First Immortal of the Sword

When she saw the blue-robed youth standing beneath the pine tree, his hands behind his back, Wen Lingzhao visibly froze mid-step

A moment later, her painted eyebrows knit together. Her heart, usually as placid as the surface of a lake, rippled with an emotion she didn’t quite know how to describe.

Was this conflict, rejection, confusion, surprise…?

Whatever it was, it was subtle and complex.

She likely never, ever would have guessed that she’d encounter the “husband” she preferred never to bring up here of all places, in Heaven’s Origin Academy’s Divine Firmament Peak, so close to where she lived and cultivated.

After a moment’s silence, and beneath countless stunned and confused gazes, Wen Lingzhao walked right towards Su Yi.

As she drew closer, her clear, cold gaze and beautiful features became as tranquil as could be, like stagnant waters, without the slightest ripple.

Zheng Muyao’s gaze darted around, and she instinctively got out of the way and created some distance between them. Inside, she was excited; she realized that it was highly likely that she was about to get some answers to everything she’d wondered about on her way here.

Meanwhile, off in the distance, when Xiang Ming and his followers saw her approach the youth in blue, all of them were dumbstruck, and their faces filled with confusion. Who is that guy?

No one recognized him, so they quickly reached a conclusion: the young man in blue was definitely no disciple of Heaven’s Origin Academy!

Su Yi stood beneath the lush pine, watching Wen Lingzhao walk toward him. His expression was calm as ever.

When she saw the look on his face, Wen Lingzhao couldn’t help but recall their second meeting back at the Wen Family’s clan hall. Back then, even as all the family higher-ups disdained and chastised him, Su Yi just stood there, as if he didn’t care in the least.

“What are you doing here?” Wen Lingzhao stopped about three steps away from Su Yi, then stood there in her snowy robes, as pure and cold as an immortal beauty

She wasn’t doing this on purpose; this was just her personality. She’d always been like this.

Su Yi’s expression was somewhat strange. Now that he thought of it, it was rather absurd: it had been a year since their wedding, but this was only his third time seeing his “wife.”

These were the first words Wen Lingzhao had ever spoken to him.

They were so estranged, it was like they’d never even met.

The interesting part was that, although her words sounded indifferent, they revealed faint hints of rejection. She likely would never have guessed that Su Yi would show up here out of nowhere.

And it was clear that this was not a pleasant surprise.

How could someone like Su Yi fail to pick up on that?

Su Yi laughed dryly. “Do you think I wanted to come here?”

Wen Lingzhao was silent for a moment. “I heard that you recovered your cultivation and that you took first place in the Dragon’s Gate Banquet. The matriarch herself wrote to me about it. She says you’re different from before, but you ought to understand that I’ve never cared about any of that. It wouldn’t matter if your power was as vast as the heavens; there’s nothing you can do to make me accept our marriage contract.

Her tone was clear and cold, tranquil and ethereal.

Zheng Muyao stood not far away, and when she heard this, she gasped. Her heart shook. Uncle Su really is the Wen Family’s worthless live-in son-in-law!

My heavens! Isn’t this a bit too exciting?

Zheng Muyao almost couldn’t help but cry out, but in the end, she managed to hold back.

But Su Yi just nodded. “You just want to void our marriage contract, and that’s the one thing you’re so desperate to change. I know that.”

Wen Lingzhao was stunned, and she seemed a bit confused.

Su Yi couldn’t help but sigh. “Did you really think that, now that my cultivation has recovered, I came here to change your mind about me? Do you think I’m here to convince you to acknowledge and accept me as your husband?”

Wen Lingzhao thought for a moment, then said, “Don’t tell me that’s not the case?”

A moment later, she seemed to realize that this response wasn’t quite appropriate. “This might sting your ears, and it’ll probably make you uncomfortable, but I really can’t think of any other reason why you’d come all the way from Guangling City just to wait for me here.”

Su Yi was stunned. Before he could respond, Wen Lingzhao sighed. It seemed she no longer wanted to hide her true feelings, so she continued, “Since I’ve already said all that, I might as well be direct. In my eyes, you and I have nothing to do with each other. We’re husband and wife in name, but that’s only because of the marriage contract we were forced into.”

She looked up. Her clear eyes glittered like crystals as she met Su Yi’s gaze. “I certainly don’t want to see you use this marriage contract to try and make me recognize you, acknowledge you, or accept you. Do you understand?”

Su Yi only found it rather funny. It seemed she really did think he was here to “reconnect” with her!

He couldn’t be bothered to explain. “Do you have paper and a brush?”

