First Immortal of the Sword

The Vermillion Bird’s response didn’t surprise Su Yi at all.

Phoenix Fire Divine Essence was irresistibly tempting to any True Spirit Divine Bird.

With it, the malevolent soul of the Vermillion Bird could undergo a transformation akin to nirvanic rebirth!

“The favor I’m asking of you is simple. I’ll teach you a secret art now, and in the time that follows, should that mysterious person return, all you have to do is activate it to see through and take note of their appearance.” As he spoke, Su Yi took out the jade slip containing the Pupils of Perception and handed it over.

“Alright.” The Vermillion Bird straightforwardly agreed. “Then… Can you tell me about the Phoenix Fire Divine Essence?”

It looked utterly expectant.

Su Yi didn’t hide it. “This treasure is hidden deep within a forbidden ground, the Pool of Rebirth. However, without instructions, even an Emperor would have no hope of finding it. When I come back, I’ll tell you how to find it.”

“The Pool of Rebirth, huh…?” The Vermillion Bird nodded. “One more thing. What if that mysterious person never comes back? What should I do then?”

Su Yi thought it over, then said, “Three years. Regardless of whether or not they come back, I’ll return here and free you from captivity then.”

“Three years? That’s nothing, no more than a quick nap,” said the Vermillion Bird with obvious relief.

“Alright then. We ought to get going.” Su Yi turned and was just about to leave.

But it was then that the malevolent soul of the Vermillion Bird cried out, “Fellow Daoist, might I ask about your connection to Old Monster Su?”

“If I told you I was that Old Monster Su, would you believe me?” Su Yi asked with a smile.

The Vermillion Bird was stunned, but before it could ask any follow-up questions, Su Yi had already turned away from it with a laughter.

“Like hell I’d believe that!” the Vermillion Bird grumbled.

How terrifying of an existence was Su Xuanjun? Who beneath the heavens didn’t know about him?

How could a mere Spiritual Incarnation kid compare to him?

But since that kid knows so many secrets, I’m afraid he’s one of Old Monster Su’s descendants, or perhaps his apprentice or grand-apprentice…

“Brother Su, what were you and the Vermillion Bird talking about earlier?” Cui Jingyan asked curiously as soon as Su Yi walked over.

She’d always been curious, and the sight of Su Yi and the Vermillion Bird communicating with some inscrutable language piqued her curiosity.

But Su Yi was well aware that if he answered her question, she’d throw all sorts of other questions at him.

Thus, he said directly, “Various things that have nothing to do with you.”

Cui Jingyan was instantly at a loss for words.

Su Yi then looked at Wei Yun. “Is Wei Daoyuan currently within the Wei Family estate?”

After a brief, stunned pause, Wei Yun said solemnly, “Our patriarch went into seclusion several hundred years ago, and he’s yet to emerge.”

Wei Daoyuan had extremely high seniority. Even the current high elder was Wei Daoyuan’s junior.

Su Yi was a young man, yet he’d called Wei Daoyuan directly by name. This made Wei Yun a bit uncomfortable, but Wei Yun felt awkward objecting.

Su Yi thought for a moment, then added, “Might you arrange for me to meet with him?”

After a moment’s silence, Wei Yun said, “I won’t lie to you: with my status, I’m nowhere near qualified to make such arrangements, but I’ll do my best!”

As he said this, his voice filled with conviction. Su Yi hadn’t just turned the tides and saved his life; he’d even slain an entire group of devils. This was an enormous benevolence; Wei Yun couldn’t possibly disregard it.

“Many thanks,” said Su Yi with a nod.

……

It was already late at night, and the blood-red full moon hung in the sky, casting dim crimson light on the world below.

Outside the sealing formation.

When Wei Yun, Su Yi, and his companions emerged, several figures instantly streaked toward them from afar.

“Please don’t panic. They’re members of the Wei Family,” whispered Wei Yun.

As he spoke, the group approached. Their leader was a tall, thin man in silver robes.

“Third Brother, what happened? Why are your wounds so severe?” The silver-robed man couldn’t help but jump at the sight of Wei Yun’s injuries.

Wei Cheng.

He was the grand elder of the Wei Family’s current generation, a peak Spiritual Revolution Realm cultivator.

Wei Yun approached, then explained everything that had happened in a low voice.

When they heard the whole story, Wei Cheng and the others were visibly moved, and the way they looked at Su Yi and his companions changed. All of them looked surprised. 

“Many thanks for your aid, Fellow Daoists!” Wei Cheng approached, then solemnly greeted them. 

Su Yi subtly inclined his head but said nothing. 

“Eldest Brother, how about we talk more after we return to the clan?” suggested Wei Yun.

“Right, right, of course,” Wei Cheng straightforwardly agreed, and the group promptly set off.

……

The Demonic Wei Family’s foundations in the River of Forgetfulness Territory ran deep. Not just any faction dared offend them.

And the clan dwelled in a stretch of valley amidst Yama’s Floating Mountains.  

The Wei family, a thoroughly lamplit hall.

