First Immortal of the Sword

Mere moments ago, Zhang Yuntao decided to report this incident to the sect in full, honest detail as soon as he got back.

Who’d have thought that Ying Que would see right through him and directly transmit him a warning?

Zhang Yuntao’s gaze shifted, and he saw Ying Que’s warm, amiable smile. 

However, when he looked into those tawny eyes, Zhang Yuntao’s heart trembled, and a chill coursed down his spine.

This was the warning of a mighty yao of the Spiritual Manifestation Realm. How could Zhang Yuntao possibly disregard it?

Zhang Yuntao took a deep breath, then transmitted back, “Senior, rest assured. I shall not divulge a single word of what happened here today!”

“Haha, Fellow Daoist Zhang, don’t overthink this. Later, should I get the chance, I’ll be sure to visit you at Cloudsky Divine Palace. When the time comes, please don’t turn me away at the door!” Ying Que laughed and transmitted back.

Zhang Yuntao’s heart shook. How could he fail to realize what Ying Que was really saying? “I know you’re from Cloudsky Divine Palace, so I know where to find you later!”

“Also, the current leader of Cloudsky Divine Palace is Fu Peiyu, right?” Ying Que asked, seemingly as an afterthought.

“She is indeed.” Zhang Yuntao nodded.

“Roughly three hundred years ago, at a discussion of the Dao in Nine Tripod City, I was fortunate enough to meet your leader. I deeply admire her cultivation,” said Ying Que, his eyes shining with reminiscence. 

Zhang Yuntao was stunned. “Senior, are you perhaps referring to the Trial of the Sword the Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sect hosted three hundred years ago?”

“I am indeed. At the time, I participated under the name Duan Changsheng. I originally planned to slaughter a few opponents from the Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sect, but alas, the situation was not in my favor. I had no choice but to abandon the idea.”

Ying Que sighed. 

His father, the old black flood dragon, suffered an ambush while attempting to undergo tribulation and become a true dragon.

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The culprit, Liu Qianxing, was from the Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sect!

Although the old black flood dragon had long since devoured the chief offender, Ying Que nonetheless hated cultivators of the Fulcrum of Heaven Sword Sect to his very bones. 

When he visited Nine Tripod City to participate in the Trial of the Sword, he hoped to kill several of the sect’s higher-ups. However, in the end, he had to give up on the idea.

“Duan Changsheng!? So, you were the mysterious expert who defeated three Spirit Dao cultivators in succession, Senior?” Zhang Yuntao gasped, feeling beside himself with shock.

Three hundred years ago, during the Trial of the Sword, the name Duan Changsheng shook the nation.

It was on that day that the cultivators of the Great Xia learned of the existence of a mighty expert among Spiritual Manifestation cultivators: Duan Changsheng. 

However, even now, no one knew Duan Changsheng’s origins.

Zhang Yuntao would never have guessed that this legendary, mysterious expert was standing right before him!

“Haha, all of that is in the past. It’s not worth mentioning.” Ying Que smiled and shook his head.

Zhang Yuntao felt inwardly conflicted.

How could he fail to realize that Ying Que had said all that purely as a warning? The flood dragon just wanted him to keep his mouth shut and refrain from spreading word of today’s incident.

Zhang Yuntao thought to himself, No matter what, even if I cannot bring up what happened here today, I must do my utmost to stop the sect from seeking revenge against Su Yi.

Despite reaching this decision, he lacked confidence.

In Cloudsky Divine Palace, he was merely an outer sect elder. His position was high, but compared to the truly influential members of the sect, his words carried little weight.

How could the sect possibly heed his warning?

Zhang Yuntao felt as if his heart were tied up in knots.

“What are you two talking about?” Su Yi transmitted, his eyes on Ying Que. He’d long since noticed that Zhang Yuntao’s expression was somewhat off.

Ying Que said respectfully, “Master Su, I was just warning Fellow Daoist Zhang not to spread word of today’s incident. I fear that, should word reach Cloudsky Divine Palace, it will cause trouble for you.”

Su Yi’s eyebrows shot up. “That’s actually rather considerate of you.”

Ying Que said even more respectfully, “I’m just doing what I ought to do.”

