First Immortal of the Sword

A massive ritual ground was built halfway up Candlelight Peak.

This was where the sword cultivators of the Heart-Tempering Sword House sparred and practiced their swordsmanship.

Three thousand members of the Heart-Tempering Sword House had practically all gathered nearby. All of them were looking at the man standing in the center of the arena.

He was tall, upright, and dressed in blue, his features clear and handsome. He stood there leisurely, ethereal and extraordinary

This was none other than Su Yi, the reincarnation of their founder, Jiang Wuchen!

He’d returned to the sect and was about to undergo its three trials.

The first trial was about to begin in the ritual grounds.

The crowd watched and discussed the trials amongst themselves.

“According to the sect leader, Su Yi is only in the Silent Realm, but he’s supposed to fight an Immeasurable Realm expert. There’s a whole major realm between them. How could he possibly win?”

Sect Leader Lu Ye had announced that Su Yi was to spar with one of their Immeasurable Realm experts, leading to widespread uproar. People almost dared not believe their ears.

Within the Five Realms of Eternity, a single realm made a world of difference.

Moreover, the cultivators of the Heart-Tempering Sword House weren’t pushovers. Pick any one of them at random, and you’d find a peak expert within their level of cultivation.

It seemed highly unlikely to them that Su Yi could cross realms to defeat someone of higher cultivation!

“Peerless experts capable of crossing realms to defeat foes of higher cultivations do exist, you know, and this is our founder’s reincarnation. If Su Yi couldn’t do that, how could he possibly win over the entire sect?”

“Just watch. If Su Yi loses... I won’t acknowledge him, not even if he really is our founder’s reincarnation!”

All manner of discussions broke out.

Yang Lingxiao was a legacy disciple of the Heart-Tempering Sword House. Naturally, he was there, too.

He couldn't help but find these debates amusing.

During his time in the Blue Peak Continent, Su Yi defeated him and took him captive. It was then that he gradually started to understand how heaven-defying Su Yi was.

In the battle in the Literati Continent, Su Yi once more revealed his terrifying strength. Even now, Yang Lingxiao was overcome with astonishment whenever he thought of it.

When he learned that Su Yi was already in the Silent Realm, Yang Lingxiao’s jaw almost fell off for sheer shock.

Su Yi was breaking through with simply unprecedented speed. Even if you searched the ages, you’d find no one else comparable!

Yang Lingxiao vividly recalled that Su Yi was still only in the Unfettered Realm when they first met.

In the Literati Continent, he broke into the Divine Wandering Realm.

Now, just one year later, he’d broken through again and entered the Silent Realm. Of course Yang Lingxiao was astonished!

He couldn’t help but feel strange as he listened in on the crowd’s conversations. It was as if all of them were drunk and he was the only sober person here.

When His Excellency Su attacks, you’ll see what it means to be terrifying enough to make the whole world tremble! Yang Lingxiao thought to himself.

Mountain Lord Wu Qing of Heavenquench Peak was there, too. Just like Yang Lingxiao, he understood Su Yi far better than most of the others present. Thus, he in no way believed that Su Yi would lose!

But it was Mountain Lord Wen Feng and Vice Mountain Lord Fei Qiu of Expanding Heavens Peak who felt the strangest.

“Should we tell them that Fellow Daoist Su cut down Heavenly Monarchs?” transmitted Fei Qiu. “I’m worried that if we don’t, they’ll surround and pummel us both when they learn the truth.”

Su Yi was capable of defeating Heavenly Monarchs, yet they’d arranged for him to duel an Immeasurable Realm cultivator. Was this... even really a trial?

Wen Feng had a strange look on his face. “Fellow Daoist Su didn’t say anything, so we shouldn’t either. Let’s just act in accordance with the rules. We ought to show our sectmates just how terrifying our founder’s reincarnation is.”

Fei Qiu couldn’t help but feel like Wen Feng’s words were somewhat ill-intentioned, as if he were eager to see the other old-timers’ reactions.

Fei Qiu said worriedly, “But what if they try to settle the score with us later?”

Wen Feng shrugged, not the least bit concerned. “What’s there to be afraid of? Can’t we just pin the blame on our founder’s reincarnation?”

Fei Qiu didn’t know what to say. So, you plan to have Fellow Daoist Su take the fall for this!

“Don’t think I’m insidious. I’m just giving our founder’s reincarnation a chance to shock the sect, and to smoothly earn their approval while he’s at it,” transmitted Wen Feng. “That aside, we’re currently living under another’s roof, and our predicament doesn’t bode well. We need Fellow Daoist Su to win everyone’s recognition and take over responsibility for the sect as soon as possible!”

Wen Feng paused, then added, “Given Fellow Daoist Su’s abilities, he’s sure to surpass the founder sooner or later. Naturally, we’ll have a chance to reclaim our former glories, too!”

Fei Qiu nodded. He and Wen Feng had both witnessed the battle in the ruins of the Heart-Tempering Sword House. There, they’d seen Su Yi’s combat strength and courage for themselves.

He’d single-handedly routed a group of experts from three Heavenly Sovereign factions. How many others beneath the heavens could have achieved that?

The way Fei Qiu saw it, their founder had been the only other person in the sect with such strength and confidence!

Su Yi, meanwhile, rubbed his brow.

The Malevolent Sword Venerate had arranged for him to undergo three trials to earn the Heart-Tempering Sword House’s recognition.

The first round was a clash of the Grand Dao. Its rules were simple: Su Yi had to defeat a sword cultivator of the Heart-Tempering Sword House one realm above him.

Su Yi was currently in the Silent Realm. Naturally, that meant his opponent was in the Immeasurable Realm.

