First Immortal of the Sword

They too had come prepared, and they too were after a Pure Yang Fire Perch.

Yet one had an ample harvest, while the other had yet to see any sign of their prey. Who could have remained calm after seeing this?

“City Lord, how much longer must we wait?” the Jade Heaven Water Monarch couldn’t help but ask.

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Wei Yun’s expression shifted uncertainly. “It’s hard to say.”

“.....”

If they failed to capture a Pure Yang Fire Perch tonight, how would they obtain the good fortune they were after?

“Everyone, don’t panic. Even if we fail to obtain a perch, we can request one from our young friend over there,” said the White-Faced Daoist in a raspy voice.

Hearing this, the gathered old monsters felt reassured.

All of them were infamous heretical cultivators and old monsters. Over the years, they’d killed countless living things. To them, seizing treasures by force was as commonplace as eating and drinking; this couldn’t have been any simpler.

However, in the time that followed, Su Yi caught one Pure Yang Fire Perch after another, while there were no movements on Wei Yun’s side. This left the old monsters decidedly displeased.

Some of them were beside themselves with anger. “This doesn’t fucking make any sense. Don’t tell me that kid is going to run off with all of our Pure Yang Fire Perch?”  

Some of them furrowed their brows and frantically urged Wei Yun on. “City Lord, we cannot wait any longer. It’s only six hours until sunrise. When the blood moon disappears, Yama’s Floating Mountains will become perilous once more!”

“This…” Wei Yun’s expression shifted uncertainly.

“Come on, let’s go find that kid. If he dares refuse to give us the fish, we can just kill him!” The One-Armed Demon couldn’t take it anymore. He turned around and walked off.

When the other old monsters saw this, they hurried after him.

Wei Yun couldn’t help but sigh and dejectedly gather up his net. Tonight’s Pure Yang Fire Perch sure are acting strange.

But when he saw the old monsters go after Su Yi and his companions, Wei Yun furrowed his brow and chased after them.

“Brother Su, it looks like those old devils can’t keep their cool any longer. They’re planning to rob us,” warned Cui Jingyan, who stood by the side of the lake.

“If they try it, they’ll die miserable deaths,” said the old blind man with a cold laugh. 

However, Su Yi suddenly said, “Why kill them? We can just bring them with us when we vie for good fortune.”

Both Cui Jingyan and the old blind man were stunned, and they almost dared not believe their ears. Since when was he so compassionate and generous? 

It was then that the old monsters rushed over, fierce and overbearing. All of them were shrouded in killing intent, and they moved with startling momentum. 

Even Madam Goldenpin and the Malevolent Sword Monarch looked unfriendly. 

They had Su Yi and his companions surrounded. The old monsters figured that so long as they worked together, they could take the three of them down with ease. 

Against all expectations, before they could even say anything, Su Yi said, “Everyone, are you here perhaps for the Pure Yang Fire Perch?”

“That’s right,” said the One-armed Demon. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll…”

Before he could even finish the threat, Su Yi smiled. “I don’t need all these Pure Yang Fire Perch. There’s no harm in sharing a few with you.”

The old monsters were all stunned. They wouldn’t have guessed the young man who’d been so domineering at the city lord’s manor earlier that night would wimp out right away!

But when Wei Yun saw this, he inwardly nodded. This young man isn’t simple. He knows when to bend and when to stand tall. He’s a good seedling. 

When they first met back in the city lord’s manor, he realized that Su Yi and his companions weren’t demonic or heretical cultivators, and he naturally didn’t wish to see them die at the old monsters’ hands.

It would be best if they could avoid a fight. 

“A smart decision.” The Heaven-Slaughtering Ghost Monk smiled, his tone admiring.

“Smart? Heh heh, seems to me that he realized disaster was imminent and chose to lower his head. Still, no matter what else I might say about him, he at least understands the situation,” the One-Armed Demon laughed coldly.

When Madam Goldenpin, the Malevolent Sword Monarch, and the others saw this, their expressions softened. However, at the same time, they were inwardly contemptuous. And here I thought this kid had extraordinary origins, and that he was someone impressive. It turns out… this is all he amounts to.

The old blind man and Cui Jingyan took in the old monsters’ expressions and attitudes, and they couldn’t help but feel strange. They don’t really think he’s afraid, do they?

“Many thanks, Fellow Daoist.” Wei Yun approached and clasped his fist in gratitude.

This Wei clansman and lord of Nightdemon City was neither humble nor prideful. He came across as extremely steady.

Su Yi raised his hand and tossed nine Pure Yang Fire perch at Wei Yun. “I caught twelve in total, so I’ll give you nine.”

This didn’t just please Wei Yun; the old monsters increasingly felt that this young man in blue was quite sensible. This was when they meant when they said that a wise man adapts to his circumstances.

“Many thanks, Fellow Daoist!” Wei Yun put the fish away, then solemnly expressed his gratitude.

“Young man, how about you accompany us? Should we obtain good fortune, you’ll surely receive your share,” the White-Faced Daoist suddenly suggested.

Some of the others frowned, clearly averse to the idea.

But others’ eyes flashed, and they said nothing. 

“That’s exactly what I had in mind,” said Su Yi with a nod.

“And what do you think, City Lord?” The White-Faced Daoist looked over at Wei Yun.

