First Immortal of the Sword

Wu Qing’s gaze was unprecedentedly solemn.

A Heroic Soul!

Every last Heroic Soul was once one of the forebears of the Aberrant Race who waged war during the Devastation. All of them were as powerful as elite Heavenly Monarchs.

Now, over one hundred of them attacked at once. Their combined force and momentum were enough to make any Heavenly Monarch faction lose their nerve.

This was the foundation of the Aberrant lineage, and this was why people said that even a starving camel was bigger than a horse. Their legacies could be traced back to the Devastation. They were an ancient race that had once contended with Heavenly Sovereign factions!

The Heart-Tempering Sword House was once the greatest Heavenly Monarch faction around, but its foundations were unquestionably a notch inferior. Moreover, their reputation was largely thanks to their founder. Without him, their prestige had plummeted.

Kaboom!

Heaven and earth shook violently. The entire Heavenly Aberrant Hidden Realm shook violently.

Over one hundred ancient Heroic Souls appeared en masse. Their combined ferocious majesty was enough to transform the entire area.

The impact even reached Candlelight Peak, startling every member of the Heart-Tempering Sword House.

Sect Leader Lu Ye and the other higher-ups’ hearts sank. Deep-seated concern arose on their faces. Those are Heroic Souls! To think that the Aberrants would use such a fearsome killer weapon! How will the founder handle this?

Over on the Heavenly Aberrant Mountain, Chief Meng Che said coldly, “Young man, this is what you wanted to see. Is this enough to satisfy you?”

Su Yi had already lowered his sword and now hovered in midair, gazing at the distant army of Heroic Souls. He couldn’t help but feel rueful.

The Heroic Souls’ true bodies had obviously perished long ago, during the Devastation, but their essence, qi, and spirit had been perfectly preserved all this time. This was unquestionably unbelievable.

This also made it obvious that the Aberrants’ legacies touched on the unique and distinctive mysteries of Destiny. They could never have used a secret art to preserve their ancestors’ Heroic Souls otherwise.

Chief Meng Che bellowed, “So long as you submit, I promise to leave everyone in the Heart-Tempering Sword House a path to life. Refuse... and you won’t be the only ones to die. Everyone in the Heart-Tempering Sword House will be doomed!”

Every word overflowed with murderous intent.

“Hurry up and submit!”

“Submit already!”

A tidal wave of voices arose from Heavenly Aberrant Mountain, rising and falling in waves, intimidating the heart and soul.

Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “All I can say is, your Heroic Souls could have suffered no misfortune greater than running into me!”

Heroic Souls were long dead, much like inauspicious spirits or vengeful ghosts.

Over one hundred of them could have overwhelmed just about any faction, let alone any individual cultivator, but Su Yi was different. He had at least three viable methods to suppress them all with ease!

“What do you mean by that? Are you saying that you still haven’t given up? Do you really plan to keep fighting?” Meng Che’s gaze was sinister and imposing.

Su Yi laughed. “Admit to your mistakes, and your Heroic Souls might well escape disaster.”

Meng Che threw back his head and laughed. Then, without another word to Su Yi, he waved his hand and said, “Ancestors, please, help us destroy him!”

Boom!

His voice had only just rung out when the Heroic Souls swept forth, blanketing both heaven and earth.

The Heroic Souls were dead, but they attacked like living people would, each unleashing shocking divine majesty. It really seemed as if over one hundred top-notch Heavenly Monarchs were attacking at once!

Su Yi pointed his bamboo sword, then charged into the firmament.

Wherever he passed, a storm of sword qi ripped the sky asunder, like fierce winds scattering the clouds as he cut down one Heroic Soul after another. Every Heroic Soul he killed exploded, then vanished into thin air.

It was over in just three snaps of the fingers. The entire army had been destroyed!

Clang!

Su Yi landed gently on the ground, raised his hand, and tossed his sword. It let out a clear hum, then transformed back into a hairpin and embedded itself in his hair.

Then, Su Yi smiled at the distant Aberrant higher-ups. “You did this to your forebears’ Heroic Souls yourselves. You can’t blame me for this.”

This light, airy declaration echoed throughout the area. The atmosphere was already deathly silent.

Chief Meng Che looked as if he’d been struck by lightning. He’d frozen in place, disbelief written all over his face.

The other higher-ups, as well as the ordinary Aberrants watching from elsewhere on Heavenly Aberrant Mountain, were stunned too. Their eyes bulged in their sockets, and their minds went blank.

Those Heroic Souls had been with them throughout the ages. They were one of the ultimate killer weapons they kept in reserve.

They’d lived deep in seclusion here, separate from the rest of the world, throughout the ages. No calamities had befallen them during that time, so they’d never asked their ancestors’ Heroic Souls for help before.

Who could have imagined that the first time they sent their ancestors’ Heroic Souls into battle, their enemy would sweep through them all in three snaps of the fingers?

Wu Qing couldn’t help but gasp, too. What’s going on? Don’t tell me the founder used the power of reincarnation? Rumor has it that reincarnation is full of unbelievable, taboo mysteries, and that it’s a natural counter to lingering souls and their ilk. If the rumors are true, that explains how the founder managed to deal with the Heroic Souls so easily!

