First Immortal of the Sword

Gu Cangning’s expression shifted.

Sikong Bao.

A monster of the ancient era. Thirty thousand years ago, he was a core inheritor of the peak-level demonic sect, the Heavenly Annihilation Demonic Gate. He was in the Gathering Stars Realm.

The Black Blood of Annihilation flowed through his veins, and he practiced the Flames of Heavenly Annihilation Incantation!

Of the monsters of the ancient area who’d awoken within the past decade, he was arguably the most brutal.

Gu Cangning asked himself if he could fight Sikong Bao, and he realized that he’d need to unseal his power to even stand a chance.

Yet now, there was no doubt about it: Sikong Bao was utterly enraged!

His entire body burst with demonic qi, and wisps of black demonic flame revolved around him. The black flame totem on his bald head turned increasingly sinister. 

The sheer majestic power emanating from him destroyed the nearby furniture and place settings, turning them to ash in the blink of an eye.

When he saw this, Xia Jingyu suddenly bellowed, “Su Yi, I am Xia Jingyu of the imperial family. If you don’t want to die, you’d better stop right this second!”

This was Nine Tripod City, the imperial capital of the Great Xia. More importantly, it was the imperial family’s territory!

Throughout the empire’s long history, what cultivator dared treat the imperial clan with disrespect?

This was the source of Xia Jingyu’s confidence.

However, Su Yi ignored his words completely. He just raised his hand and slashed.

As the sword qi flew toward Xia Jingyu, Daoist Nun Feng’s expression shifted. Her aura boomed around her, and she held her sword in front of her to defend herself and her master.

Clang!!! 

A deafening impact rang out.

Daoist Nun Feng’s spiritual sword wailed, and cracks spread across its surface. The force of the slash sent both her and the man she was defending flying, and both of them slammed into the wall, hard.

Bang! Bang!

The wall shook on impact. Xia Jingyu saw stars and almost lost consciousness.

Daoist Nun Feng coughed up blood. She was one of the top five Gathering Stars experts in Nine Tripod City, someone who could even contend with monsters of the ancient era.

However, Su Yi had just dealt her heavy damage in a single slash!

As for Xia Jingyu… He was too weak to take even a single hit. He wasn’t even worth mentioning.

Su Yi was actually a bit surprised; he didn’t anticipate that Daoist Nun Feng would survive his attack.

“Kill him!” 

It was then that Sikong Bao charged boldy into the fray. His red robes fluttered around him, and his tall, valiant figure was swathed in heinous black demonic flames.

He swung his fist at Su Yi.

Boom!

His fist was despotic and mighty beyond limit. It brimmed with ruthless, terrifying Dao Charm, as if intent on crushing the skies to pieces.

The Flames of Heavenly Annihilation!

This was a demonic inheritance for controlling the peerless Flames of Annihilation Dao Charm. When used, the raging demonic flames cold invade opponents’ bodies and incinerate their organs. The fire could even refine souls; it was tyrannical beyond limit.

And Sikong Bao’s cultivation far surpassed typical Gathering Stars experts. His punch far surpassed that of an older-generation Gathering Stars expert like Zhang Yuntao!

This guy’s Black Blood of Annihilation has gotten stronger again! Gu Cangning’s heart shook, and his eyes flashed.

But Su Yi’s eyes flashed with a hint of disdain. His fingers formed a seal, and he gently slapped the air.

Boom!

Black demonic flames burst apart and scattered

One palm, and Sikong Bao’s raging, despotic fist was effortlessly neutralized. The aftermath shook the hall so hard that, big as it was, the entire building swayed.

It was then that Gu Cangning swung his sleeves. Silvery radiance circulated, and he neutralized the aftershock. He then used invisible energy to lift Yue Shichan’s delicate frame and escape further away.

Rumble~!

The hall shook, and the energy of the restrictions in the walls and floors fluctuated.

There was no doubt about it; as a place reserved for entertaining the Song of the Sandy Creek’s most distinguished guests, the Cloudwater Stream had long since been covered in defensive formations.

