First Immortal of the Sword

The middle-aged man in brocade robes wore a high-brimmed hat, and he had a willowy beard. His face was fair, and he emanated the distinctive air of a Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivator.

Zhou Fengzhi!

He was an inner sect elder of the Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sect, an expert who stepped into the Spiritual Manifestation Realm a decade ago.

When he spoke, the group’s spirits soared.

Jiang Li’s painted eyebrows furrowed slightly; she seemed to have recalled something. “Martial Uncle Zhou, I remember that you and Junior Apprentice Brother Zhou Zhiqian are from the Great Zhou. Don’t tell me you know Su Yi?”

As she spoke, she glanced first at Zhou Fengzhi, and then at the silver-robed young man beside him.

The young man’s eyes narrowed.

Were the Great Zhou’s heir apparent, Zhou Zhili, here, he’d recognize the young man at a glance. This was his older half-brother, the eldest prince of the Great Zhou, Zhou Zhiqian!

“Indeed,” said Zhou Fengzhi, looking at Jiang Li in mild surprise. “I’ve heard about the boy before. Back in the Great Zhou, he slew many of my clansmen; you could say he’s an enemy of mine.”

The group was stunned, but at the same time, they felt enlightened. No wonder Elder Zhou was so proactive about this. So, he’s long since viewed Su Yi as his enemy!

Qiu Hengkong’s expression shifted dramatically. This is bad!

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He would never have guessed that someone as prominent as Zhou Fengzhi had a grudge against Su Yi.

It was then that the silver-robed Zhou Zhiqian spoke up. He looked grief-stricken. “Four months ago, in the Great Zhou’s imperial city, the Jade Capital, Su Yi slew a group of my seniors. To ensure my safety, my surviving seniors sent me far away.” 

He paused to take a deep breath. “I would never have guessed that I’d encounter my old enemy now, much less that I’d meet him here.”

He sounded agitated.

The group was visibly stunned.

Even Jiang Li couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed. Isn’t this too many coincidences happening all at once…?

But it was then that Yu Wenshu shook his head. “Martial Uncle Zhou, I decided to challenge Su Yi to protect the sect’s prestige, not to get revenge. If that’s what you’re after, I’m afraid I cannot help you.”

He naturally had his own principles and way of doing things.

With his status as the sword chief of the sect’s younger generation, he needn’t concern himself with an elder like Zhou Fengzhi; with his accumulations and aptitude, his position would one day transcend Zhou Fengzhi’s!

Zhou Fengzhi’s brow furrowed imperceptibly, but then, he smiled. “Martial Nephew, with my methods, I naturally can kill Su Yi without your intervention. I’m just planning to lend you my prestige; I won’t get involved.”

Yu Wenshu nodded. “That’s for the best.”

Jiang Li sighed to herself. “Senior Apprentice Brother Yu, Martial Uncle Zhou, Treasure Trove Tower is Jiang Family territory, and Su Yi is one of our customers. If you have to target him, fine, but please don’t target him here.”

Both Zhou Fengzhi and Yu Wenshu agreed.

Qiu Hengkong’s heart was increasingly heavy, and he felt increasingly frantic. 

He silently steeled himself. In a bit, when Fellow Daoist Su emerges, I have to warn him right away, no matter what! I have to make him leave as soon as possible! 

But it was then that Zhou Fengzhi glanced at him and said gently, “Hengkong, you’re a disciple of our Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sect. When Su Yi emerges from his work room, you are not to signal to him in any way.”

His voice was warm and amiable, but Qiu Hengkong couldn’t help but shudder.

Time slipped by.

Four hours later. 

Suddenly, the door to a distant workroom opened, and a group of people walked out.

The leader was a sturdy, long-robed older man with coppery skin and messy hair.

Despite his apparent age, he was hale, hearty, and energetic. Every inch of him emanated a domineering aura.

Jiang Li’s eyes lit up. She walked up to him, then bowed in greeting. “Uncle Yu, did you succeed?”

“Greetings, Grandmaster Yu!” Yu Wenshu and the others greeted him solemnly as well.

Even Zhou Fengzhi clasped his fist and inclined his head; he dared not be negligent.

Why? Because the old man before them was the world-famous weaponsmith Yu Shuya. Everyone called him Grandmaster Yu.

Of all the weaponsmiths in the world, he was in the top three.

Over the years, numerous Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivators had come looking for him in hopes of hiring him to help them forge magic treasures.

Yu Shuya ignored everyone but Jiang Li. He was reserved, with a rigid, unsmiling face, but when he saw Jiang Li, the corners of his lips curved upward. “You personally entrusted me with this task. How could I possibly be careless?”

He then glanced at one of the attendants accompanying him. “Show them the treasure sword.”

The servant was carrying a sword case, which he hurriedly proffered to Yu Wenshu with both hands. 

The moment Yu Wenshu opened the case, there was a flash of sharp golden light, and a cold, misty radiance permeated the air. Those nearby felt a prickling pain on their skin, and their hair stood on end. They couldn’t help but gasp.

A golden spiritual sword lay within the case. It looked as if it had been cast entirely out of divine gold. It was bright and clean, and eye-catching, sharp wisps of spirituality lingered around its edge.

What a good sword! The group’s eyes lit up.

