First Immortal of the Sword

Five treasure ships, each as vast as a mountain, appeared over the distant horizon, forging through the clouds. They were like divine mountains in motion.

Treasure light flowed around them, and war flags billowed in the wind.

The treasure ships’ massive shadows blotted out the sun. The cultivators present felt as if heaven and earth had been shrouded in darkness, and their hearts and minds felt stifled.

There was one ship per allied faction, and they contained experts of the Demonic Huan Family, Burning Sun Sect, Tianji Dao Mountain, Hidden Cloud Sword Mountain, and the Pure Emptiness Buddhist Sect.

Now, all of them had arrived together. The boundless sound of warhorns echoing through the sky lent the air an additional austerity.

Boom!

In the end, the five treasure ships stopped ten thousand feet from Nine Tripod City. A shockwave spread outward, and figures hurtled from the ships’ decks.

“One, two, three… my heavens! Everyone else aside, there are at least fifty Spiritual Incarnation Realm cultivators here! Add the Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivators, and there’ve got to be at least a hundred Spirit Dao cultivators!” one of the older-generation cultivators clucked his tongue.

“Just the Spiritual Incarnation Realm? No! There are Spiritual Revolution Realm existences too!” said someone else, his eyes blazing with fervor. “To the best of my knowledge, each of the five allied ancient factions has dispatched a Spiritual Revolution Realm old monster, each stronger than the one before. This is all for the sake of putting pressure on the imperial family and taking them down completely!”

Five Spiritual Revolution Realm experts!

There was an uproar throughout the area. Voices rang up on all sides.

Such a large gathering of Spiritual Incarnation cultivators was already enough to make the crowd’s hearts shake.

Add five Spiritual Revolution Realm cultivators to the mix, and this lineup could sweep the entire Azure Continent with ease!

There were currently no Imperial Realm cultivators on the continent, which meant that the Spiritual Revolution Realm represented the pinnacle of power!

Every such expert was like the pillar of their faction, and they could intimidate external enemies on all sides!

Now, these five Spiritual Revolution Realm existences had come leading over a hundred other Spirit Dao cultivators. It was easy to imagine just how terrifying such a lineup was.

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Quite a few people could already see the outcome. “The imperial family will lose beyond a shadow of a doubt!”

The imperial family was the hegemon of the nation, but it seemed highly likely that they’d fall today!

“Even if Su Yi really is a banished immortal, against such a lineup, he’ll be no more than a mantis trying to block a chariot. He has no hope of victory at all!” someone said with confidence.

Heaven and earth were austere and oppressive.

Five treasure ships hovered in the air, and over a hundred advanced cultivators of the Spirit Dao stood before them. Their combined imposing aura blanketed heaven and earth. Even the wind and clouds shifted.

They were like a group of immortals out for a journey through the human world!

“Against such a lineup, even the Nine Tripod Suppression Barrier Formation will amount to nothing. As for that Su brat… Hah… I’m actually eager to see just how he dies!” The third elder of the House of the Skywalking Sword, Mi Tianhe, watched from within the crowd. His expression revealed his loathing.

Ten days ago, Su Yi refused his offer to join them. That was one thing, but he’d even killed the jade-robed young man, Shi An, right in front of him! Mi Tianhe had hated him ever since. 

“That Su guy said that when the ancient factions fall, he’d make you stand before him and repeat what you said when he met. That’s simply absurd,” laughed the gray-robed young man standing beside Mi Tianhe. 

Mi Tianhe said coldly, “Absurd? No, it’s so brazen that he’s practically throwing his life away!”

Meanwhile, someone sat atop one of Nine Tripod City’s towers. From here, she could see into the distance, including what was happening outside city limits. 

“Xia Yunjing, oh, Xia Yunjing. If you don’t lower your head this time, both the imperial family and Nine Tripod City will fall.” Pu Surong gazed into the distance. 

The strength of the five ancient factions’ lineup surprised her too.

However, that only increased her certainty that Emperor Xia Yunjing wouldn’t be able to take the pressure, and that he’d choose to lower his head and let Xia Qingyuan leave with her.

“And Su Yi! I trust that when he sees this, he’ll change his tune and obediently come calling. Only I can save his life now!” She couldn’t help but break into a proud smirk. 

It was then that A’Leng dashed over.

Pu Surong’s spirits soared. “How did it go?”

A’Leng said darkly, “Xia Yunjing said that Nine Tripod City wouldn’t fall, and neither would the Great Xia’s imperial family. He said… we could forget about making him lower his head!”

He sounded confused. “I wonder if he’s really gone insane. Can’t he see what kind of situation he’s in? Doesn’t he realize how serious this is? Is he really dead set on seeking out his own demise?”

Pu Surong was stunned. Xia Yunjing… actually refused!?

She wouldn’t have guessed that even now, when he had nowhere else to turn, and when disaster was almost upon him, Xia Yunjing would reject her conditions.

She calmed herself, then asked, “And what did Su Yi say?”

When she mentioned Su Yi, A’Leng’s handsome face filled with murderousness and rage. He gnashed his teeth and said, “He… He told me to scram!”

He rubbed his nose. “Big Sis, if you hadn’t insisted that I refrain from violence, I would have killed him on the spot!”

“....” The look on Pu Surong’s beautiful, dignified face darkened, and her eyes shone with fury. “Su Yi… really doesn’t know what’s good for him!”

Pu Surong took a deep breath, then said, “Then let’s act in accordance with our backup plan. When the imperial family falls, we’ll intervene and take Qingyuan away!”

A’Leng nodded, then said dejectedly, “I still find the thought of Su Yi dying at someone else’s hands rather displeasing.”

