In Order To Ascend, I Became A Modern Wage Slave - Chapter 28: Elemental True Monarch 1

Chapter 28: Elemental True Monarch 1

Heavenly Court.

“How does it feel?” Xi Yi patted the shoulder of the young man in white beside him and said meaningfully, “Elemental True Monarch.”

The Elemental True Monarch maintained his youthful appearance. Standing next to Xi Yi, whether in stature, appearance, or age, Xi Yi surpassed him in every aspect, resembling a father and son. Yet, in terms of presence, the two somehow achieved a balanced harmony, their atmosphere quite congenial.

Hearing Xi Yi’s words, the young man first glanced around, then shot Xi Yi a look. As if understanding something, he sneered, “Like a weasel paying respects to a chicken, no good intentions.”

“If you put it that way, it’s not entirely wrong.” Xi Yi stood with his hands behind his back and lured him, “But this time, it’s a win-win.”

“Brother, you might fool others with that, but not me. I was practically resting in peace, and you insisted on dragging me back to work for you. What’s the matter, short on manpower?” The young man, full of mischief, leaned closer to admire Xi Yi’s expression and whispered, “Now that I’m out, what about him?”

Xi Yi replied, “He’s of no use. If you miss him, I can call him out for you.”

The young man waved dismissively. “Forget it. Let him live in his own paradise.”

Xi Yi led the young man through cold clouds and desolate streets until they reached the observation deck at the Celestial Bridge—a place dedicated to observing the mortal realm.

Xi Yi waved his hand, dispersing the surrounding mist. In the emptiness, an image appeared.

The young man studied the people in the image carefully, then looked back at Xi Yi, quickly concluding, “The unruly younger brother you keep talking about—isn’t he dead?”

Xi Yi said, “Some things have come up recently. I need him.”

Before he finished speaking, the young man clapped and laughed heartily, offering an unfiltered critique: “Friend, I dare say your shamelessness could elevate me straight to heaven. Does your brother know you need him? You say it so matter-of-factly.”

“If he knew, he’d be useless.” Xi Yi was unbothered, leaning forward and tapping the blank Divine Record in the young man’s hand. In the next moment, golden light flashed, and the words “Elemental True Monarch” slowly emerged. In the image, everyone stared at the four words, frowning in deep thought.

“What an extravagant entrance.” The young man feigned flattery. “Your scare tactics have gotten more amusing. Are they in Luonan Temple? Wow, so many old acquaintances. After thousands of years of solitude, is this a reunion party?”

Xi Yi asked sharply, “Where did you learn modern slang?”

The young man rolled his eyes. “If you’re so perceptive, why not do something else? I wasn’t dead, and the locust tree that housed me was in the city center. Every day, I heard all sorts of nonsense. Want me to share some interesting ones?”

Xi Yi waved it off, uninterested in anything but power.

All these trivial stories were a waste of his precious time.

Forcing the topic back on track, Xi Yi said, “They should be preparing to find you by now. Show up at the right time, then find a way to push him to a desperate situation—unable to live or die—and finish him off.”

“Cruel,” the young man commented.

Xi Yi sighed helplessly. “I have no choice. He hates me. Even when I give him a chance to live, he tries every way to kill me.”

“Afraid?”

“Of course not. I just enjoy watching him hate me yet fail to get rid of me.”

The young man marveled, “Your brother is really unlucky to have you as a sibling.”

Xi Yi retorted, “And your brother is just as unlucky to have you as a sibling.”

The young man’s face darkened, his tone serious and irritable as he declared, “I don’t have a brother.”

After emphasizing this, the young man turned his gaze behind Xi Yi. The image on the observation platform changed dramatically. With a smirk of amusement, the young man said, “Your brother seems to be looking at you.”

Xi Yi turned sharply. In the image, Xi Yu looked up at the sky, his brows slightly furrowed, his expression one of disgust—like he had seen Xi Yi in the heavens above.

“What are you looking at?” Lian Bei lightly tapped Xi Yu on the head. “If we don’t leave soon, it’ll be daylight.”

Their group descended the mountain in the dead of night. No one would believe they were up to anything proper. If someone caught them and posted about it online, all sorts of speculations would arise, and the authorities might even get involved.

Although Luonan Mountain was remote and located in the suburbs, a small but bustling town lay nearby. They couldn’t afford to let their guard down.

Xi Yu brushed Lian Bei’s hand aside and said, “Seeing if I recognize anyone.”

Chen Bunian had told him there were deities with enough merit to ascend to the heavens. That was surely Xi Yi, whose goal, Xi Yu guessed, was to kill him—and quickly.

No matter how hard Chen Bunian tried, he could never escape that fate. It was only a question of when.

Chen Bunian’s earlier ascension was likely an illusion orchestrated by Xi Yi, who had prepared everything in advance.

After all, by logic, an ordinary person who ascended through offerings wouldn’t just turn into a cloud, a body, and some superficial powers that were barely functional.

Halfway down the mountain, Xi Yu, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly had an epiphany. “Oh! I get it now?”

What was pressing on his forehead? Xi Yu looked up at Lian Bei and asked, “Don’t you have anywhere else to put your hand?”

