First Immortal of the Sword

Shortly after Liu Xianglan spoke, the atmosphere within the courtyard shifted subtly.

“Old Daoist, there’s nothing to worry about. There are only four people here. The two weakest are hiding in their rooms. As for the two that remain….”

Chu Silang’s demeanor was languid, and his gaze was playful. “The one who opened the door is in the late stage Blood Circulation Realm. The ‘young lord’ beneath the gazebo is just in the early-stage Qi Accumulation Realm.”

He paused, then pointed at the Soul-Nurturing Gourd at Su Yi’s waist. “Now look at that! It’s the very treasure that barbarian Weng Yunqi stole from the sect!

“From this, it’s clear that they’re connected to Weng Yunqi. We’ve come to the right place.” When he finished speaking, he casually sat on a wooden bench and stretched, looking even more languid than before. Those who didn’t know better might well assume that he was the owner of this residence.

His casual bearing only highlighted his fearlessness and how confident he was in their inevitable victory.

“Four little guys like that? They really aren’t a threat at all.” Liu Xianglan’s beautiful eyes darted around, and she broke into a smile.

The Blood Balance Daoist’s smile receded, and he let out a breath of turbid air. “A little caution is never a bad thing. I meant what I said earlier: behave yourselves. Don’t scare our young friends.”

Chu Silang responded with a perfunctory grunt.

Liu Xianglan, meanwhile, shot Huang Qianjun an amorous, intoxicating smile. “Oh sweetie, you look so tender and soft. My heart itches at the sight of you. Once we’re done with our business here, how about we find a nice, private place for a drink?”

She deliberately straightened her back in such a way that her ample chest seemed on the verge of bursting through her clothes.

Watching this, Chu Silang’s eyes practically popped out of their sockets. His hands instinctively slid under his waistband as he shouted inwardly, You floozy!

“Are you from the Deathbringer’s Gate?” exclaimed Huang Qianjun.

When she saw how surprised he looked, Liu Xianglan couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course. Don’t tell me Weng Yunqi never mentioned us?”

Huang Qianjun shook his head.

“Go back,” said Su Yi offhandedly, and Huang Qianjun scurried back to his room.

No one tried to stop him. The Blood Balance Daoist and his companions were all calm and at ease; they weren’t the least bit concerned that this group of teenagers would stir up any waves.

“How about I have a nice private chat with that young lord first?” Liu Xianglan gently gnawed on her lower lip, her gaze intoxicating.

“Business first!” The Blood Balance Daoist furrowed his brow and rebuked her. Then, he turned to Su Yi and smiled. “Young friend, might you tell us your relationship with Weng Yunqi?“

Su Yi said calmly, “I was just waiting for him. I wouldn’t have guessed that you’d show up first.”

“Waiting? For him?” The Blood Balance Daoist suddenly seemed thoughtful. “So you’re saying he’ll be here soon?”

“I’m not sure,” said Su Yi. Then he asked right back, “How did you find this place?”

“Naturally, we followed him here,” said Chu Silang lazily.

Su Yi instantly understood. “So, it seems you’ve mastered some secret method for tracing Weng Yunqi’s whereabouts. No wonder.”

Chu Silang smirked. “Your eyesight’s not bad, but such a paltry little bit of skill is nothing to us!”

“Old Man Lungrot, you talk too much!” The elderly Daoist rebuked him, but Chu Silang smiled, disregarding his warning.

“Young friend, it seems you’re not the least bit afraid of us. Might I ask why?” the Blood Balance Daoist couldn’t help but ask. He felt that Su Yi was a little too calm about all this.

“Why should I be afraid of you?” laughed Su Yi. “No, if anything, I’m delighted.”

This time, both Chu Silang and Liu Xianglan sensed that someone was amiss. Both of them looked at Su Yi. “Delighted?”

Su Yi raised his cup, drained it, and said, “I was just worrying about how best to track down Weng Yunqi, and now you show up with a method for doing just that. Isn’t that worth getting excited over?”

The three dharma protectors were a bit befuddled. They couldn’t quite keep up.

What’s going on? Don’t tell this kid isn’t working with Weng Yunqi?

Suddenly, they heard someone knocking on the front gate.

“Young Lord Su, are you home?” asked a coarse, valiant voice.

The Blood Balance Daoist and company were instantly alert, but judging by the sound, it was clear to them that this wasn’t Weng Yunqi.

“The gate isn’t locked. Commander Zhang, please come right in,” said Su Yi. He sounded casual, but he was a bit surprised too. What’s Zhang Yiren doing here?

The gate swung open, and shortly after, two figures came into view.

The leader was a man in worn military armor. His back was perfectly straight, and his eyes crackled with electricity. He was like a solitary mountain peak, and he emanated an incomparably shocking austere air.

The Spiritmartial Marquis, Chen Zheng!

The man beside him with the coppery-skinned, stalwart, weatherbeaten Zhang Yiren.

“Fuck!” When he saw this new arrival, the previously languid, relaxed Chu Silang instantly shuddered, then shot to his feet as if his butt were on fire. He instinctively scurried over to the Blood Balance Daoist. His expression had already changed dramatically.

Liu Xianglan, meanwhile, reacted like a mouse upon encountering a cat. She shook from head to toe, her scalp went numb, and she was too terrified to even speak properly. “Chen… Chen… Chen….”

“Calm yourselves!” Bellowed the Blood Balance Daoist. But his expression looked uncertain too, and his body visibly tensed. He was forcing himself to keep his cool.

The Spiritmartial Marquis!

Of the Great Zhou’s eighteen non-Zhou marquis, he was the fiercest and most adept at warfare. He was stationed at Bloodthistle Yao Mountain year-round, a place soaked in rivers of blood and dotted with piles of bleached bones!