Pu Surong couldn’t help but smile. “He’s doomed. Is there any need to be angry at him?”

She’d only just said this when she seemed to sense something. Her eyes focused, and she looked outside the city.

……

Outside Nine Tripod City.

A stick-thin elder emerged from the Demonic Huan Family’s treasure ship.

The entire area instantly fell silent.

Every cultivator present felt an indescribable pressure, and their expressions immediately shifted.

Huan Tianxu!

He was a Spiritual Revolution Realm demonic cultivator. He and his elder brother, Huan Tiandu, were the pillars of the Huan Family!

Although Huan Tianxu rarely ventured outside, what cultivator beneath the heavens could disregard a Spiritual Revolution expert like him?

“Fellow Daoists, might you join me for a chat?” Huan Tianxu swept his gaze across the other four ships and said in a raspy voice.

Four others instantly emerged, one from each of the treasure ships: a dark-robed Daoist, a man in purple, an old monk in gray, and a colorfully-dressed woman with a sword case on her back.

The first emanated golden flames, the second, dazzling misty light. The third had the air of a Buddhist statue, while the fourth pierced the heavens with her sword qi.

Their auras surged to the very limit, and their bodies were enveloped in the radiance of the Grand Dao. Every movement seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth.

All four were in the Spiritual Revolution Realm!

When they appeared, a terrifying imposing aura spread out around them. All living things trembled, and even the skies wailed as if prostrating themselves. 

The experts throughout the vicinity of Nine Tripod City all felt their hearts tremble.

"So this is Nine Tripod City? It really does have an auspicious air about it; it’s a blessed ground amidst the mundane world,” the dark-robed Daoist said, sighing as he gazed at the city.

His hair and willowy beard were gray, and he carried a fly whisk. In his wide sleeves, he looked like an immortal or a god, with the air of one who’d transcended the mundane.

Wen Rufeng!

He was the high elder of Tianji Dao Mountain, a Spiritual Revolution Realm expert!

“It’s a pity that the Xia Emperor is so unyielding. I’m afraid… Nine Tripod City will fall today,” the purple-robed man said indifferently, his voice rumbling like thunder and shaking the skies.

Xue Moning.

He was one of the Burning Sun Sect’s only surviving Spiritual Revolution cultivators alongside their leader, Shuo Guo.

“The world is in turmoil, but the common folk are without sin. If the imperial family is willing to lower their heads and surrender, Nine Tripod City shall not fall this day, and the world need not sink into further upheaval,” said the monk in gray. He clasped his hands together, and his expression was compassionate.

His title was Pure Cloud, and he was from the Pure Emptiness Buddhist Sect. His Spiritual Revolution Realm cultivation was deep and inscrutable.

“If the imperial family had any intention of surrendering, why would they wait this long? Seems to me that even if they surrender, we ought to make an example out of them!” said the colorfully-dressed woman, seething with murderousness.

She was an extraordinary beauty, but her gaze was cold and proud, and her aura was as sharp and imposing as her sword.

Nie Wanzhi, a Spiritual Revolution Realm cultivator of Hidden Cloud Sword Mountain!

“Right, and Su Yi too! We have to execute him!” Nie Wanzhi said coldly.

Su Yi! When she mentioned his name, the other four Spiritual Revolution Realm cultivators couldn’t help but nod.

They’d joined forces, in part to suppress and kill Su Yi!

“We’ve prepared a grand army of Spirit Dao cultivators. When we attack the city, a mere Su Yi cannot possibly stir up any waves!” Huan Tianxu said icily.

It was then that a young man in Daoist robes stepped out of Tianji Dao Mountain’s ranks. “Seniors, should Su Yi make an appearance, please permit me to duel him one-on-one!”

He had the bearing of a dragon or phoenix, sword-like eyebrows, starry eyes, and he wore a feather headdress. His handsome looks would have stood out from any crowd. 

Especially his stars. They were as radiant as the stars overhead, and when they opened and closed, they surged with wind and lightning. They were incomparably intimidating. 

All eyes were instantly upon the young man in Daoist robes.

When the crowd realized who he was, they were instantly in uproar.

Zhou Zhi!

He was the leading figure of Tianji Dao Mountain’s younger generation, the monster of the ancient era second on the Ranking of Stars. Furthermore, he was in the peak of the Spiritual Manifestation Realm!

Rumor had it that his talent was extraordinary, and he was born with Celestial Thunder Fire Eyes. He’d mastered all manner of profound, inscrutable, and terrifying secret arts. He could even cross realms to kill Spiritual Incarnation experts!

Everyone in the top five of the Ranking of Stars was a monster among monsters, blessed with good fortune and powerful foundations.

Zhou Zhi was ranked second; there was naturally no need to question his strength.

“What do you think, everyone?” Tianji Dao Mountain’s Wen Rufeng asked with a smile.

“So long as it doesn’t interfere with our plans to take down the imperial family, it’s fine,” said Huan Tianxu. “Besides, with us here, even if something unexpected happens, we’ll be able to save our young friend in time.”

This sounded peaceable enough, but it made Zhou Zhi furrow his brow.

“Seniors, I’ll do everything in my power to ensure nothing unexpected happens.” Zhou Zhi clasped his fist, his gaze utterly firm and confident.

Huo Tianxu laughed and was just about to say something when he suddenly looked up at the distant, towering city walls.

The others present ceased their conversation and looked over as well.

The ancient city walls gave off a faint luster beneath the sunlight.

No one knew when he’d gotten there, but a tall, upright figure stood on the city walls.

He was dressed in blue, alone, and detached. 

With his hands behind his back, he was like an immortal gazing down upon the human world!