Otherwise, the aftershock of such a battle would have long since reduced the place to rubble.

“Excellent!” Sikong Bao’s eyes glinted, cold and sharp as a knife’s edge. With a bellow, he swung his fist once more.

He struck with increasing majesty and force. Surrounding by surging demonic flame, he resembled a barbarian god. His every movement carried the imposing force of his peerless Dao Charm.

Even Su Yi couldn’t help but admit that Sikong Bao was the strongest of the monsters of the ancient era he’d encountered thus far. He was stronger than the Nirvanic Winds Holy Son, and by no small margin, either. 

Had he encountered Sikong Bao before entering the Origin Palace realm, he would have been interested in fighting him and seeing what his opponent was truly capable of.

But after seeing what he’d done to Yue Shichan, Su Yi lost all interest in that.

“With this sword, I’ll take your right hand.” As his cold, indifferent voice rang out, Su Yi pressed his fingers into a sword and cut through the air.

Boom!

The “sword” cut through the towering demonic flames like a knife through cloth, and even the fist force of Sikong Bao’s punch split in two.

Splurt!

With a flash of blood-colored light, Sikong Bao’s right hand flew through the air. The stump of his wrist was perfectly smooth.

One slash to sever his hand!

Witnessing this forceful, bloody scene made Gu Cangning gasp.

Su Yi announced his intentions to cut off Sikong Bao’s wrist, then did so immediately. Didn’t that imply that, had he wished to, he could have killed Sikong Bao in a single attack?

Daoist Nun Feng and Xia Jingyu watched from a distance, their eyes wide and their jaws hanging slack. They were so stunned that their scalps went numb, and they felt a chill in their hands and feet.

They were fully aware of just how strong Sikong Bao was. Never mind mundane cultivators; even among monsters of the ancient era and modern geniuses, many were no match for him.

Yet now, Sikong Bao was getting trounced!

“Dammit!” Sikong Bao grunted, his face wracked with agony.

The power of that sword startled him. It was just too forceful and too tyrannical!

But before he could come to his senses, Su Yi struck yet again, his expression just as calm as before. “With this sword, I’ll take your right arm.”

Whoosh!”

The sword qi resembled the radiant moon hovering over the ocean. It rose suddenly, then descended.

“Break!” Sikong Bao roared, and a blood-spattered halberd appeared in his left hand. It emanated a boundless aura, and ferocious, imposing, blood-colored light undulated around its edge.

The Blood Demon Halberd!

This was a true, ancient demonic weapon. It was forged through secret methods, and it contained shocking baleful energy.

Sikong Bao gripped the halberd and swung in fury, creating a flood of crimson radiance. It was terrifying yet dazzling to behold.

Alas, Su Yi was already in the Origin Palace Realm, and when he proved his Dao and advanced, he invited the unparalleled phenomenon of “an immortal palace reflected in the sky.” He was now so strong that he had no need to fear even Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivators.

His slash contained his fury. How could just anyone block it?

The onlookers watched as—

The sword qi split the vast swatch of blood-colored radiance like a knife through tofu.

Clang!

Sikong Bao’s Blood Demon Halberd flew from his hand, but the sword qi’s power didn’t decrease in the slightest. With an audible splurt, Sikong Bao’s right arm fell to the floor. Blood instantly gushed out like a waterfall.

Sikong Bao staggered backward, looking utterly alarmed. He felt a chill in his heart as he realized that things weren’t looking good for him.

But Su Yi’s next attack was already streaking toward him!

“With this slash, I’ll take your left hand.” 

Before that calm voice finished echoing through the air, Sikong Bao’s eyes bulged, and he roared, “Activate!”

He waved his left arm, and a black copper lantern rose.

The wick was shaped like a snake, while the lantern was like a contorted, revolving whirlpool. It was strange and sinister, and its light was deathly pale.

As soon as it appeared, it created a revolving curtain of blood-colored light in front of him.