With a reputation like that, who in the Great Zhou didn’t know of him?

The three dharma protectors would never have guessed that they’d bump into a seasoned killer like Chen Zheng in an ordinary little residence in an ordinary little alley like this!

For a moment, despite their breadth of experience, they were stunned out of their wits. They even thought they’d come to the wrong place…

When he saw this immediately after stepping inside, Chen Zheng furrowed his brow. His eyes flashed with sharp light as his gaze swept across the three dharma protectors.

They dared not meet his gaze. Chills coursed down their spines, and their earlier fearlessness and assurance vanished completely.

“Young Lord Su.” Zhang Yiren could sense that something was a bit strange, but he didn’t concern himself with that. He just walked right up to Su Yi and clasped his fist with a smile. “I hope you’ll forgive us for showing up uninvited.”

“You needn’t be so polite, Commander Zhang,” said Su Yi.

“This is the marquis. Marquis, this is Young Lord Su,” Zhang Yiren solemnly introduced them.

Chen Zheng briefly evaluated Su Yi, then clasped his fist. “Many thanks for turning an otherwise perilous situation around back on the tower ship. I’ve been grateful ever since I heard about what you did for us, which is why I’ve stopped by to thank you in person.”

He waved to his companion. “Yiren, present him our gift.”

Zhang Yiren smiled and stepped forward carrying a jade box. “This is the horn of a tier-four Blueflame Deer. It’s nothing particularly rare, but we hope you’ll accept it with a smile.”

The Blood Balance Daoist and company couldn’t help but gasp.

The Spiritmartial Marquis came to deliver him a present in person?

And that gift! That’s the very essence of a tier-four spirit beast, a spiritual material!

Who is this boy? Why is the marquis treating him with such respect?

The three dharma protectors were increasingly on edge, and their expressions were increasingly tense and agitated. All of them were unsettled.

“Many thanks.” Su Yi clasped his fist, then pointed to the chairs scattered throughout the courtyard. “Please, take a seat.”

Chen Zheng and Zhang Yiren each found themselves a chair. When they saw Su Yi carrying a teapot as if to brew a pot of tea, Zhang Yiren shot back to his feet. “Please, allow me.”

Su Yi didn’t refuse, either.

“Young Lord Su, who might these three be?” Chen Zheng glanced at the Blood Balance Daoist and his companions.

The three of them instantly quivered, all of them tense and on edge as they readied themselves for battle.

“They’re from the Deathbringer’s Gate,” said Su Yi casually. “I only just met them for the first time.”

He sounded casual, but the atmosphere instantly tensed up. Zhang Yiren’s eyes glinted with cold light.

Chen Zheng, meanwhile, sat as if all of this were perfectly normal, but his eyes flashed with subtle yet terrifying light, like crackling electricity.

“Your Excellency Chen Zeng, we’re not here to make trouble for the young lord. We’re just investigating Weng Yunqi’s whereabouts.” The Blood Balance Daoist took a deep breath, then said gravely. “Young Lord Su can attest to that as well.”

Su Yi laughed. “I am currently in need of their help to locate Weng Yunqi. We were discussing that just now.”

Chen Zheng’s brow knit together slightly. “Young Lord Su, might I ask who Weng Yunqi is?”

“A traitor to the Deathbringer’s Gate,” said Su Yi offhandedly. “He has something I need.”

Chen Zheng was vaguely starting to understand. “And have these three agreed to assist you?”

“Of course we’re willing!” the Blood Balance and his companions said hurriedly.

Chen Zheng instantly lost interest in the three heretical cultivators. His gaze returned to Su Yi. “Young Lord Su, I visited Blueriver Sword Manor’s Mu Cangtu last night, and I heard that he lost to a mysterious youth. Might I ask if you’ve heard about this incident?”

Zhang Yiren looked over as well.

“If you're asking about the man who made him lower his head and admit defeat, that was me,” said Su Yi, as casually as if he were talking about the weather.

So, Yiren was right after all. Chen Zheng looked enlightened, but more than that, he felt emotional. A mere Qi Accumulation youth had somehow defeated a Grandmaster on the level of Mu Cangtu. Of course he was stunned!

And it was no wonder that, after this loss, Mu Cangtu would choose to abdicate his position. This defeat had obviously dealt him an enormous blow.

“Young Lord Su, I keep having to revise my opinion of you,” praised Zhang Yiren with deep respect.

The three Deathbringer’s Gate dharma protectors heard this entire exchange, and they felt as if they’d been struck by lightning, repeatedly. They looked at each other, their foreheads covered in sweat.

And here they’d seen Su Yi as nothing but an ant. They’d laughed and chatted, perfectly at ease, not taking him the least bit seriously.

Who would have thought he was such a deeply hidden expert?

Fortunately, I warned them to be polite, and neither of them crossed the line… The Blood Balance Daoist inwardly celebrated.

Chu Silang gulped, and his calves quivered. If it were possible, he would have fled here and now, the further the better.

Liu Xianglan, meanwhile, wanted to cry, but she had no tears. Is this what you meant when you said this would be no trouble at all!?

Fortunately, no one was paying attention to them. Both Su Yi and Chen Zheng were ignoring them completely.

This soothed their nerves, but at the same time, they felt it an affront to their dignity, and their hearts burned with shame.

Whatever else you might say about them, they were still the Deathbringer’s Gate Imperatorial Branch’s three dharma protectors. How had they sunk this far?

After exchanging pleasantries, Chen Zheng asked out of nowhere, “Might you perhaps be interested in hunting yao at Bloodthistle Yao Mountain?”

“Hunting yao?” Su Yi didn’t quite understand, but without waiting for Chen Zheng to speak, Zhang Yiren smiled and launched into a rapid-fire explanation.