First Immortal of the Sword

The spacetime portal hovered in midair. One existence from the Far Shore of Destiny arrived after another, all of them emanating boundless majesty. Their collective auras blanketed the skies and blotted out the sun.

The Heavenly Sovereigns each stepped forth to greet them in turn. All of them were exceedingly polite.

Wang Zhiwu was stunned. All of those Heavenly Sovereigns were enough to fill my heart with terror, yet now, a whole group of terrifying existences has come here from the Far Shore. How could Su Yi possibly turn things around now?

“Hey, you old charlatan. Don’t you just love bragging about how strong you are? Well, it’s time you showed your stuff!” transmitted Wang Zhiwu. “If you help my Brother Su, I’ll believe whatever you say!”

Mu Yu fell silent, then transmitted bitterly, “Young Master, it’s not that I don’t want to, but that I truly cannot.”

Wang Zhiwu hadn’t really gotten his hopes up; he was just grasping at straws. Still, when he heard this, he couldn’t help but feel despondent. That won’t work either? Now what do I do?

Meanwhile, in the River of Destiny, River Ancestor Shen Xiao and the others looked stricken. Chills coursed through their hearts. Experts from the Far Shore of Destiny! And no small number of them at that!

What on earth did Fellow Daoist Su do to invite such a terrifying catastrophe?

At the same time, Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan stiffened, his gaze full of unprecedented solemnity. He transmitted, “We’re finished this time, Little Brother!”

He’d predicted that forces of the Far Shore would get involved, but he hadn’t anticipated that they’d come in such numbers. Even he, a lofty Heavenly Sovereign, couldn’t help but feel an indescribable sense of frustration.

“We’re finished?” Su Yi said calmly. “But why do I get the sense that we’ve only just gotten started?”

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan looked stunned, but before he could say anything, two more figures emerged from the spacetime portal.

One was an elegant young man in golden robes, with the transcendent, promising air about him.

He was accompanied by a thin, middle-aged spearman in black.

Yun Wuxiang of Three Purities Temple and Li Shouhu!

They’d only just appeared when the middle-aged Daoist, Zhen Jia, stepped forward, smiled, and clasped his fist in greeting. “Martial Uncle Yun.”

At the same time, Mo Zhong of the Academy, Ning Chang of the Origin, Panwu Qing of the Panwu Family, Sui Song of Xiantian Ancestral Court, Madam Lingrun of Hongmeng Daoist Court, and the others stepped forth to greet Yun Wuxiang.

The Heavenly Sovereigns dared not be negligent either. All of them stepped forth to greet him, too.

It was like watching stars cluster around the moon. Yun Wuxiang was a crane among chickens; his transcendent position was readily obvious.

Meanwhile, Su Yi learned Yun Wuxiang’s identity from Wang Zhiwu, who in turn learned it from Mu Yu.

“So, that’s him,” Su Yi murmured thoughtfully.

Back in the River of Destiny, he imprisoned a wisp of Li Shouhu’s soul. With help from the Monarch of Endless Tribulations and the Buddha of Non-Existence, he extracted some of Li Shouhu’s memories.

It was from these memories that Su Yi had first learned of Yun Wuxiang, an expert of Three Purities Temple and the Malevolent Sword Venerate’s former backer!

Similarly, he was the man backing Hei Ya, the traitor of Sword Sovereign City.

Hei Ya had appeared during the battle in the Literati Continent at Yun Wuxiang’s behest.

Li Shouhu’s clone entered the River of Destiny in search of the Key to Endless Tribulations and the Book of Destiny on Yun Wuxiang’s orders, too.

It was because of these clues that Su Yi suspected that Yun Wuxiang had been involved in the Malevolent Sword Venerate’s decision to destroy the Heart-Tempering Sword House.

Now, he finally saw Yun Wuxiang again.

One look at the experts of the Far Shore and it was obvious how extraordinary Yun Wuxiang’s position was.

The atmosphere was stifled and oppressive.

When Yun Wuxiang arrived, he casually responded to the others’ greetings before fixing his gaze on the distant Su Yi. Who knew what he was thinking, but he sighed, “Countless years have passed, and the world has changed, but we finally meet again.”

All eyes were instantly on Su Yi.

Some of the Heavenly Sovereigns were confused. ‘We meet again?’ What does he mean?

But those experts of the Far Shore who understood the situation had inscrutable looks in their eyes.

A long, long time ago, the Big Boss of Sword Sovereign City once left his territory and cut Yun Wuxiang down, heedless of the threat of Three Purities Temple.

This incident shook the entire All-Profound Dominion.

It was just that none of them had anticipated that Yun Wuxiang would come back to life!

“But I can see that ultimately, you aren’t the Big Boss of Sword Sovereign City, so discussing these things with you is as pointless as playing the zither for a cow,” Yun Wuxiang said with a soft sigh.

He casually waved his hand through the air, and time and space interwove, transforming into a barrier, like an insurmountable wall between them and the River of Destiny.

River Ancestor Lu Shu and the others’ hair stood on end. To their horror, while it seemed like there was but a single spacetime barrier separating them from Su Yi, they were effectively in two different worlds. The far side of the barrier was unreachably far away!

Yun Wuxiang had effectively sealed off Su Yi’s only escape route!

But Su Yi wasn’t the least bit concerned; he disregarded this completely. Instead, he asked, “Did you kill the Malevolent Sword Venerate?”

Yun Wuxiang said calmly, “He killed himself. I didn’t force his hand, either. Besides, his death was nothing but advantageous for you, was it not?”

He wasn’t in a rush to attack. On the contrary, he surveyed his surroundings as if all of this were perfectly normal, then commented, “You were lucky to have survived the battles in the God Domain and the Literati Continent, but how do you plan to get out of this one?”