It was a good guess, but Wu Qing was mistaken. Su Yi had actually used the power of Destiny’s Wrath. When he “killed” the Heroic Souls, he actually imprisoned them in the first page of the Book of Destiny. They were now inmates in the Destiny Prison!

Had Su Yi used the power of reincarnation, he’d have instead guided them to the Yellow Springs. They’d have left this world for good.

“No, this is impossible! Our ancestors’ Heroic Souls have survived throughout the ages. They’re ageless and inextinguishable! How could you have destroyed them?” someone cried out, as disconsolate as if he’d just lost his parents. He couldn’t accept this.

The deathly silent atmosphere broke. Everyone reacted as if awakening from a dream. All of them were overcome with grief. Some roared, while others wept. Everything was in chaos.

All of the Aberrant experts’ will to fight crumbled. They were on the verge of a mental breakdown.

A young sword cultivator had shown up with nothing but a bamboo sword, destroyed three ancient formations, and overpowered them all. Now, he’d even obliterated their ancestors’ Heroic Souls, their greatest trump card!

It was just one heavy blow after another, and it had left them all on the verge of despair.

They’d been full of confidence prior to this. They thought the Heart-Tempering Sword House was as good as defeated, and they planned to force them to submit completely. They’d even begun discussing how best to divide their wealth and resources.

Yet now, a single young sword cultivator had been enough to shake the entire clan!

It was utterly ridiculous, yet they’d all watched it happen. Who could have accepted this all at once?

Su Yi took out a jug of wine and said, “Are you ready to acknowledge your mistakes?”

The Aberrant experts were all badly injured. Many lay on the ground, unable to get up. Each looked more wretched than the one before.

But Meng Che and the others still standing all had ashen looks on their faces. Their hearts and minds were in turmoil.

“We accepted an enormous risk by sheltering you. Is this how you plan to repay us?” said Meng Che through gnashed teeth, hatred written all over his face.

Su Yi said calmly, “If not for that act of kindness, Heavenly Aberrant Mountain would already be running red with rivers of blood.”

It was true. Su Yi had held back all this time; he’d yet to kill a single Aberrant expert.

“It’s a pity, but human greed is endless. When you learned that the Heart-Tempering Sword House had lost its ancestral lands and founder, your attitude changed.” Su YI took a sip of wine. “A favor is a favor and kindness is kindness, but we still have to settle the score. If you aren’t convinced, you’re welcome to continue attacking me. I’d like to see who among you can block my sword!”

“Do you really think we have no means of defeating you?” said Chief Meng Che, his eyes bloodshot and a bit frenzied.

As the leader of his people, he was the least willing to accept such treatment from a sword cultivator.

“Then fight me!” Su Yi said casually. “I’ll fight until none of you dare to oppose me any further!”

Meng Che gnashed his teeth, then took a bone talisman out of his sleeves and activated it with both hands.

Boom!

The bone talisman caught ablaze. A streak of divine flames shot into the firmament. The whole dome of heaven caught on fire, outlining a mysterious, ethereal portal.

Countless blood-red stars revolved within the portal, strange and mysterious. Gradually, they condensed into an aged face.

The face was incomparably enormous; it seemed to fill every last inch of the starry sky. Individual stars looked as minuscule as specks of dust by comparison.

His eyes were like black holes, and the wrinkles lining his aged face were actually criss-crossing celestial pathways. With every breath he took, countless stars shook.

Even through that spacetime portal, he put terrifying pressure on all who gazed upon him. His mere presence suppressed the entire Heavenly Aberrant Hidden Realm!

Over on Candlelight Peak, Sect Leader Lu Ye and the other higher-ups looked stricken. Don’t tell me the Aberrants’ surviving forebear has awakened from dormancy?

“Everyone, bring our secret sect-protecting treasures and follow me to Heavenly Aberrant Mountain!” roared Sect Leader Lu Ye.

He could no longer remain a bystander, nor could he concern himself with anything else. He led the sect’s higher-ups away on a beam of sword light.

Together, they flew beneath the dome of heaven in a grand procession.

Meanwhile, the Aberrants throughout Heavenly Aberrant Mountain gazed at that enormous face with fervent reverence. He was one of the forebears of their race, an unparalleled, dazzling legend of the Devastation!

Even Chief Meng Che looked pious and respectful. He said with grief and indignation, “Sect Leader, please, save our people from disaster!”

His voice boomed far and wide.

The aged face beyond the portal said, “Where is your enemy?”

It was just four simple words, yet they were like a decree from the ruler of the stars. All celestial bodies quivered and rumbled as one, their combined volume and momentum shocking to behold.

All eyes were instantly on Su Yi, their expressions full of undisguised hatred and excitement.

The Ancient had awakened after countless years of dormancy. He could surely kill that young sword cultivator with ease!

But it was as if Su Yi didn’t even see what was going on. He just stood there, holding his jug of wine and gazing into the heavens, his expression unreadable.

Whoosh!

A terrifying divine sense shot out of the portal, then swept over the entire mountain.

Everyone standing on its slopes stiffened, their hearts full of awe. That must be the Ancient’s divine sense!

It was so powerful that they couldn’t even think of resisting it.

But when that terrifying divine sense landed on Su Yi, a shocked voice emanated from beyond the portal.

“Benefactor? What are you doing here?”