First Immortal of the Sword

The sky above the pavilion.

Strange, obscure energy fluctuations surged forth, condensing into a snow-white ice flower. It was clear and transparent, and it shone against the inky darkness of the night sky.

Upon closer inspection, wisps of misty light flowed around the ice flower, like waters at high tide, distorting and shaking the air around it.

The old blind man’s expression changed dramatically. “A spatial imprint!”

As soon as he said this, he sensed Su Yi raising his hand and slashing through the air.

Whoosh!

Sword qi struck, quick as lightning, bringing with it traces of the Sword of the Nine Hells. It flashed through the air.

Bang!

The pure, almost holy, glass-like ice flower burst, scattering fragments of light.

Practically simultaneously, a sound reminiscent of a cold snort reverberated deep within the dome of heaven.

Su Yi ignored all that and shot toward Yue Shichan’s room.

The old blind man originally planned to follow him, but he hesitated and ultimately decided against it.

“Senior, what is a spatial seal?” Chi Jiansu couldn’t help but ask.

“A seal condensed of spatial power. Only Imperial Realm cultivators can control and unleash them,” said the old blind man, his expression uncertain. “Ordinarily speaking, when a spatial seal appears, it acts like a spatial node. Even from another plane of existence, an Imperial Realm cultivator can use this secret art to open a tunnel between worlds.”

Chi Jiansu gasped. “Does that mean an Imperial Realm cultivator just tried to open a spatial tunnel and descend upon our world?”

The old blind man shook his head. "The power of the Imperial Realm is terrifying; it’s far beyond what a spatial tunnel can bear. It seems more likely that he was trying to open a path."

“Open a path?” Chi Jiansu asked in confusion.

“That’s right.” The old blind man’s hollow sockets gazed at Yue Shichan’s pavilion. “Someone not from the Azure Continent sensed the owner of that building’s presence and attempted to build a spatial tunnel to lead her away.”

Chi Jiansu’s heart shook.

She might be a monster of the ancient era, but it was very rare for her to hear about secrets of this level. There are actually so many unbelievable secrets behind that spatial seal?

Meanwhile, within the pavilion.

Yue Shichan was flabbergasted as she stared at Su Yi, who’d just barged into her room. “Is something wrong, Brother Su?”

She was as pretty as a painting and as ethereal as an immortal. As she spoke, she instinctively rose.

Su Yi asked, “Earlier, while you were meditating, did you sense anything out of place?”

Yue Shichan thought for a moment. “All I sensed were signs of an imminent breakthrough, but there was nothing else out of the ordinary.”

Su Yi couldn’t help but examine her seriously.

Back on Sumeru Immortal Island, the young woman’s cultivation reached the peak of the late-stage Gathering Stars Realm, and she already had the foundations needed to attempt to enter the Spiritual Manifestation Realm.

However, Su Yi couldn’t quite see through the spatial seal he’d seen earlier.

Logically speaking, since he’d once treated Yue Shichan’s wounds over an extended period of time, he ought to have understood her body like the back of his hand.

He’d long since discovered that there was a certain extraordinary power within her.

However, now, a spatial seal had appeared, and it was targeted at her. It seemed there was something strange going on here.

“What’s going on, Brother Su?” Yue Shichan whispered. Su Yi’s intent gaze was making her a bit uncomfortable.

“A spatial seal appeared earlier,” said Su Yi after a moment’s thought. He then explained what he’d just seen.

Yue Shichan looked bewildered and alarmed. “A spatial seal shaped like an ice flower. Don’t tell me…”

Su Yi’s eyebrows shot up. “Have you already guessed something?”

After a moment’s silence, Yue Shichan said, “Brother Su, to tell the truth, I grew up without my mother and father. My granny raised me, gave me cultivation techniques, and taught me to use the sword. However, she fell gravely ill and left this world when I was seven years old. It was only when my cultivation reached the peak of the Martial Dao’s Anāsrava Realm that I discovered that there was a sealed memory imprinted within my soul."

“So, it’s hidden within your soul!” Su Yi looked enlightened. “Might you let me have a look?”

Yue Shichan nodded. “Alright.”

Su Yi promptly reached out with a tentacle-like tendril of his divine sense, which sank into Yue Shichan’s sea of consciousness.

Yue Shichan quivered as if she’d been struck by lightning, feeling thoroughly uncomfortable.

One’s sea of consciousness was personal and extremely fragile. Without absolute trust, no one would let someone else’s divine sense inside it.

As Su Yi’s divine sense entered Yue Shichan’s soul, she felt a strange sensation. It was extremely difficult to describe; when the two souls touched, they were like fish coexisting in water, so close, it was as if there was no gap between them.

The trembling of her soul made her clear eyes fill with bewilderment, and her slender, graceful figure went numb and limp, as if she’d been electrocuted. The sensation was strange beyond words.

Shortly afterward, Su Yi withdrew his divine sense.

Yue Shichan sighed in relief, but at the same time, she felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness.

She was instantly bashful, and her delicate face heated up and flushed red.

This feeling… it’s just too embarrassing… She was inwardly sheepish.

