First Immortal of the Sword

As soon as the Wuhuan Water Monarch made his entrance, the clamor disappeared. The atmosphere was instantly solemn.

The woman dressed like a palace lady meekly returned to her seats, and the other yao and ghosts ceased their conversation. When they looked at the Wuhuan Water Monarch, their gazes carried hints of reverence.

When he saw this, Su Yi’s eyebrows shot up. It seems this Wuhuan Water Monarch guy has made quite the name for himself.

“Mystic Master, should I take this chance to ask about your friend?” Tao Qingshan transmitted.

Su Yi shook his head. He was actually curious to see just why the Wuhuan Water Monarch had decided to host this Assembly in Paradise.

The firelight blazed, illuminating the entire ritual hall.

Then, the Wuhuan Water Monarch swept his gaze across the entire venue and smiled, “I’m honored that all of you chose to attend tonight’s meeting, but I trust that you’re curious: just why did I convene this Assembly in Paradise?”

Many of the guests nodded, and their eyes shone with curiosity.

“Now, I shall clear up your doubts.” The Wuhuan Water Monarch was instantly solemn. He pointed to the nine-foot-tall, black ritual altar. “Everyone, do you know what this is?”

“It looks like an altar for ritual sacrifice?” one of the ghosts couldn’t help but ask.

“Indeed.” The Wuhuan Water Monarch nodded. “Then do you know just how it is that I’ve held onto the blessed ground that is Ninebends City over the years?”

“Naturally, it’s because of your great strength and vast reach.” The elderly weasel smiled and immediately buttered him up.

“Hahaha, well said! But I won’t lie to you—if not for the power granted to me by this magic altar, I couldn’t possibly have obtained what I have today.” The Wuhuan Water monarch burst into hearty laughter.

The entire venue was instantly in uproar. No one could have anticipated that the Wuhuan Water Monarch would publicly reveal such an enormous secret.

Immediately, all eyes were drawn to the dark altar.

One of the apparitions asked, “Water Monarch, dare I ask what makes the altar so special?”

The Wuhuan Water Monarch was instantly solemn. He turned to the altar and clasped his fists, then turned and faced the crowd once more.

“With this magic altar, you can connect with an unbelievably powerful ghost god and receive his power! Practically all of my cultivation is due to the Ghost God’s benevolence!”

As he said this, the Water Monarch’s face revealed frenzied worship and reverence.

The entire hall fell silent, but only briefly.

The yao and ghosts’ eyes lit up; they were beside themselves, and the venue was boiling over. All of them looked stunned.

Only Su Yi and Ning Sihua remained calm. They predicted something like this the moment they laid eyes upon the altar. How could this revelation possibly surprise them?

“Water Monarch, is that true?” Madam Mountainden exclaimed.

The Wuhuan Water Monarch gestured for silence. Once everyone quieted down, he said solemnly, “I absolutely wouldn’t dare lie in front of this altar. The ghost god calls himself ‘the Divine Monarch of Tragedy’, and he dwells within the mysterious, unknown world of the gods. His wisdom and power stand shoulder to shoulder with deities of legend!”

The Divine Monarch of Tragedy! Someone comparable to the deities of legend!

This only riled the ghosts and yao in attendance up even further. All of them were frenzied, curious, and excited.

Only Tao Qingshan was dazed; this information left him stunned.

A ghost couldn’t help but ask, “Water Monarch, might we have the good fortune to gaze upon the Divine Monarch’s glorious visage?”

“How lofty an existence is the Divine Monarch? How could just anyone gaze upon him? However, I can grant you an opportunity the likes of which you might not encounter once in a thousand years!” said the Wuhuan Water Monarch gravely. “I called this Assembly in Paradise at the Divine Monarch’s orders. He says that he plans to recruit a new group of worshippers within our mundane realm. As the man he personally proclaimed his divine emissary, I am responsible for carrying out his will.”

Recruiting new worshippers!

Some of the ghosts and yao already understood, and they were instantly worked up. They shouted, “We’re willing to serve the Divine Monarch!”

“Everyone, please remain calm,” said the Wuhuan Water Monarch gravely. “Allow me to finish speaking. It’s not difficult to serve the Divine Monarch, but it’s not simple, either.”

The restless agitation in the air instantly quieted down. There was no such thing as a free lunch; they naturally could tell what the Wuhuan Water Monarch was getting at.

The Water Monarch continued, “As his followers, you must be absolutely loyal, and every three months, you must provide a certain quantity of offerings. The more pleased the Divine Monarch is with your sacrifice, the more of his benevolence you shall receive. For example, I received the cultivation technique I use today, as well as the mysterious methods of placing and controlling this grand formation. All are the Divine Monarch’s benevolence.”

When they heard this, the yao and ghosts were red-eyed with greed. This was extremely tempting!

Su Yi was finally starting to understand. So, the grand formation in the riverbed of the Great Azure originated from the ‘Divine Monarch of Tragedy.’

And the Wuhuan Water Monarch is at most an underling.

“Might I ask what kinds of offerings the Divine Monarch requires from us?” said one of the ghosts.

“All of the world’s spiritual entities can serve as offerings, but the higher their level, the better,” said the Wuhuan Water Monarch. “Of course, the Divine Monarch will occasionally issue decrees and have us seek out corresponding sacrifices.”

Su Yi couldn’t help but find it funny. A mighty divine monarch is interested in the spiritual entities of the mortal world?

From that alone, it’s obvious that their so-called ‘Divine Monarch of Tragedy’ doesn’t amount to anything!