But... Su Yi found the situation frustrating.

Given his current strength, was this even really a trial?

Hadn’t the Malevolent Sword Venerate known that Su Yi could effortlessly defeat Immeasurable Realm cultivators even in the Divine Wandering Realm?

Su Yi had suggested that he fight a Heavenly Monarch instead, but his suggestion only astonished the gathered higher-ups. Many of them even thought he... was being arrogant! He made it sound like the Immeasurable Realm cultivators of the Heart-Tempering Sword House weren’t even worthy of fighting him.

Out of respect for his status as their founder’s reincarnation, none of them chastised him. However, had anyone else dared say something so arrogant, they might well have drawn their swords and attacked!

In the end, Lu Ye warmly urged everyone to stay calm, then said that he’d arrange for the strongest Immeasurable Realm cultivator in the entire sect to fight.

His name was Xia Jiuqiu, and he was the Vice Mountain Lord of Moonpluck Mountain, a late-stage Immeasurable Realm expert. Moreover, he was ranked second on Divine Reverence Pavilion’s Immeasurable Ranking!

That meant he was widely recognized as the second-strongest Immeasurable Realm cultivator in the entire Eternal Heavens Domain!

Xia Jiuqiu was indeed heaven-defying. He was an Immeasurable Realm cultivator capable of crossing realms to fight Heavenly Monarchs!

That was how he’d become a Vice Mountain Lord while still only in the Immeasurable Realm.

After introducing Xia Jiuqiu’s dazzling accomplishments, Sect Leader Lu Ye said with concern, “Fellow Daoist Su, this is only the first trial. You’d best not get complacent.”

He then coughed dryly and transmitted directly to Su Yi, “Rules are dead, but we’re alive. Just to be safe, I urge you to swap opponents. That wouldn’t count as cheating. Rather...”

But before he could continue, Su Yi smiled and interrupted him. “Lu Ye, do you remember the phrase written on the calligraphy I gave you in my past life?”

Sect Leader Lu Ye froze. His heart shook, and his face filled with uncharacteristic shame. He said softly, “I’ve always carved every word into my heart. I wouldn’t dare to forget it!”

When he accepted Jiang Wuchen as his master, Jiang Wuchen wrote a line of calligraphy for him. It read, “Like a clear breeze or a bright moon, a principled approach to every move.”

This was Jiang Wuchen’s hope for Lu Ye and his cultivation, as well as the standard Lu Ye held himself to.

When Su Yi reminded him of these words, Lu Ye instantly understood that his offer had failed to live up to those lofty principles.

It was improper!

That was why Lu Ye felt such shame.

Even he realized that his demeanor had changed. Although he was now the leader of the Heart-Tempering Sword House, when he faced Su Yi, he felt as if he were facing his master, Jiang Wuchen.

Now, for all his power and prestige, he was just a disciple getting a stern talking-to.

Su Yi said no more on the matter.

Jiang Wuchen had taken three disciples, and he gave each of them a similar piece of calligraphy.

Luo Yan’s read, “Only when the mind is clear can you see your heart and prove your Dao.”

Jin Xuan’s read, “Be kind to others, the kinder the better.”

“If you please, Fellow Daoist!” Xia Jiuqiu appeared in the ritual grounds, instantly drawing the onlookers’ attention.

He was thin and clad in dark green robes, and he wore his long hair in a topknot, revealing a cold, angular face that looked hewn out of rock. Even just standing there casually, he seemed as steady as a mountain and as firm and sharp as iron.

That unshakeable bearing was obvious to everyone who saw him. He was like a solitary mountain rising out of the earth.

Su Yi didn’t hesitate. He floated closer to his opponent, stopping just three hundred feet away.

The clamor of voices instantly died down. Everyone watched with bated breath, their hearts full of eagerness. Even the old-timers stopped their conversation.

All of them were keenly aware of Xia Jiuqiu’s strength. They just weren’t certain how strong their founder’s reincarnation was.

Some of the old monsters dared not hope for too much. They silently decided that if Su Yi could withstand nine of Xia Jiuqiu’s attacks, it’d be enough to earn their recognition.

“If you please.” Su Yi gestured, his bearing as leisurely as if he were out for a casual stroll. There was nothing overtly noteworthy about him.

Off in the distance, Xia Jiuchou said gravely, “Please don’t take offense!”

Boom!

He was then the first to launch an attack. His sword intent arced through the air, rising into the nine heavens.

His Immeasurable Realm cultivation coursed through him, his imposing majesty not one bit inferior to most Heavenly Monarchs!

When he attacked, his sword qi exploded into being, glinting like frost, as radiant as a galaxy.

When his strike landed, murderous intent filled the ritual grounds. Sword intent swept forth like waves washing against the shore, tyrannical to the extreme.

Surging Celestial Tides! The corners of Lu Ye’s lips twitched. Xia Jiuqiu, you’re taking this too seriously. How could you use your full power right from the start? That’s our founder’s reincarnation! Can’t you hold back a little?

Meanwhile, startled cries arose on all sides. The onlookers obviously hadn’t anticipated that Xia Jiuqiu would strike with such force as soon as the battle began.

Some of the old monsters couldn’t help but sweat on Su Yi’s behalf, yet Su Yi acted as if he didn’t even notice. He just smiled, put his hands behind his back, and took a step forward.

Boom!

The surging celestial tide of sword qi slammed into him, but against the onlookers’ expectations, this strike, mighty enough to stop a Heavenly Monarch, popped like a soap bubble on impact.

It was as if Su Yi were a boulder. No matter how the wind howled, it couldn’t budge him!

He hadn’t even done anything special to defend himself, instead relying on his defensive aura to shatter that endlessly tyrannical strike!