First Immortal of the Sword

On the fourth day of the fourth lunar month, heaven and earth suddenly changed. It was the middle of day, yet densely-packed stars filled the skies of the Azure Continent. 

As the stars flickered, the cloudy cover of dusk descended upon the world.

A terrifying, oppressive presence arose everywhere on the continent. 

Midday starry skies against a curtain of dusk!

This drew attention from cultivators throughout the world, and the factions stationed throughout the Azure Continent hurriedly finished their preparations. 

“The Radiant Epoch is finally about to arrive,” muttered some of the older-generation cultivators. They looked conflicted.

This was to be a golden age, but at the same time, an age of unpredictable upheaval!

“The world of the future is sure to belong to us!” Some of the younger cultivators were full of ambition and eagerness.

The way they saw it, turbulent times gave rise to heroes. This was a chance to rise to prominence!

The onset of the Radiant Epoch meant a reshuffling of the world’s balance of power.

When the long-established order fell apart and collapsed, the resulting turmoil would become their opportunity to ascend!

……

The Demonic Huan Family.

“On the first day of the Radiant Epoch, most of the Azure Continent’s source power will transform into a rain of the light of the Grand Dao and feed back into the human world.”

“To cultivators like us, this is the first grand stroke of fortune the Radiant Epoch has to offer. Such opportunities can only be found, not sought.”

“Afterworld, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth might flourish and grow like mad, but no similar opportunities will arise here ever again.”

“Therefore, we have to take firm hold of this opportunity!”

The barefoot, hemp-clad Huan Tiandu stood in a ten-thousand-foot Daoist ritual ground, his hands behind his back as he peered into the sky.

A group of the Huan Family’s experts stood not far from the ritual grounds. When they heard Huan Tiandu’s words, all of them looked excited and eager.

“All of you, get ready. When the rain of the Grand Dao begins, I’ll personally activate the formation within the ritual grounds and gather Grand Dao source power for you.” Huan Tiandu said gravely. His gaze shifted, and he looked at the Huan Family experts. “I hope to see new additions to the ranks of the Huan Family’s Spiritual Revolution cultivators!”

Thirty thousand years was far too long, but the day they'd been waiting for was finally here!

As the current highest authority of the Huan Family, Huan Tiandu knew that once the curtains opened on the Radiant Epoch, what would ultimately determine whether major factions flourished or waned was their Spiritual Revolution cultivators!

Thus, the Demonic Huan Family had long since prepared for this day.

……

Similar scenes didn’t just play out in Hidden Cloud Sword Mountain, the Burning Sun Sect, the Pure Emptiness Buddhist Sect, and other such top ancient factions.

They happened in the three top otherworld factions—the House of the Skywalking Sword, the Tiandou Spirit Cult, and the Incarnation of Stars Sect—too.

The Radiant Epoch was about to arrive. As the world’s peak factions, they’d naturally long since made ample preparations for this day! 

Every faction was well aware that after the curtains opened on the Radiant Epoch, they could only vie for supremacy if enough new Spiritual Revolution experts arose within their ranks. The more such experts they had, the greater their advantage.

Thus, practically every major faction didn’t hesitate to pour the full extent of their resources of manpower into seizing as much of the imminent rain of the Grand Dao as possible. 

It was only by borrowing this unprecedented stroke of “heavenly luck” that they could obtain a whole group of Spiritual Revolution cultivators capable of shouldering heavy responsibility.

……

Quite a few peak-level factions from other major worlds were already lying in wait in the Azure Continent. They wanted to seize the opportunity of the Azure Continent’s Radiant Epoch too.

Their ranks included Meng Po Palace, as well as the Kunwu Mountain Ye Family.

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“Midday stars against a curtain of dusk. Unless I’m mistaken, the power of the Azure Continent’s source will erupt completely within twenty-four hours!” the bony Ninth Libationer said gravely. “The Great Xia is the heart of the Azure Continent, and it’s here that we’ll be able to obtain the most source power.

“I can already predict that when the source power erupts, the major factions spread throughout the Great Xia will be as frenzied as sharks after catching a whiff of blood. They’ll fight for it with everything they’ve got.”

He paused, then turned to face Xue Ye. “When the time comes, control the ‘Spirit Lamp of Redemption’ to seize the Seed of the Azure.”

Xue Ye nodded, his expression tranquil. “So long as the Seed of the Azure appears, I’ll do everything I can to obtain it.”

The Spirit Lamp of Redemption. 

This was one of Meng Po Palace’s Xiantian Spirit Treasures. It was born of the depths of the River of Forgetfulness, and it had the ability to absorb the ambient spiritual energy and gather the presence of the Grand Dao.

“So long as we obtain the Seed of the Azure, we’ll have obtained the greatest good fortune the Azure Continent has to offer,” said the Ninth Libationer, his eyes blazing. “This is a stroke of good fortune even Emperors would slaver over. If not for their inability to enter this world, how could we possibly have a shot at obtaining it?”

Cui Jingyan couldn’t help but interject, “Ninth Libationer, just what applications does the Seed of the Azure have?”

The Ninth Libationer smiled. “The Seed of the Azure is a portion of the Azure Continent’s vitality. So long as you cultivate within this world, you can use its power to absorb an unending stream of spiritual energy.

“Especially after the Radiant Epoch begins. With the Seed of the Azure, you can seize a portion of heavenly fate!