But of course, ritual sacrifice is more than sufficient to muddle the heads of third-rate, ignorant small fries like the Wuhuan Water Monarch,

The crowd had completely boiled over. Seeing this, the Wuhuan Water Monarch no longer hesitated.

His voice boomed, “If you’re willing to pledge your allegiance to the Divine Monarch, I shall soon initiate a sacrifice and allow you to bear witness to his unparalleled abilities!”

“I’m willing!”

“We’re willing to serve!”

…..Uproar rang out on all sides. All of the yao and ghosts were beside themselves with joy and excitement.

The Wuhuan Water Monarch laughed. “Everyone, when the time comes for sacrifice, you must not hesitate. It’s critical that you display your sincerity!”

The roiling atmosphere was suddenly heavier. One of the yao asked, “Water Monarch, might I ask how we’re to demonstrate our sincerity?”

“It’s simple,” said the Wuhuan Water Monarch. “All of you are prominent figures within the Imperatorial Province. You are all either in possession of mysterious magics or unique spiritual objects. When the time comes for sacrifice, all you must do is offer the Divine Monarch whatever is of the greatest value.”

The venue fell so silent, you could hear a pin drop. The ghosts and yao looked at each other, clearly hesitant.

The Wuhuan Water Monarch’s eyes flashed with cold disdain. “Everyone, don’t forget what I just said: the more valuable your sacrifice, the greater the benevolence you’ll receive. If you cannot even achieve that, how could you possibly obtain the Divine Monarch’s blessings and protection?”

“You needn’t say more, Water Monarch. If I can work beneath the Divine Monarch, there’s nothing I will not do!” The elderly weasel was the first to agree.

“That’s right! I, Ha Shisan, am willing too!” The bald, blue-eyed frog shouted too.

Before long, numerous other yao and ghosts voiced their agreement.

Some of them remained silent, like Tao Qingshan and Teng Yong. However, this did not go unnoticed.

“Mountain Monarch Tao, why aren’t you saying anything?” pressed Ha Shisan at the top of his lungs. “Don’t tell me that now that you know you need to offer sacrifices, you’re no longer willing?”

Soon, countless eyes turned in their direction.

The muscles of Tao Qingshan’s face twitched violently. He felt the urge to kill the vile toad where he stood.

“Mountain Monarch Tao, this is an enormous stroke of fortune. I hope you’ll reconsider. You might have the Sea-Swallowing King behind you, and you might have received guidance from an immortal, but how could any of that compare with the Divine Monarch’s benevolence?”

The Wuhuan Water Monarch laughed. “Of course, I won’t coerce you, but I dare guarantee that you’ll change your tune once the sacrifice begins and you watch as your fellows receive his divine grace, one by one.”

Soon, he no longer looked at Tao Qingshan. He suddenly waved his hand. “Prepare for sacrifice!”

Instantly—

A group of hideous ghosts carried a vast basin into the ritual hall, then arrived before the black altar.

Splash!

A moment later, they raised it into the air and overturned it. Fresh blood poured down like a waterfall.

Bzz!

The nine-foot-tall black altar sprung to life, surging with obscure, unearthly radiance as it greedily absorbed the falling blood.

“This is the blood of freshly slaughtered children. It has a pure and sweet flavor, and given the volume, they must have slaughtered at least forty of fifty of them.” Madam Mountainden’s fiery eyes lit up with longing.

Many of the other ghosts watched hungrily too.

“They really deserve death!” Ning Sihua’s eyes glinted coldly.

Su Yi watched coldly as this played out, but he too found it utterly repulsive.

Once all the fresh blood had spilled, the grand altar glowed with unearthly red light.

The Wuhuan Water Monarch shouted, “Prepare a living sacrifice!”

Immediately, two hideous ghosts dragged a woman covered in chains into the ritual hall.

When he saw her, Su Yi’s gaze focused.

Her long white hair was in disarray, and she was smeared with blood. Her cold, stunningly beautiful face looked numb, and her eyes were lifeless, as if she had no soul.

Zhu Guqing!

When Ning Sihua saw this, her youthful features surged with murderous energy. This was one of Heaven’s Origin Academy’s nine elders, yet now, she’d become nothing but a sacrifice for a bunch of lowly ghosts!

Tao Qingshan and Teng Yong went rigid; their keen senses alerted them to the terrifying, piercing murderous intent emanating from the woman beside them. It just hovered there, building momentum, like a sword floating directly over their heads.

“They say that woman is a Grandmaster the Water Monarch captured just a few days ago. She sure is pretty. It seems like a waste to just sacrifice her….”

“Why does she look somewhat familiar? Isn’t that the Heaven’s Origin Academy elder, Zhu Guqing!?”

“Shh! Pipe down. Who cares who she is? How could any living human make it out of Ninebends City alive?”

“Once this is over, let’s see if there are any severed arms or legs left behind. That’s the meat of a Grandmaster we’re talking about! It’s got to be delicious!”

….Countless hushed conversations filled the air as the ghosts and yao lit up with excitement and anticipation.

It was then that the Wuhuan Water Monarch drew his snowy-white bone saber. He stared at Zhu Guqjing, his gaze pitying, and sighed. “Beauty, are you sure you want to die instead of that little girl?”

Seth's Thoughts

鬼神 (ghost+god) usually means “supernatural beings” in a general sense, but in this case, I think it literally means “ghost god”, what with the ghosts making sacrifices to him and all.

That said, it’s entirely possible that I’m wrong. If so, I’ll adjust accordingly and let you know in a TL note. For now, “ghost god” it is.