First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 201 - A Nine-Headed Bird

When Su Yi returned to the ritual grounds, Wen Lingxue in tow, this was the scene that greeted him:

The elderly weasel kowtowed and pleaded, “Mystic Master, spare us!”

When the other kneeling yao and apparitions saw this, they hurriedly wailed and wept in terror.

Even Ha Shisan was dribbling with tears and snot as he kowtowed. He slammed his forehead into the ground so hard that his face was covered in blood.

Who among them hadn't realized that their lives and deaths were now entirely in Su Yi’s hands?

But Su Yi just ignored them and walked right up to the altar. “Can you discern anything from it?”

Ning Sihua said, “This altar is a spatial node supported by the power of the surrounding grand formation. That said, I can’t determine where exactly it leads to.”

She then glanced at the sleeping Wen Lingxue resting on Su Yi’s back. “Is she alright?”

“She’s fine.” He evaluated the black altar, then saw the image of what looked like a bird carved on its peak.

Except this bird had nine heads and five-colored wings covered in eyes. It was a strange and unsettling sight.

“This is a Ghost Chariot Bird, otherwise known as a Nine-Headed Bird. They’re inauspicious birds of legend, and they delight in devouring souls. They say any place one appears will inevitably face calamity.”

Su Yi pondered out loud, “Judging from this, it seems highly likely that the so-called ‘Divine Monarch of Tragedy’ is one such filthy beast.”

Ning Sihua’s expression shifted. “A Ghost Chariot Bird…. Rumor has it that this inauspicious bird inhabits the Nether Realm’s Demonrattle Mountain. Don’t tell me that the world this altar connects to is within the Nether Realm?”

“Are you well acquainted with the Netherworld?” Su Yi was a bit stunned.

When he reincarnated, he took advantage of the order of the Netherworld and the power of Samsara. It was only natural that he’d be surprised to hear Ning Sihua mention it.

Ning Sihua smiled faintly. “I’ve just read a lot of books, that’s all. I’ve only ever encountered the Netherworld in written records.”

Su Yi didn’t ask any follow-up questions. Instead, he said, “The power of this altar is laughably pathetic. There’s no way it can form a bridge between this mundane land and the Netherworld. If you ask me, even if this really is a Nine-Headed Bird we’re dealing with, it’s an incompetent good-for-nothing.”

Ning Sihua’s beautiful eyes shone. “How about we activate the altar and see this Divine Monarch of Tragedy’s abilities for ourselves?”

Su Yi was already planning exactly that. “First, carry Lingxue for me.”

Ning Sihua was stunned. “Me?”

“Is there a problem?” Su Yi asked right back.

Of course there’s a problem! Do you really think I’m someone you can just order around? Ning Sihua thought to herself, but out loud she said, “Fine.”

Su Yi’s arms were supporting Wen Lingxue’s soft, springy thighs. He was just about to pass her over to Ning Sihua when something unexpected happened.

Who’d have thought that Wen Lingxue’s hands would only clench even tighter around his neck? Her pink lips parted, and she mumbled something too indistinct to understand.

She was fast asleep, but nevertheless, she clung to him like an octopus, sticking so tightly to his back that he could sense the startling softness of her delicate body….

Despite himself, Su Yi’s heart shook. He could only let it go for now. “Forget it. I’ll carry her myself.”

A strange light flashed through Ning Sihua’s eyes. He says he wants someone else to carry her, but his body is honest.

“You two, come here.” Su Yi turned and glanced at the elderly weasel and Ha Shisan.

Both of them hesitated; they had a strong sense of foreboding.

But before they could react, the other nearby yao and ghosts glanced at each other, then charged into action, capturing them both.

Both the toad and the weasel were stunned and terrified. They screamed and cursed at the tops of their lungs.

“Behave yourselves! Being of use to the mystic master is your great fortune!” bellowed an ox-headed brute as he slapped Ha Shishan across his fat face.

Before long, the fawning yao delivered Ha Shisan and the old weasel directly to Su Yi. They then immediately retreated back to their original spots and bowed once more, meek and obedient as could be.

Tao Qingshan and Teng Yong were dumbstruck and tongue-tied. Their desire to live sure is strong!

“Mystic Master, we…..” Ha Shisan opened his mouth in panic and was just about to beg for mercy when…

Splurt! Splurt!

Guiding Mysteries flashed, and two bloodied heads rolled to the floor. Su Yi then tossed the newly headless corpses onto the black altar.

He then had Ning Sihua and Zhu Guqing stand several dozen feet back as he waved his sword through the air and pointed.

Bzzz!

The nine bronze doors surrounding the ritual grounds lit up, producing a strange and obscure rumble of power, as if the entire space had awoken from a deep slumber.

And the altar itself surged with dark, murky light, which swallowed up Ha Shisan and the elderly weasel’s corpses bit by bit, right down to the bones and dregs. It left nothing behind.

When they saw this, a chill coursed through to yao and ghosts’ hearts, and their expressions shifted dramatically.

So this is ritual sacrifice?

Boom! The altar quickly changed: the central Nine-Headed Bird totem turned bright red and fired intense, bloody light into the air, forming a radiant whirlpool overhead.

A second later, a vast, formless door to an incomparably distant, unknown world opened amidst the crimson light!

The kneeling creatures of the night felt their hearts shake in terror. They felt a formless, imposing might spread throughout the area, bearing down on them to the point that they found it hard to breathe.