“That aside, since it’s called the ‘Seed’ of the Azure, it naturally has the potential to grow and transform. As it undergoes repeated metamorphoses, it will ‘sprout.’ Ultimately, it will grow into an entire world!

“The Azure Continent itself grew in much the same way. The power of the Origins of the Azure, after countless years of evolution and growth, formed this world. Although the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness devastated the Azure Continent, thirty thousand years ago, it was a boundless world capable of giving rise to Imperial experts! As a portion of the Origins of the Azure’s vital energy, the Seed of the Azure will, given time, surely become a brand-new world.

“What Emperor wouldn’t covet such a treasure?”

Cui Jingyan couldn’t help but gasp. “It really is an absolutely enormous stroke of fortune…”

The Ninth Libationer sighed. “Isn't it? It’s enormous beyond the limits of our imagination. It wouldn’t even be an exaggeration to say that such a treasure would be wasted on those of our lowly cultivations; it’d be like desecrating a heavenly treasure.

“That’s because, without abilities, we have no way of helping it grow into a new world. Actually, even Imperial experts might not be able to achieve that.

“Evolving a world is far too difficult. It requires endless resources, countless years, and an enormous amount of effort and patience.

“That’s why, should we obtain the Seed of the Azure, we’ll take it back to the sect for safekeeping. That’s the best course of action.”

Here, the Ninth Libationer glanced at Xue Ye.

Xue Ye instantly understood. “Ninth Libationer, rest assured. Such fortune is too great for me to handle; even if I obtain it, I can’t protect it. It’s best to entrust it to the sect.”

The Ninth Libationer said with a smile, “I trust the sect will give you an unimaginable reward.”

However, Cui Jingyan had already lost interest in this.

It was just as the Ninth Libatationer said; the Seed of the Azure was far too grand a stroke of fortune; she couldn’t work up any interest in obtaining it.

“Dharma Protector Xue Ye, you’d best be careful. There’s no way other factions will pass up on the Seed of the Azure,” said Cui Jingyan. Her pretty eyes darted about as she warned, “And then there’s the mysterious Su Yi. There’s a lot that’s suspicious about him; don’t let your guard down.”

Xue Ye was stunned. He smiled and joked, “Why does it seem like you’re trying to use Su Yi to scare me?”

Cui Jingyan flashed him a charming smile. “Your intuition is right on the mark.”

“....”

……….

Deep within the mountain wilderness.

“Fortunately, we didn’t arrive too late.” Pu Surong stared at the midday stars against a curtain of dusk. She couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

She was accompanied by a thin man with gray hair, purple eyes, and bright yellow robes.

The man said leisurely, “We cannot possibly just let such fortune slip through our fingers. How about this? Let’s seize this opportunity first, then go settle the score with Su Yi.”

The man looked young, but his features bore the traces of the years.

Pu Surong was instantly solemn. “That works too.”

The man’s name was Pu Jue, and he was a late-stage Spiritual Revolution cultivator of the Purple Moon Foxes. Among the Bright Sky Realm’s Spiritual Revolution experts, his combat prowess placed him in the top five!

Furthermore, he wasn’t the only one who’d come to the Azure Continent this time. There were four total Spiritual Revolution Realm experts accompanying him.

Them aside, the clan had entrusted a precious treasure to Pu Jue to ensure that this operation went off without a hitch!

“Su Yi, I hope you’ll cooperate with us this time. If you keep making this difficult for us… disaster really will befall you,” muttered Pu Surong. 

……

The factions scattered throughout the Azure Continent, as well as various other special existences, were waiting in silence.

The Sea of Chaotic Spirits.

“Qing Luo,” the sword slave whom the yao sword Divine Misfortune had taken up residence in, had set up a strange formation on a solitary island, and he was seated in silent meditation. 

The depths of Meteor Abyss.

In the outside world, the power of the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness had already dissipated, but it still filled the depths of Meteor Abyss, like a mist hanging in the air.

A pair of deep, strange eyes gazed up at the dome of heaven from deep within the fog.

….Similar scenes played out all over the Azure Continent.

Numerous unknown entities hid themselves in various ways and waited.

……

Nine Tripod City.

Azurecloud Court.

Su Yi was currently eating hot pot.

The bright red soup base bubbled, and all kinds of sliced vegetables and meats tumbled within the broth. An enticing, spicy fragrance permeated the air.

Su Yi sipped wine between bites. Both his mind and his stomach were utterly content.

However, in stark contrast with Su Yi’s relaxed indulgence, Wen Xinzhao, the Xia Emperor, and the old blind man had little interest in their food.

Dusk descended like a curtain, and the stars were visible even at midday. A terrifying presence permeated all of the Azure Continent, including the skies above Nine Tripod City.

They could sense it clearly even within Azurecloud Court.

Wen Xinzhao and the others had long since noticed it, and all of them were alarmed.

However, it seemed that Su Yi wasn’t the least bit concerned about these strange celestial and earthly phenomena.

Or rather, in his eyes, none of this was as important as the hot pot before him…

However, strange as it may sound, Su Yi’s disregard was infectious; the less he cared, the more a wordless sense of security and peace arose within his companions' hearts. 

The skies could crumble around him, but he’d act as if it were perfectly ordinary. The old blind man couldn’t help but sigh over his composure. His Excellency Su Yi doesn’t disappoint!