The sensation of Ascension was not pleasant. It felt like being put into a grinder and reassembled on the other side.
Mo Tian gasped, dropping to his knees. His hands touched water.
He was in a pool of golden liquid—the Ascension Pool. The liquid was searing hot, burning away the "mortal dust" from his body and replacing it with Immortal Qi.
"Argh..." Mo Tian gritted his teeth. His Chaos Body, which was invincible in the lower world, felt heavy here. The gravity was crushing.
"Look at this one. He's still conscious."
A voice echoed from above.
Mo Tian looked up. He was at the bottom of a white stone pit. Standing on the rim were two men wearing silver armor. They radiated an aura that made the air shimmer.
[System Scan] [Target: Guard A & B] [Cultivation: Human Immortal (Early Stage).] [Threat Level: High (Due to Host's unadjusted state).]
"Human Immortal," Mo Tian thought. The lowest rung of the ladder here, but stronger than a Divine Transformation peak.
"Hey, trash!" One guard kicked a bucket of cold water onto Mo Tian. "Welcome to the Profound Gold Sect's mining territory. Stand up and put these on."
He threw a pair of heavy black shackles into the pool.
"Shackles?" Mo Tian stood up. The golden water dripped from his jade-like skin. "Is this how you greet guests?"
"Guests?" The guards laughed. "You are an Ascender. In the Upper Realm, you have no clan, no money, and no rights. You are a slave until you mine 10,000 Immortal Stones to pay for your 'Visa'."
The guard pointed a spear at Mo Tian.
"Put them on. Or we throw you back into the void."
Mo Tian looked at the shackles. He looked at the guards.
He smiled.
"I just conquered a world," Mo Tian whispered to himself. "And five minutes later, I'm being mugged by two door guards. Life is full of surprises."
He picked up the shackles.
"System," Mo Tian subvocalized. "Can I eat them?"
[Analysis: Targets possess 'Immortal Laws'. Current digestion capability: 10%.] [Recommendation: Weaken them first.]
Mo Tian nodded. He held the shackles out as if to put them on.
"I surrender," Mo Tian said meekly.
The guard sneered and jumped down into the pit to lock them. "Smart choice, country bumpk—"
SNAP.
Mo Tian moved.
He didn't use Qi. He used pure physical force reinforced by his Chaos Body. He swung the heavy shackles like a flail.
CRACK.
The shackles hit the guard in the temple. The sheer speed caught the Immortal off guard. The silver helmet dented.
"You dare?!" The guard roared, stumbling back. He raised his spear. "Gold Law: Pierce!"
The spear glowed with blinding light.
Mo Tian didn't dodge. He stepped into the guard's reach.
"Heaven-Devouring Art: Contact Drain."
He grabbed the guard's wrist.
The Chaos Vortex inside Mo Tian, hungry from the ascension, latched onto the fresh, high-grade Immortal Qi.
"AAAAHH!" The guard screamed. "My Qi! He's draining me!"
The second guard on the rim panicked. "Enemy attack!"
He rang a bell.
CLANG! CLANG!
Mo Tian snapped the first guard's neck.
[Devoured: Human Immortal (Trace Essence).] [Immortal Qi Acquired.] [System Calibration: 15%.]
He tossed the body aside and looked up at the rim. More guards were arriving.
"Well," Mo Tian cracked his neck, feeling the new power settling in his veins. "So much for a quiet entry."