean what I say; I’ll spare your life.”

 

Xi Yu mimicked his arrogant posture, crossing his arms with disdain: “Wait till I come back to take your life, you idiot!”

 

“You…!”

 

Boom!

 

A bolt of heavenly lightning struck.

 

Xi Yu still stood tall, but he could no longer see what was in front of him.

 

Boom!

 

He was swallowed into endless darkness.