“Just as I thought. The spatial seal came here for you,” said Su Yi, a strange light in his eyes.

Earlier, when he inserted his divine sense into Yue Shichan’s sea of consciousness, he immediately saw a mysterious memory imprint.

It was clear as ice, with a snowy luster, and shaped like a blooming iris. It had an ancient, mysterious presence.

It was a highly distinctive soul imprint.

Only Imperial Realm experts could form such imprints, because they were emblazoned with the will and aura of an Emperor!

Unless Su Yi was mistaken, an Emperor had placed it within Yue Shichan’s sea of consciousness when she was young. 

Furthermore, it was the soul imprint that guided the spatial seal to her!

“It was here for me?” Yue Shichan’s brow furrowed in confusion. 

“That’s right,” said Su Yi. “Most likely, the same person who left that imprint in your soul used the art of spatial seals in an attempt to open a spatial tunnel and take you away.”

“Take me away?” Yue Shichan’s starry eyes widened.

“You didn’t know about any of this?” asked Su Yi.

Yue Shichan shook her head. "I didn't."

Su Yi then shared his understanding of the situation with her: that the owner of the soul imprint was an Emperor, and the miraculous applications of spatial seals.

This left Yue Shichan unwittingly dazed, and her peerlessly beautiful face looked utterly dazed.

“I dare say with certainty that your origins aren’t simple. It’s highly likely that the Emperor trying to lead you away is your relative,” said Su Yi, pondering out loud. “Furthermore, his attempt to use a spatial seal to open a spatial tunnel is proof that he isn’t located on the Azure Continent. If he were, he wouldn’t have needed to go to all that trouble.

“After all, even for Imperial Realm experts, using spatial seals and creating spatial tunnels like that represents an enormous expenditure of their cultivation base, and it’s highly risky, too. A moment’s carelessness could lead to severe  injuries.”

Search bit.ly/3iBfjkV for the original.

Opening a spatial tunnel was simple. Any Emperor could do it.

However, doing so meant incurring an enormous risk.

After all, tunnels connecting different plains were highly likely to encounter unexpected calamities, like spatial storms or the rain of time annihilation.

If they were unfortunate enough to encounter such powers while opening a spatial tunnel, even mighty Imperial Realm experts could suffer grievous injuries. They might even die!

“Is that so… And here I spent all these years thinking I’d long since had no family left…” Yue Shichan had a conflicted look on her face.

Su Yi’s words came as an enormous shock.

“Don’t let this upset you,” laughed Su Yi. “Actually, I think you ought to be happy. At the very least, you now know that there are secrets surrounding your origins. Sooner or later, you’ll get your answers.”

He paused, then continued, “I ruined that Emperor’s attempt tonight, but that’s because this happened so suddenly; out of concern for your safety, I had no choice but to shut it down immediately.”

Yue Shichan nodded, a gentle look on her fair, beautiful face. “I understand.”

Su Yi laughed and said, “I can predict that before long, they’ll come looking for you again. When the time comes, and if we can ascertain that they have no ill intentions, you’re welcome to leave with them.”

“Leave?” Yue Shichan’s heart clenched.

Leaving would mean leaving the Azure Continent!

She’d never even considered such a thing!

Su Yi said softly, “Of course, if you’re not willing, I naturally won’t let that happen. In short, it’s all up to you.”

“Mm,” said Yue Shichan.

Su Yi could tell that she was dazed, and that she couldn’t process the shock of all this new information so quickly. The best thing he could do for her now was help her calm herself down.

“It’s getting late. You should go back and rest, but if anything happens, come looking for me. Don’t be shy,” said Su Yi.

“Alright,” said Yue Shichan with a nod.

Su Yi then turned and left. When he returned to the courtyard, he saw that the old blind man and Chi Jiansu were still there waiting for him.

“Your Excellency, do you need assistance?” the old blind man asked hurriedly.

“No need,” said Su Yi. “What do you plan to do going forward?”

Chi Jiansu looked at the old blind man expectantly. “Senior, if possible, I hope you’ll accompany me to my clan’s ancestral ground. Might you be willing?”

The old blind man’s spirits soared. “Of course I’m willing!”

Su Yi laughed. How could he miss the change in Chi Jiansu’s attitude toward the old man?

After chatting a while longer, the old blind man and Chi Jiansu bade farewell and left.

Su Yi, however, returned to his room.

A lot had happened today, but that couldn’t influence his cultivation routine or daily schedule.

As before, he returned to his room, sat cross-legged, and meditated.

The path of cultivation was one of daily accumulations built up over months and years. 

Persisting at anything despite tedium required powerful will.

That was true for cultivation too.

However, in Su Yi’s eyes, nothing in this world could compare with cultivation; he’d never found it dull. 

Morning the next day, the skies were clear and bright.

Su Yi and his companions gathered their luggage and left Azurecloud Court, the place they’d stayed for over a month. They then departed Nine Tripod City and began their return trip to the Great Zhou.

It was the third day of the eleventh lunar month. 

When he thought back to everything he’d experienced in Nine Tripod City, a single line rose unbidden to Su Yi’s mind: "cause a huge commotion, then quietly slip away!"

It was actually rather joyous.