He laughed. “Of course, your measly cultivation base isn’t worthy of concern. I’m just waiting for the survivors of Sword Sovereign City!”

The Heavenly Sovereigns had no idea what he was talking about. The survivors of Sword Sovereign City?

But the experts of the Far Shore seemed to have already known this. None of them were surprised.

Against all expectations, Su Yi shook his head. “I didn’t invite anyone this time.”

Yun Wuxiang exclaimed, “Truly?”

Su Yi said calmly, “Had I long since made arrangements, I wouldn’t have wound up in this situation, now would I?”

Yun Wuxiang couldn’t help but laugh. “Does that mean you have other cards up your sleeves?”

“I do,” Su Yi admitted. “And quite a few at that.”

Yun Wuxiang’s brow furrowed. He asked with great interest, “Oh? Why not show me, then?”

The other experts of the Far Shore leered coldly at Su Yi. It seemed that the moment he did anything at all, they’d strike to kill without hesitation.

That was true of the Heavenly Sovereigns, too.

But given the circumstances, there was no need for their intervention. All of them were relaxed; they felt as if they were just here for the spectacle.

Yu Xiu, Bo Yunjun, Lu Sang, and the others joined their respective elders and watched coldly.

But before Su Yi could respond, Lian Yue suddenly interjected, “Fellow Daoist Su, after our recent meeting in the ruins of the Heart Tempering Sword House, I still owe you a favor. I’d planned to repay you this time, but I didn’t expect the situation to be this serious.”

Lian Yue looked at Su Yi apologetically. “I can’t do you any big favors, but I can still do you a small one.”

Everyone looked flabbergasted. None of them could have anticipated that a junior like Lian Yue would dare intervene so brazenly at this juncture!

This required more than mere spirit and courage, as it wouldn’t just implicate her—it would implicate the faction behind her, too!

Was it worth it?

Before Su Yi could respond, she turned and addressed Madam Lingrun of Hongmeng Daoist Court. “Homgmeng Daoist Court won’t be participating in this. Lingrun, leave immediately.”

Her voice was calm and clear. This wasn’t a request; it was an order!

Everyone was startled, but they were even more startled by Madam Lingrun’s response. She actually lowered her head, clasped her fist, and said, “Understood!”

Then, as the other terrifying existences of the Far Shore watched in astonishment, she turned and left, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

The way the others looked at Lian Yue shifted. What kind of transcendent status and authority must she have to make a terrifying existence of the Far Shore obey her every command like this?

Many of those present instinctively glanced at Yun Wuxiang, who just smiled. “You want to repay a favor? Very well. It doesn’t matter if Hongmeng Daoist Court declines to participate; it won’t change anything, anyway. But if you’re not participating, I’m going to have to ask you to get out of my sight immediately. Don’t blame me for pressing the issue if you refuse!”

His blatant threats echoed throughout heaven and earth.

Lian Yue sighed softly, then turned to face Su Yi. “I still owe you a debt. Even if something bad happens to you, I’ll find a way to make it up to you.”

With that, she turned to leave.

“Wait,” said Su Yi, stretching out and flicking his fingers. A snowy, crystalline pearl shot forth and floated before Lian Yue. “Take this.”

This was the Toad Palace Pearl!

Lian Yue stiffened, visibly dazed, her eyes full of uncharacteristic disbelief.

“If anything happens to me, this will only benefit my enemies. Better for you to take it with you,” Su Yi said casually. “As for the so-called favor you owe me? It isn’t even worth mentioning. I have no interest in making anyone owe me such a debt; such entanglements are nothing but trouble.”

Lian Yue fell briefly silent, then slowly put away the Toad Palace Pearl. She gazed intently at Su Yi, but in the end, she left without another word.

Yun Wuxiang clucked his tongue. “You traded a favor for a chance to mend your life force and Grand Dao. Well played! Impressive!”

It seemed he already understood how important the Toad Palace Pearl was to Lian Yue.

Lian Yue disregarded the mockery in his voice, then continued through the spacetime portal. From beginning to end, none stood in her way.

The Heavenly Sovereigns were finally starting to grasp what was going on. Lian Yue’s status is so extraordinary that even Yun Wuxiang decided to show mercy and let her leave unimpeded!

Suddenly, Yun Wuxiang turned his attention to Wang Zhiwu and Mu Yu. “Don’t you think it’s about time you told me what the Sect of Endlessness plans to do now?”

The Sect of Endlessness!

It wasn’t just the Heavenly Sovereigns this time; even the experts of the Far Shore were stunned. Wang Zhiwu? That guy who was eliminated in the first round? He and his old servant are actually from the Sect of Endlessness, a faction of the Far Shore of Destiny?

Wang Zhiwu was stunned, too, to the point that he felt as if his head was about to explode. The Sect of Endlessness? Don’t tell me that old charlatan was telling the truth this entire time, and that I really am from the Sect of Endlessness?

He opened his mouth to say something, but before he got the chance, Mu Yu said gravely, “We’re here by chance, and we have no intention of getting involved.”

“You...!” Wang Zhiwu bristled with anger.

But before he could say anything, Su Yi’s rebuke transmitted directly into his ears. “With your abilities, you’re entirely unqualified to get involved. Should the opportunity arise, leave immediately. Don’t be an eyesore!”

Wang Zhiwu’s expression shifted erratically, and he felt deeply frustrated.

Yun Wuxiang, meanwhile, smiled. “No intention of getting involved, huh? That’s for the best!”

He then turned his attention to Su Yi once more. “Come on, Su Yi. It’s time you laid your cards out on the table!”