“Sure,” Wei Yun said straightforwardly.

Then, without any further delays, the group set off. Wei Yun led them away from the Jade Phosphorus Netherworld Lake and further into the mountain wilderness.

Along the way, the Jade Heaven Water Monarch transmitted, “Ol’ White-Face, what were you thinking? Don’t you know that those three have suspicious origins, and that there’s almost certainly something up with them?” 

“There are indeed problems with their origins, but that only increases the odds that they’re carrying quality treasures. Especially the girl; although she’s long since obscured the treasure light emanating from her, my instincts tell me she’s carrying rare and precious treasures!” transmitted the White-Faced Daoist. “I’ve already contacted Old Ghost Thousand Eyes, the One-Armed Demon, and several others in secret. Once we arrive at the good fortune we’re after, we’ll find an opportunity to take them out. Whatever treasures we obtain, we can split between us.”

Only then did the Jade Heaven Water Monarch understand. “Count me in, but I don’t want the treasures. Just give me the girl to play with.”

He couldn’t help but lick his lips.

He’d noticed Cui Jingyan back when he first saw her at the city lord’s manor. She was as beautiful as a lady immortal, and the sight of her filled his heart with an irrepressible desire to possess her.

However, the White-Faced Daoist laughed and shook his head. “Hehe, you’re too late. The Heaven-Slaughtering Ghost Monk has already declared her his personal plaything.”

The Jade Heaven Water Monarch’s eyelids twitched, and he couldn’t help but sigh with disappointment. “Oh well.”

“Right, be on guard against Wei Yun. He makes this operation sound great, but good fortune is on the line. I’m afraid there’s no way the Wei Family will share it with us for nothing,” the White-Faced Daoist transmitted at top speeds. “I’ve made contact with several others already. If Wei Yun acts up when it comes time to seize the good fortune we’re after, we’ll step in and take him down right away!”

The Jade Heaven Water Monarch’s eyes flashed. “So, you’ve already forged a secret alliance…”

The White-Faced Daoist transmitted back, “Daoist Brother, please don’t take offense. It’s not that we wanted to hide it from you, but that we were worried some of our companions were secretly colluding with Wei Yun. We had to be on guard.”

The Jade Heaven Water Monarch’s expressions shifted. “Who do you suspect?”

“It’s hard to say,” laughed the White-Faced Daoist. “In any event, as soon as something happens, we’ll work together, but we must proceed with caution.”

The Jade Heaven Water Monarch nodded. “But of course.”

 ……

“Brother Su, why do I get the sense that you’re plotting something wicked?” Cui Jingyan transmitted to Su Yi. She’d long since sensed that something wasn’t quite right here.

“What do you mean, something wicked?” Su Yi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “All I’ve done is give them an opportunity to enter a forbidden ground. Whether they leave with their lives or not depends on them.”

“There really is something going on here!” Cui Jingyan’s bright eyes narrowed, and her red lips curled; she was grinning like a smug little fox. “I’m afraid you’ve long since arranged their demise down to the smallest detail.”

Su Yi smiled. “That depends on whether or not they throw their lives away.”

“But it seems to me that those old-timers are all crafty and insidious, and that they’re all scheming something. I’m afraid trapping and killing them will be difficult.”

“Trapping and killing them?” Su Yi glanced at Wei Yun, who was leading the way, then said calmly, “No amount of scheming can overcome an absolute difference in strength. If I wanted to kill them, I wouldn’t need to waste my time plotting against them. I could just cut them down and be done with it.”

He paused, then said, “I spared their lives because I have use for them.”

Cui Jingyan was stunned. “What use?” 

But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized that there was no way she was getting any answers. “Forget it. I’ll just wait for the show to begin.”

Su Yi smiled.

Almost ten minutes later.

Off in the distance, a swath of dense, blood-colored fog surged forth.

Upon closer inspection, the fog came from a valley between the peaks. Its skies were densely shrouded in blood-colored mist. 

Thirty-six enormous lotus platforms forged of bronze stood within the valley.

Each lotus platform was one hundred feet across and split into nine petals. Each petal was covered in strange, contorted, elaborate Dao Markings. 

The center of each lotus platform had a ten-foot cavity, from which dense, inscrutable, bloody mist gushed forth. Against the darkness of the night, it looked incomparably mysterious. 

At the same time, Wei Yun stopped in his tracks and said gravely, “Everyone, we’ve already reached the forbidden grounds!”

The old monsters’ eyes blazed with eagerness as they surveyed the valley.

“It’s obvious that this place was left here a long time ago. Everywhere you look, a mysterious presence hangs in the air,” someone whispered.

“This is most likely an ancient sealing formation. It seems this was the source of that unprecedented phenomenon that arose a few days ago,” someone muttered.

A few days ago, nine-colored immortal light took to the skies, manifesting dazzling, misty radiance, and a mysterious bell rang for three days and three nights.

All of this was obviously connected to the thirty-six mysterious bronze lotus platforms in the valley before them!

Cui Jingyan and the old blind man surveyed the valley too, but they couldn’t discern much.

However, when Su Yi saw this off in the distance, his brow furrowed slightly, and his expression grew uncertain.

Unless he was mistaken, someone had already broken the seal here!

This gave him an ill premonition. If someone had made it past the seal, was the treasure he’d left here still inside?