Su Yi and his companions sat in their midst, drinking tea as they waited.

After arriving in Wei Family territory, arrangements were made for them here, while Wei Yun and Wei Cheng proceeded to the clan’s grand hall to discuss what had happened tonight.

Su Yi had voiced no objections. Wei Yun naturally needed to report everything that had happened to his clan.

“Brother Su, you might act all mysterious all day, but I actually have a good idea about your origins now,” laughed Cui Jingyan. Her lips curved upward with smug pride.

Su Yi was drinking tea, but when he heard this, he smiled. “That so? Let’s hear it, then.”

The old blind man couldn’t help but prick up his ears too.

Cui Jingyan’s beautiful eyes shone as she stared intently at Su Yi. “I have ample reason to suspect that you are the descendant of the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force!”

The old blind man was stunned.

Su Yi had only just taken a sip of tea, but when he heard that, he almost spat it out. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “Why don’t you think I am the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force?”

Cui Jingyan rolled her eyes. “You’re the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force? Yeah, right. Then I’m the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force’s wife!”

The old blind man said hurriedly, “Miss Jingyan, you can’t joke about that! The Swordmaster of Abstruse Force is a good friend of your grandfather. Saying something like that is deeply disrespectful to the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force!”

Cui Jingyan said irritably, “That guy is most likely one of the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force’s descendants, yet he dares impersonate his ancestor. He has no respect for his elders at all, so why aren’t you criticizing him?”

“This…” The old blind man was stunned. “Miss Jingyan, why do you dare say with such certainty that His Excellency Su is a descendant of the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force?”

Cui Jingyan broke into a smug, mysterious grin. “That, I can’t tell you, but in any event, I’ve practically figured out ‘His Excellency Su’s’ bottom line. Going by seniority… he might even be below me!”

Su Yi was increasingly amused. She’s sure got an imagination!

The old blind man hesitated, then said cautiously, “But everyone knows that the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force wholeheartedly pursued the Dao. Although he had quite a few flady companions, he never had any heirs…”

Cui Jingyan looked at the old blind man disdainfully and interrupted him outright. “But what if one of those lady companions of his got pregnant with his child?”

As she said this, she looked at Su Yi gleefully. “Brother Su, I’m not saying this to disrespect you, so don’t take it to heart!”

Su Yi facepalmed. The more she talks, the more ridiculous it gets!

“See? Even Brother Su can’t argue with me,” giggled Cui Jingyan.

Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. She sure knows how to plug the holes in her own argument.

The old blind man, however, felt quite uncertain. He recalled all the mysteries surrounding Su Yi, then integrated them with what he’d seen and heard tonight. Could His Excellency Su truly be a descendant of the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force?

It was then that Wei Yun walked into the hall.  

“Fellow Daoists, the family head has already left for where the patriarch is in seclusion. He’ll report what happened personally,” said Wei Yun. Then, he looked at Su Yi. “But it’s hard to say whether or not you’ll get an audience with the patriarch.”

Su Yi nodded, then asked, “Has the Wei Family set up traps similar to the one you arranged in that forbidden ground tonight?

Wei Yun nodded. “Over the past three hundred years, we’ve caused a disturbance in that forbidden ground once every hundred years to trick the city’s evildoers into thinking an unparalleled stroke of good fortune has appeared deep within the wilderness of Yama’s Floating Mountains. In doing so, we can lure a portion of them away for slaughter. Tonight’s operation was the third of its kind.”

The old blind man couldn’t help but ask, “Why do that?”

It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from "pawread dot com".

After a moment’s silence, Wei Yun said, “Our Patriarch said that we must accept slaying yao and demons as our mission. That’s why Nightdemon City exists.

“The world’s heretics and fiends converge in Nightdemon City. Is that not a wonderful thing for the rest of the populace?

“And Nightdemon City isn’t necessarily safe for those heretical cultivators who seek refuge there. They run the risk of dying at any time.

“As I’m sure you three are well aware, where there are people, there’s conflict. Gathering so many evildoers in Nightdemon City means that, when they fight among themselves, many of them will die. This, too, is a way of ridding the world of evil.”

Wei Yun paused, then added, “And the Wei Family’s only purpose in overseeing Nightdemon City is to periodically cleanse its local tyrants.

“Take Madam Goldenpin, the One-Armed Demon, and a few of the others here tonight. They’d already established their own factions in Nightdemon City. Had I not eliminated them, they would have become a threat.”

The old blind man couldn’t help but admire this. “Your Wei Family is truly impressive!”

Cui Jingyan subconsciously nodded; she, too, saw the Wei Family in a new light.

“Impressive?” Wei Yun couldn’t help but grimace, then let out a long sigh. “But the vast majority of people think of us as those irredeemable villains’ pillar of support. We’ve endured countless curses and insults over the years as a result!”

Cui Jingyan and the old blind man couldn’t help but fall silent.

Worldly affairs were often this way. Public opinion wasn’t necessarily correct!

Su Yi, meanwhile, was lost in thought.

When Wei Yun answered his question, he realized something.