This was the feeling of a limitlessly lofty existence traversing time and space to gaze down upon them!

“This….” Tao Qingshan and Teng Yong’s knees turned to jelly. They were so shocked, they almost knelt too.

But Su Yi could tell at a glance that the bloody whirlpool hovering above the altar functioned as a “sacrificial platform.” He figured it was the whirlpool that transported all the sacrifices the Wuhuan Water Monarch gathered over the years to that Divine Monarch of Tragedy guy.

“Wuhuan, have you carried out my orders?”

Suddenly, a dignified and imposing voice resounded from within the depths of the blood-colored whirlpool. It was cold and indifferent, with a trace of terrifying and unearthly power.

The entire venue fell silent. Numerous yao and ghosts were already quivering, as terrified as they could possibly be.

Even Zhu Guqing felt her heart shake. She felt stunned and constrained. Is this truly the voice of a deity?

“Wuhuan is dead,” said Su Yi flatly. “Soon, this Ninebends City will be destroyed. If you’re capable, come on out. If you do, you’ll find it hard to escape death too.”

The whirlpool fell silent.

Meanwhile, the kneeling masses felt their scalps go numb.

When the Wuhuan Water Monarch described him, he made the “Divine Monarch of Tragedy” sound like a peerlessly lofty existence, a deity of vast and limitless power, an unbelievable force.

Who would have thought that Su Yi would dare treat him with such open disdain?

This was simply blasphemous!

Although Zhu Guqing had witnessed Su Yi’s abilities long ago, she was stunned too. A strange expression arose on her beautiful but icy features.

Only Ning Sihua seemed perfectly calm. She’d long since viewed Su Yi as someone much like herself, someone with mysterious and unfathomable abilities. She naturally wouldn’t concern herself with something like this.

“But then, I can say with certainty that a filthy, good-for-nothing beast like you couldn’t possibly cross time and space to display your ‘divine’ power, much less descend in person.” Su Yi almost seemed a bit disappointed. He shook his head and sighed.

These words seemed to provoke the other party. A cold snort reverberated from within the blood-colored whirlpool. “Insignificant little ant! You dare provoke me? You’re seeking death! In light of your ignorance, so long as you immediately kowtow before me and repent, I won’t pursue this matter. Otherwise….”

The bird’s voice boomed like thunder and majesty. It resounded throughout the area, leaving who-knows-how-many yao and ghosts shaking in their boots.

But Su Yi just laughed dryly. “Or else what? You gonna jump on out and duel me?”

His voice carried unconcealed contempt and disdain.

The depths of the blood-colored whirlpool fell silent for a while before that imposing voice appeared once more. “This lofty one shall remember you! You’ll pay for your insults with your head!”

Bang!

The crimson whirlpool exploded, then fell to the ground like rain and disappeared.

The black altar was suddenly dull as could be.

Su Yi couldn’t help but feel a bit stunned, as well as a bit disappointed. “Even after all that provocation, he dared not act against me? So, that’s all he had, huh?”

Ning Sihua pressed her lips into a smile. “Perhaps he saw through your intentions and had misgivings. It’s likely he dared not act recklessly. Of course, it’s also possible it’s just as you say: that filthy beast might very well just be a good-for-nothing completely incapable of displaying his power across a spatial node.”

It was then that an ox-headed yao approached, trembling with each step. He carried a massive bundle, which he proffered.

“Mystic Master, earlier, we were blind and foolish,” he stuttered. “All of us are terrified and ill at ease. To express our apologies, we’ve gathered these treasures. We humbly request your magnanimity and beseech you to spare our lives!”

Not far away, the other kneeling yao and ghosts echoed, “Mystic Master, we humbly request your magnanimity and beseech you to spare our lives!”

Su Yi was stunned. His gaze turned towards Tao Qingshan. “You carry it for now.”

Tao Qingshan eagerly did as he was told. As he accepted the massive bundle from the ox-headed yao, he said, “Old Ox, it seems you lot know your place, and you know when to turn over a new leaf and express your penitence. Going forward, you’d best tread carefully!”

The ox-headed yao hurriedly smiled and nodded.

“Let’s go.” Su Yi didn’t want to waste any more time here, so he turned and headed outside. He’d already successfully located and rescued Wen Lingxue. Why stay in this filthy place any longer?

Ning Sihua and Zhu Guqing left immediately after him, followed by Tao Qingshan and Teng Yong.

From beginning to end, they paid the kneeling yao and ghosts no further heed.

It was only after watching the entire group leave that the survivors finally dared believe that they’d escaped calamity. All of them felt a massive weight lift from their shoulders, and they sighed in relief.

“That frickin’ Wuhuan Water Monarch. He could have offended anyone; why offend this godlike expert? He practically dragged us all down with him!” someone roared in fury.

“Why do you think that blue-robed youth was?” another couldn’t help but ask curiously.

“Do you even need to guess? Don’t tell me you forgot that not long ago, Tao Qingshan once received ‘an immortal’s guidance?'”

“So, that was the mystic master who taught Tao Qingshan to cultivate…? No wonder….”

“Hurry! Hurry up and run! Didn’t you hear the mystic master? He said he was going to flatten Ninebends City!”

“F*ck! I almost forgot that part. Hurry up and run!”

Instantly, the ghosts and yao who’d come for the banquet were frantic. All of them scattered and fled, one quicker than another.