The Blood Whirlpool Demonic Serpent Lantern!

This was a defensive treasure refined by a Spirit Dao cultivator. The lantern was covered in sixty-four layers of formation diagrams, while the wick was refined from the soul of a White Emperor Demon Serpent.

The lantern had an effect similar to Su Yi’s Golden Lantern Dazzling Sun Talisman.

The difference was that, once activated, the Blood Whirlpool Demonic Serpent Lantern’s curtain of light was strong enough to neutralize the attacks of Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivators. It was a life-saving defensive treasure!

But before Sikong Bao could sigh in relief…

Boom!

A deafening boom rang out. Su Yi’s attack descended from the heavens like a giant hammer, slamming into the blood-colored curtain of life. It shook, then caved in.

A moment later, it burst apart.

Splurt!

Beneath the onlookers’ stunned gazes, a hand flew through the air, a streak of crimson liquid trailing after it.

Sikong Bao had lost his left hand too!

The sword qi suppressed him so thoroughly that he staggered backward and fell to the ground. His face contorted beneath the endless waves of agony. 

His right hand was cut off first, followed by the rest of his right arm. Now, he’d even lost his left hand!

Sikong Bao was a monster of the ancient era, but his injuries robbed him of more than half his strength. He was so miserable it almost hurt to look at him.

“How is this possible…?”

Xia Jinyu and Daoist Nun Feng felt chills course through them. It was as if they’d been plunged into an endless icy abyss.

Su Yi was just too strong!

This was one-sided, absolute suppression. Strong as Sikong Bao was, he was now little more than a lamb to the slaughter. Even when he used his secret treasures, he couldn’t block Su Yi’s attacks.

So strong! Gu Cangning’s heart shook. I’d have to unseal my power to contend with Sikong Bao, but Sikong Bao can’t take even a single hit from Su Yi.

It was only after making this comparison that Gu Cangning realized on a deep level just how vast the gap between himself and Su Yi was.

“With this sword, I’ll take your left arm.”

Su Yi raised his sword; he had no plans of stopping.

Sikong Bao was already severely injured. How could he possibly block this attack? The slash severed his left arm with ease. Terror and alarm arose on Sikong Bao’s face.

Su Yi had truly scared him out of his wits. All his courage left him.

In Gu Cangning’s eyes, this was no fierce battle to the death. No, this was one side trampling and punishing the other!

Su Yi remained calm from beginning to end. The sight sent a chill down Gu Cangning’s spine.

“Su Yi, do you really think your victory is assured?” When he saw that Su Yi planned to attack once more, Sikong Bao let out a heaven-shaking roar.

The black flame totem on his bald head suddenly transformed into a streak of black light, which surged into the sky.

“Requesting reinforcements?” A cold arc arose on Su Yi’s lips. “It doesn’t matter who comes; no one can save you.”

Yue Shichan was a good seedling, one he’d discovered, yet Sikong Bao had almost ruined and defiled her. How could Su Yi possibly show mercy?

He was just about to attack when something unexpected happened.

“Young Master!”

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An infuriated shout reverberated throughout the hall, so loud, it made the onlookers’ ears buzz and blood and qi churn.

Before the voice finished echoing, a figure as tall and thin as bamboo shot in like a streak of black lightning.

Boom!

Terrifying murderous intent emanated from his lean frame, like a windstorm raging throughout the hall. The onlookers suddenly found it difficult to breathe, and their expressions changed dramatically in response.

When they looked over, they saw a deathly pale middle-aged man in green robes. His eyes were sunken, and his lips were thin as razor blades. 

The characteristic majesty of the Spiritual Manifestation Realm spread out around him, like a tidal wave in a raging storm. It filled the hall, terrifying beyond limit.

Old Demon Slaughterer!

Gu Cangning’s pupils constricted as he recognized this person; he was one of Sikong Bao’s guardians!

An old demon of the mid-stage Spiritual Manifestation Realm!