Lian Bei responded conservatively, “I have my reasons.”

Xi Yu: “?”

Xi Yu’s gaze drifted for a moment, ready to glance downward, but Lian Bei firmly corrected him, holding his head straight and pointing him toward Luo Yang. “Guess why he’s holding his waist.”

When Xi Yu started thinking, he became oblivious to everything else. On their way down the mountain, he either dashed into the woods or bumped into Luo Yang ahead, giving Luo Yang such a psychological shadow that he kept looking back every few steps until he finally ran into a tree.

After learning the full story, Xi Yu faced three gazes, stayed silent for a moment, and blurted out irrelevantly, “The Loyal True Monarch killed the Cherished True Monarch and used his powers to revive the Elemental True Monarch.”

Xi Yu was adamant about seeing Lian Bei’s face but was repeatedly refused. Frustrated, he went home and fell asleep. After their trip to Ghost Gate, the atmosphere between them was noticeably less intimate. Though Xi Yu still wondered about the mask on Lian Bei’s face, every attempt to remove it failed.

Standing with Luo Yang, Xi Yu grumbled, “What’s the point of wearing that thing?”

Luo Yang teased, “It’s no big deal. In the middle of summer, always wearing a mask? He must be a platypus.”

Xi Yu didn’t like the mask but didn’t ask further. He decided it was time to get serious and said, “Do you know of a busy, lively place with a big tree?”

Luo Yang clapped. “I know just the spot!”

They went to an open plaza, where the noise from the crowd could be heard three streets away. Standing there, the noise became overwhelming, with chatter coming from all directions. Amid the din, Luo Yang shouted, “How about this, bro? Lively enough?”

Xi Yu said something, but Luo Yang couldn’t hear it. He only saw Xi Yu’s lips move before he dashed away.

Luo Yang couldn’t keep up, so he replayed the scene in his mind. Did Xi Yu say, “Wait here for me”? Or “Hurry up and follow”?

This was the city’s largest plaza, capable of holding ten thousand people. Being a holiday, the place was packed. Finding someone in this crowd would be challenging. Xi Yu had just arrived in the modern world, looking so stunning that if someone with bad intentions noticed him…

Shivering, Luo Yang scurried around like a headless chicken. Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder. Overjoyed, Luo Yang turned to hug the person!

Then awkwardness ensued—it was a stranger.

Luo Yang wanted to crawl into a hole. Fortunately, the other person spoke first. “Uncle, are you looking for someone?”

Yes, yes, yes! Luo Yang looked up to see a young man. The young man gestured, “About this tall, very pale, almost sickly, very skinny, and also very good-looking, right?”

The description made Xi Yu sound like an invalid. Luo Yang slowly nodded, and the young man smiled. “I know where he is. Come with me.”

Luo Yang hesitated. The young man added, “His name is Xi Yu. He’s occupied and sent me to find you and bring you to him. By the way, I’m Yuan Xu.”

“Hello everyone, welcome to the Wisdom in Action livestream. I’m your old friend, Chen Zhidao. Today we’re at the largest square in Nancheng, Nancheng Square. Behind me is the ancient locust tree, which has stood for over three thousand years and remains lush and verdant!”

“Legend has it that this tree thrives because a deity nourished it with their flesh and blood. Look, doesn’t the trunk resemble a human figure? Maybe it’s not clear from this angle, let me adjust.”

[“It does.”]

[“There’s a handsome guy in the background.”]

[“Host, could you stand to the side?”]

[“It would be even better if you stepped back a little more.”]

People close to death emit a unique scent—not particularly unpleasant nor pleasant—that usually goes unnoticed unless… Xi Yu saw Chen Zhidao inexplicably moving closer to him, almost pressing against him. Chen handed him a pole and quickly ducked behind him, clasping his hands in a pleading gesture, mouthing, “Do me a favor, I’m begging you.”

“Got dumped?” Bai Fan, tall and slender in high heels, walked past Lian Bei with a rhythmic clacking sound, her tone full of mockery. “He doesn’t recognize you anymore, does he?”

Lian Bei replied, “Why should he recognize me?”

Bai Fan said, “Oh, so what you mean is, even when you showed him your face, he had no reaction. You always wear a mask, and he’s not even curious enough to ask you to take it off, right?”

Lian Bei: “…”

Bai Fan left it at that, sipping from her freshly filled glass as she sat opposite Lian Bei, offering advice. “If you really want to carry out your plan, you’d better reveal your identity directly. Do you really expect someone you’ve been tutoring for five or six years to still remember you?”

“And what’s your plan, then?” Lian Bei suddenly asked. “I’ve always wondered why you’re involved in this. You could’ve just stayed on the sidelines and watched.”

Bai Fan took out her phone, scrolling casually. “Don’t try to probe me. Be careful, or I might scheme against you too.”

Her slender fingers slid across the screen a few times. Just as she was about to say that she’d seen too much of the human world and found it boring, a familiar face appeared on her screen.

Bai Fan clicked on the image, holding it up to take a closer look. She didn’t forget to tell Lian Bei, “Your little friend is quite trendy, huh? He’s even started livestreaming now.”