Its name was Floating Gold, and it was a treasure from thirty thousand years ago. Even before this, it was immensely powerful and shockingly destructive. Its only flaw was that its edge was damaged; it was otherwise perfect.

Yet now, after Grandmaster Yu repaired it, its former flaw no longer existed. This boosted the sword’s quality to a whole new level!

“Many thanks, Grandmaster Yu!” Yu Wenshu bowed in gratitude. He was a sword cultivator with a heart as firm as stone, but when he saw his sword, he couldn’t disguise his delight and excitement. 

Yu Shuya thought nothing of it. “This sword has long since given rise to a weapon spirit soul body, and it has a definite degree of intelligence and spirituality. It's one in ten thousand even among spiritual weapons; all I did was repair its damage.”

Jiang Li pressed her lips into a smile. “Uncle Yu, don’t be so modest. Everyone knows that artisans capable of repairing such a spiritual weapon are so rare, you can count them on your fingers. And you? You’re one of the few.”

The others chimed in too, their praises flowing nonstop. 

Yu Shuya’s eyebrows shifted upward. This degree of flattery made even his rigid features soften; it was obvious that he was quite pleased with himself too.

It was just as Jiang Li said: few in this world were capable of repairing such a spiritual weapon!

“I’ve finished my task, so I’ll be on my way. Lass, want to play a game of chess?” Yu Shuya looked at Jiang Li.

He had three great passions. First was refining weapons. Second was playing chess. Third was drinking.

Whenever he finished refining a weapon, he always needed a joyful game of chess.

Jiang Li said apologetically, “Uncle Yu, any other time, I would happily agree to play with you, but… I have to wait here a while longer.”

“You’re waiting for someone?” Yu Shuya was stunned.

Tao Yunchi couldn’t help but chime in. “To tell the truth, we’re here waiting for a young man named Su Yi. Earlier, he said that none of the swords on sale here were worthy of his friend, so he requested a forge to make her a sword himself.”

He was obviously making trouble; that was obvious to anyone.

Yu Shuya naturally picked up on this too. His brow furrowed, and he looked at Jiang Li. “Did that young man really say that?”

Jiang Li nodded. “He did.”

Yu Shuya snorted derisively. “Several of the swords up for sale here are my work, while the others were made by my apprentices. Why does that Su kid make them sound so lowly?”

A moment later, he shook his head. “He’s just an arrogant little pipsqueak; I don’t have the time to waste making trouble for him. Tell me, lass, why are you waiting here for someone like him?”

Jiang Li hesitated, then said, “In part because I want to see just what kind of spiritual sword he’ll forge, in part because Senior Apprentice Brother Yu wishes to challenge him to a duel and see who’s stronger.”

She didn’t mention Zhou Fengzhi or Zhou Zhiqian’s business with Su Yi. That was, after all, a private enmity. 

Yu Shuya was instantly stunned. 

He was well aware that Yu Wenshu was the sword chief of the Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sect’s younger generation, one of the greatest geniuses of the modern era. 

If Yu Wenshu planned to challenge Su Yi, he feared the boy wasn’t simple.

Yu Shuya was just about to ask for more information when—

Suddenly, a sword hum rife with ferocity emanated from within one of the distant workrooms. It was like the howling of a primordial demon god, and it contained a terrifying aura.

“This…” Many of those present quivered from head to toe, and their expressions shifted. Jiang Li’s pupils constricted.

Yu Wenshu’s Floating Gold seemed to sense something, and it quivered slightly, surprising its owner.

“Hm?” Zhou Fengzhi had a strange look in his eyes.

Yu Shuya, however, reacted as if he’d been struck by lightning. “What an excellent and ferocious sword! Who forged it?”

As soon as he said this, he dashed off like a gust of wind, charging toward the source of the sword hum; it seemed he was frantic to see it as soon as possible.

This long-famous grandmaster weaponsmith had unquestionably lost control of himself.

However, for a sword hum to startle Yu Shuya so badly made it clear just how extraordinary the almost-finished spiritual weapon producing it was. 

“Senior Apprentice Sister Jiang, don’t tell me your family’s workshop has a weaponsmith even more capable than Grandmaster Yu?” someone couldn’t help but ask. 

Jiang Li was completely lost too. She shook her head. “We don’t, but I heard that when weapon refiners forge weapons, with a little luck, they can achieve an effect similar to when a cultivator achieves sudden enlightenment. It’s a sort of miraculous inspiration, and it can result in extraordinary spiritual swords. However, this sort of situation is extremely rare.”

Zhou Fengzhi sighed. “In that case, I’m afraid yet another matchless treasure shall emerge from the Jiang Family workshops.”

The others couldn’t help but feel envious. Even Jiang Li was rather eager.

Only Qiu Hengkong’s expression was a bit off. It seemed that the source of the hum was the very workroom Su Yi had gone into…

Could it be him? Qiu Hengkong dared not say with certainty. He’d never heard anyone say that Su Yi was proficient at weapon refining too.

Besides, earlier, that tide of ferocious humming was accompanied by a sound like the roaring of a primordial demonic god. It shook the mind and soul. No ordinary weapon refiner could produce such a sword.

Qiu Hengkong couldn’t help but suspect that not even Grandmaster Yu could forge a spiritual sword of that level. If he could, why would he have been so shocked as to lose his composure?