First Immortal of the Sword

When Su Yi heard the full explanation, he couldn’t help but laugh. “What’s so troublesome about that? Just let him wait.”

Ning Sihua hesitated, then said softly, “Fellow Daoist, I think it’s best you go see him. He said that the Wrath of Heaven Sect has invited top factions and experts from all three nations, and their goal is to calm the flames of war and restore the pace.”

Su Yi asked, “Is it chaotic out there?”

“Yes, extremely so,” said Ning Sihua, her expression grave. “First, keep in mind that this is just the intelligence I’ve received thus far. Over the past two months, storms and bloodshed have swept through the Great Zhou, Wei, and Qin. They’re in a constant state of upheaval. 

“The various cultivation factions are fighting over territory, and they’re not afraid to use force. Beacon fires fill the skies, and the populace is suffering. Who knows how many innocent people have lost their homes or otherwise encountered disaster?”

Ning Sihua sighed. “For the Wrath of Heaven Sect to step forth and invite the various top factions to discuss how best to restore peace is a blessing for the common folk.”

Su Yi nodded. “Indeed. When gods and immortals fight, it’s the ordinary people who suffer. When the world is in turmoil, it's the civilians who suffer the most.”

He thought back to the Great Zhou and the beast tide he saw outside of the Cloudriver Prefectural Capital.

Then, he recalled the wanton slaughter the Celestial Prison Demon Court engaged in all for the sake of gathering bloodmeal.

The Azure Continent was a largely mundane place. When cultivators were unrestricted, some would undoubtedly trample all over the rules with no regard for human life!

“However, do you really think the Wrath of Heaven Sect is hosting this meeting purely out of pity for the masses?” asked Su Yi.

Ning Sihua paused, then said thoughtfully, “It’s entirely possible that they have other goals, but if they can truly extinguish the flames of war, it’ll be good for the populace nonetheless. Isn’t that right?”

“Well said.”

Ning Sihua was suddenly somewhat embarrassed. “I was just thinking about Wen Changtai and Qin Qing in Guangling City, and those still in Heaven’s Origin Palace. It seems to me that restoring the peace will benefit them enormously too.”

“Confucianists say that a poor man cultivates his own virtue, while those in power can cultivate virtue in others. Buddhists speak of compassion and redeeming the masses. Daoists adhere to the doctrine of inaction, but they too hunt yao and demons and purge the world of its evils,” said Su Yi.

He continued, “It’s good for you to think that way. Besides, if the world’s order collapses, in the end, it’ll actually have the greatest impact on cultivators.”

Ning Sihua froze. “Why do you say that?”

Su Yi said softly, “Throughout antiquity, slaughter and warfare have brought nothing but destruction. When cultivation factions no longer follow the rules, when they trample the pre-existing order, they’ll inevitably bring dire consequences upon themselves.

“The Radiant Epoch has yet to truly arrive. Anyone with a functional brain ought to realize that fighting and killing now will only exhaust them, or perhaps even get them killed.”

Ning Sihua paused to think that over, then nodded in agreement. “Since the Wrath of Heaven Sect has called for a meeting, I’m afraid they’ve realized this too.”

“Come on, let’s go see this emissary of the Wrath of Heaven Sect.” Su Yi turned and headed for the ruins’ exit.

He’d originally had little interest in participating in this Cloud Terrace Assembly. But now, he felt he really ought to go.

After all, when a nest was overturned, what egg survived the fall intact?

Admittedly, he had no need to fear any of this, but there were still many people connected to him living in the Great Zhou.

Like Zhou Zhili, Xiao Tianque, Chen Zheng, Zheng Tianhe, and numerous others.

However, Su Yi was well aware that as the spiritual energy recovered, it would inevitably lead to turmoil and bloodshed.

Given the circumstances, saving the masses from calamity would require establishing rules that the various cultivation factions dared not disobey!

In that case, should the Wrath of Heaven Sect’s Cloud Terrace Assembly truly achieve its goals, it would indeed benefit the common folk of the Great Zhou, Wei, and Qin.

….

The entrance to the ruins of the Immortals’ Sword House.

A gaunt figure stood over seas tossed with endless waves. He was a middle-aged man with graying temples.

Ning Sihua walked up to the emissary. “Fellow Daoist Bu Fan, this is Fellow Daoist Su.” 

“I am Deacon Bu Fan of the Wrath of Heaven Sect. Greetings, Your Excellency Su Yi!” Bu Fan approached and bowed respectfully.

“Why is your Wrath of Heaven Set dead set on inviting me?” asked Su Yi.

He could tell at a glance that Bu Fan was in the Origin Palace Realm, and furthermore, that his essence, qi, and spirit were highly tempered; he was far beyond others of the same cultivation.

Bu Fan said solemnly, “Your Excellency, our leader said that you single-handedly crushed the demonic cultivators of the Celestial Prison Demon Court and saved the Great Zhou from calamity. After such a glorious accomplishment, it would be difficult for others not to admire you. Thus, the sect leader personally issued orders to invite you to attend and discuss the public good, no matter what."

His tone was both sincere and flattering.