Wen Lingzhao was stunned. “What do you want those for?”

Su Yi’s answer was straightforward and to the point. “I’ll write divorce papers now. We can each sign with a thumbprint, then go our separate ways. You can go on as a Heaven’s Origin Academy disciple, and I’ll pursue my Dao. We’ll no longer have anything to do with each other, and it’ll save us both the aggravation.

Not far away, Zheng Muyao’s beautiful eyes widened. Uncle Su actually came here to repudiate his wife!?

Wen Lingzhao’s eyes focused, and she seemed flabbergasted. After a while, she finally said, “It seems my words were an affront to your dignity, and that you’ve let your humiliation turn into anger.”

“‘Let my humiliation turn into anger?’” Su Yi furrowed his brow.

In response, Wen Lingzhao’s gaze filled with cold indifference. “If your anger and humiliation hadn’t muddled your head, there’s no way you’d forget: you’re the Wen Family’s live-in son-in-law. According to the laws of the Great Zhou, the Wen Family can dispose of you as it sees fit, not the other way around. Divorce papers….? Hah! I’d actually just love it if you could use a piece of paper to void our marriage agreement!”

As she spoke that final sentence, a ripple of emotion finally shook her calm exterior. She no longer hid her rejection, distaste, or loathing for this arranged marriage at all.

“The laws of the mundane world, that’s all. Can something like that restrict a cultivator?” Su Yi’s gaze was calm. “Go get a paper and brush, and let’s be done with it. So long as the two of us agree, there’s no need to concern ourselves with anything else.”

When he, Su Xuanjun, conducted his affairs, how could he possibly concern himself with the laws of the mundane world?

But Wen Lingzhao’s expression darkened; she seemed a bit sullen, and her clear eyes shone with cold light. “Don’t be so immature, okay? Don’t tell me you really don’t know who’s behind our marriage contract?”

Immature? Su Yi’s brow furrowed. He glanced at the nearby Zheng Muyao and said, “Stand further away.”

Zheng Muyao had heard every word, and her heart swelled; this was incredibly stimulating. When Su Yi chastised her, she felt deeply reluctant to leave, but she nevertheless obediently turned and did as she was told.

When she saw this, Wen Lingzhao was stunned; she naturally recognized Zheng Muyao, and she knew how arrogant and unbridled the treasure of the Zheng Family was. At Heaven’s Origin Academy, her fellows called her the Little Witch, and many of her sectmates were spooked at the mere mention of her name; only an extremely tiny minority dared provoke her.

Who’d have thought that the Little Witch would seem somewhat scared of Su Yi…?

But before long, Wen Lingzhao set these doubts aside and gave them no further thought. None of that mattered now.

Su Yi then said flatly, “Our marriage contract involves the Jade Capital’s Su Family, that’s all. You might think them powerful beyond imagination, but in my eyes, they’re just another piddling little clan of the mundane world.”

As he said this, the depths of his eyes flashed with a hint of cold light. “I don’t need you to warn me about them. When I next visit the Jade Capital, I’ll of course resolve this matter, completely and utterly.”

His tone was casual and indifferent, yet it revealed his absolute scorn and confidence.

Wen Lingzhao was dumbstruck. As cold as she was, she was already so angry, she almost couldn’t help but laugh.

The Jade Capital’s Su Family were a peak-level faction, towering overlords of the Great Zhou Dynasty! They lived in extravagant luxury and possessed vast and far-reaching authority. They were an existence that could influence the entire empire!

Su Yi was but one of their descendants, yet here he was, saying something so ridiculous. He was simply insane and depraved, impervious to reason!

She was angry, but more than that, she felt an inexplicable sense of despondency. This is the man I’m supposed to be married to?

No wonder the matriarch said that, throughout the entire Su Family, none are held in lower regard than their third young master!

Wen Lingzhao sighed to herself. Not long ago, she received a letter from the Wen Family matriarch. After reading it, she learned of Su Yi’s true origins, and she finally understood why the Wen Family had agreed to let Su Yi marry into the family.

It was all because of the Jade Capital’s Su Family!

Learning this had, at first, made her heart sink. She realized that relying on her own power to dissolve this marriage contract would be far, far, far too difficult.

But she didn’t give up. On the contrary, she cultivated with even greater effort.

She was convinced that she too could, like the Featherflow King before her, become a famous king. When that day came, not even the Jade Capital’s Su Family could refuse to void her marriage contract!

Three years!

If she had just three years, Wen Lingzhao was certain she could rise to prominence and become a king of the Great Zhou, just like Yue Shichan!