“To what end are you hosting the Cloud Terrace Assembly?” asked Su Yi. “I want to hear the truth.”

After a moment’s silence, Bu Fan said, “Fellow Daoist Su, the truth is that since the Radiant Epoch is not yet upon us, we wish to prevent strife between the various cultivation factions by coming up with a set of mutually agreed upon rules. This will benefit cultivators, but it will benefit the masses as well.”

Su Yi smiled dryly. “As expected. Ultimately, you’re doing this for your own benefit, and not truly out of consideration for the people’s safety.”

This tone carried a hint of mockery. Bu Fan’s expression shifted a bit uncomfortably.

“Of course, it’s just as you say. Preventing strife between cultivators will naturally benefit the masses as well,” said Su Yi. “Give me the invitation. Then, you can leave.”

Bu Fan hurriedly took out an invitation and proffered it with both hands. “Fellow Daoist Su, might I ask if you plan to attend?”

“Sure,” said Su Yi with a nod.

A massive weight seemed to lift from Bu Fan’s shoulders. He bowed once more, then turned and left.

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“Fellow Daoist, when do you plan to leave?” asked Ning Sihua.

It was the sixteenth day of the first lunar month. The Cloud Terrace Assembly would begin three days from now.

“Call Yuan Heng over, and we’ll leave for the Cloud Terrace Assembly together,” said Su Yi.

Ning Sihua nodded.

Shortly afterward, Yuan Heng arrived and transformed into a thousand-foot softshell turtle. Su Yi placed his chair on Yuan Heng’s back, and they headed into the Great Qin.

On the way, Su Yi read through a jade slip.

Ning Sihua had given it to him. It recorded all the shocking developments of the past two months, as well as the current distribution of power within the three nations’ worlds of cultivation.

When he finished reading, Su Yi realized that in just two months, the world… was like an entirely different place!

Two additional otherworld factions had appeared in the Great Zhou.

One occupied Green Ivy Yao Mountain. They called themselves the Treasureflame Spirit Sect, and they were a faction of soul cultivators. Their subordinates numbered close to three hundred cultivators. 

Their leader was called Gu Shandu, and he was a true Spiritual Incarnation Realm existence. 

The other occupied Ten Thousand Poisons Yao Mountain. They called themselves the Thousand Illusions Sect, and they were a shamanic orthodoxy no weaker than the Treasureflame Spirit Sect.

The leader of the Thousand Illusions Sect was called Cao Ying. Although he was only in the Spiritual Manifestation Realm, they said his abilities were profound and inscrutable, and that he’d mastered ancient shamanic legacies. 

Unlike the Celestial Prison Demon Court, neither faction had waged war.

Instead, they focused on building up their forces. They’d begun widespread recruitment, attracting numerous young martial artists of the Great Zhou.

The two factions had already become sacred grounds of cultivation in the hearts’ of the Great Zhou’s martial artists!

Not even Su Yi had anticipated this development.

Otherworld factions had crossed over and occupied parts of the Great Wei and Qin too.

The Wrath of Heaven Sect was one such example. They were now one of the Great Qin’s top factions.

Their leader, Meng Jinghai, was in the Spiritual Incarnation Realm.

They said that, not long ago, he paid the native cultivation factions of the Great Qin a visit, one by one.

Just two weeks later, the three greatest native factions of the Great Qin—the Donghua Sword Sect, Shanglin Temple, and the Profound Moon Temple—all chose to become the Wrath of Heaven Sect’s subordinates!

The Wrath of Heaven Sect was already on track to become the nation’s top faction.

Of course, the Wrath of Heaven Sect wasn’t the only otherworld faction to cross over into the Great Qin, and some of the others weren’t at all inferior to them.

However, by the time he finished reading the jade slip’s contents, he’d discovered no factions worthy of his attention.

The reason was simple: the strongest experts of the various otherworld factions were only in the Spiritual Incarnation Realm.

But then, that makes sense. The Prohibition of Ancient Darkness has yet to disperse, and Spiritual Incarnation Realm cultivator is plenty to reign supreme over places like the Great Zhou, Wei, and Qin, thought Su Yi.

Spiritual Incarnation Realm cultivators might not present much of a threat to him, but to the rest of the Azure Continent, they were the strongest experts around. The overwhelming majority of the population could only gaze upon them from afar!

A day later.

The Dongfu Prefectural Capital, the city closest to the Great Qin’s Eastern Sea. 

Su Yi and Yuan Heng were seated near the window of a restaurant and drinking together.

“Master, I’ve already asked around. If we leave from the Dongfu Prefectural Capital and continue south for three thousand, nine hundred miles, we’ll arrive and Cloud Terrace Spirit Mountain,” Yuan Heng said softly. “It was once one of the Great Qin’s three great danger zones, but not long ago, it was occupied by the Wrath of Heaven Sect. It’s become the otherworlders’ base of operations. Two days from now, that’s where they’ll host the Cloud Terrance Assembly.”

Su Yi nodded. “Once I’ve finished this jug of wine, we’ll be on our way.”

He’d only just said this when he suddenly noticed a familiar silhouette amongst the pedestrians. Furthermore, they looked like they were in a hurry.