She saw the Su Family as a towering mountain, a faction she had to become a king to even discuss terms with. She would never have guessed that when Su Yi spoke of them, they’d sound so pathetic.

For Su Yi of all people, one of the Su Family’s descendants, to go and say something so absurd…. How ridiculous was this?

“Whether you believe me or not isn’t the least bit important.” When a long time passed without a response from Wen Lingzhao, Su Yi said flatly. “What matters is that today, I came here to end things between us, once and for all.”

This instantly snapped Wen Lingzhao out of her reverie. She reacted as if awakening from a dream.

This time, when she looked at Su Yi, he seemed ignorant and arrogant, completely ridiculous, and lacking in self-awareness.

She couldn’t help but say, “‘If you dare use the Su Family’s name to your own ends, immediate execution! If you dare take even half a step into the Jade Capital, immediate execution!’ Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten those words? How am I supposed to believe that you’re capable of resolving this with the Su Family?”

Su Yi’s brow faintly knit together. “The matriarch even told you about that?”

Wen Lingzhao’s gaze turned increasingly cold, and her attitude towards Su Yi changed; her tone carried a newfound edge of disappointment. “If I didn’t know what happened in Giangling City, I’m afraid I couldn’t even imagine how wildly arrogant you’d become after recovering your cultivation.”

Naturally, Su Yi picked up on the change in her attitude. Inwardly, he couldn’t help but shake his head. A morning mushroom knows not the difference between night and day, and a spring cicada knows nothing of the seasons. The ancient philosopher who said this was no liar.

He couldn’t be bothered to argue. “No matter what you think of me, I’m going to write our divorce papers. Then, we can just go our separate ways.”

Wen Lingzhao’s beautiful face seemed to frost over, and when she spoke, she paused for emphasis between each word. “That’s against the law and against custom. Besides, you’re my live-in husband. What gives you the right to divorce me? I urge you to drop this nonsense, or else, you’ll only make me even more disappointed in you!”

With that, she turned to leave, but before she got far, Su Yi said calmly. “True enough. If I write the divorce papers, it’ll come across as overly insulting to you. How about this? We’ll both sign a contract to dissolve our marriage. Parting will be best for both of us, so let’s each seek happiness on our own. How about it?”

Wen Lingzhao paused mid-step. She felt an irrepressible fury course through her, and she whipped around and stared daggers at Su Yi. “It’s important to know one’s limitations. You’d best leave Heaven’s Origin now, before I completely lose my patience!”

Seth's Thoughts

This isn’t at all necessary to understand the story, but I went down an interesting rabbit hole as I translated the title of this chapter and thought I’d share. I’ll summarize it below for those interested.

The title of this chapter, “一别两宽 各生欢喜”, is a phrase that was popular on the Chinese internet in ~2019, but it originates from divorce documents found in Dunhuang (A small town in the Gansu Province, a tourist destinatination famed for the Buddhist Mogao Caves).

The documents date back to the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 CE). The Tang Dynasty’s laws required such documents when repudiating/divorcing your wife, but few survived, making this document interesting to scholars. (Remember, although Su Yi is a man, he’s a live-in son-in-law, so the rules are somewhat inverted in his case.)

The document was first uncovered about one hundred years ago. Here’s an English language source, and here’s what looks like a full translation of the document in question. If you can’t be bothered to read all that, here’s the TLDR version: “People marry for love and due to lingering bonds from their past lives, but not all marriages are happy. A man and woman in a bad marriage are like a cat and mouse cohabitating. It’ll be better for both of us if we just end it, and I wish you happiness and new love in the years to come.”

It’s sweet, as divorce documents go.

It looks like this quote was relatively obscure until a celebrity couple, Wen Zhang and Ma Yili, used it to announce their divorce on Weibo.

I found multiple Chinese sources discussing how to translate this exact quote into English. One suggested “Since there's no help, come let us kiss and part”, a Michael Drayton quote. Another suggested “They lived happily ever after, separately.” That’s not very literal, but it captures the spirit of the quote.

Another was “Once we say goodbye, twice the space in which we fly. Parted we shall be, happiness we shall find.” Yes, these are all translations of the exact same eight-character quote. Classical Chinese is just kinda like that.

I went with something a bit more literal, but I phrased it as more of a request. That’s not necessary “better” or “more authentic”; I just did that because that’s what makes sense in context. When possible, I like to have the title match the in-text quote, too.

…

Also, off topic, but the line about the cicadas and mushrooms is a Zhuangzi quote.