As they conversed, the group left the underground palace and proceeded toward the surface of the Angry Dragon River. 

……

It was already late at night, and dawn was fast approaching.

The treasure ship was docked beside Broken Dragon Cliff.

“Miss, you needn’t be afraid. You are a disciple of Cloudsky Divine Palace. I, Li Miaohong, naturally shall not make this difficult for you.” Li Miaohong sat in one of the ship’s halls. He sat casually in his chair, resting his eyes.

He wore Daoist robes patterned with wind and flame, and he was tall and upright. His hair and beard were dark as ink, while his skin was as fair as jade. His features bore a striking similarity to his little sister, Madam Miaohua. 

Although he’d repressed his aura, the presence of a Spiritual Manifestation Realm cultivator still made Ren Youyou’s heart quiver in terror. 

“Senior, I already told you everything I know. As for where Su Yi and the others went, I… I really don’t know,” said Ren Youyou in a quavering voice.

Just now, Li Miaohong slipped in like a ghost, appearing in her room out of nowhere. He startled her so badly that the blood drained from her face.

It was only after learning who Li Miaohong was and why he’d come here that she sighed in relief and started to calm down.

Li Miaohong had asked her numerous questions, all related to Su Yi.

However, Ren Youyou hadn’t known Su Yi for long, and their relationship wasn’t at all close. She could only tell Li Miaohong what little she knew.

For example, what happened at the Spiritbend Assembly, or their recent encounter with the Jade Bottle Province’s Zuo Family.

“If you’re traveling together, why don’t you know where they went?” Li Miaohong asked slowly. “Don’t tell me something happened?”

Ren Youyou’s heart shook, and she said hurriedly, “I was in my room the whole time. I’m not sure what happened just now, but I did hear a thunderstorm outside. It lasted only briefly before everything returned to its former silence.”

“The sound of a thunderstorm?” Li Miaohong’s brow furrowed in thought.

He’d left the Qingyi Dao Sect to eradicate Su Yi and avenge his little sister, Madam Miaohua.

He’d chased Su Yi all the way here, and he’d finally found an opportunity. It hadn’t been easy, either. Who’d have guessed that Su Yi was nowhere to be found?

He couldn’t help but feel stifled. 

When she saw Li Miaohong sink into a long silence, Ren Youyou worked up the courage to ask him a question. “Senior, are you here to kill Su Yi?”

“That’s right,” said Li Miaohong with a calm nod. “I cannot vent my hatred unless I kill the boy myself!”

Ren Youyou’s spirits soared, and she was instantly excited. Su Yi, oh, Su Yi. Even if you were brasher and more insolent than you already are, I’m afraid you still wouldn’t be able to escape this calamity!

Now that this Spiritual Manifestation cultivator had set his sights on him, how could Su Yi possibly survive? 

Especially since Li Miaohong was the third-ranked inner sect elder of the Qingyi Dao sect, a man famous throughout the Great Xia: Daoist Master Miaohong!

“You seem… happy?” Li Miaohong sensed the subtle changes in Ren Youyou’s expression.

Her heart shook. She took a deep breath, then said, “Senior, I won’t lie to you: on the way here, Su Yi’s bestial nature overcame him, and he killed three disciples of Cloudsky Divine Palace. It is only because of Su Yi’s tyrannical abuse of power that Martial Uncle Zhang dares not voice his rage and must instead bury it deep inside.”

She paused, a hint of bitterness on her lips. “As for me? I’ve been too terrified to leave my room this entire time. I dare not face someone so vicious and loathsome. That’s why I don’t know where Su Yi went tonight.”

Li Miaohong exclaimed, “He’s actually frenzied and violent enough to touch members of Cloudsky Divine Palace?”

This was indeed quite unexpected.

He was a young man from the Great Zhou. He might have heaven-defying combat prowess, but he was ultimately just in the Grain Avoidance Realm. How could he be so gutsy as to kill the disciples of a top-level faction?

He was simply sick of living!

Ren Youyou hesitated, then whispered, “Senior, if you ask me, when Su Yi gets back, you should be careful. He’s far beyond even other monstrous geniuses, and his methods are extremely…”

Li Miaohong waved to cut her off. He said flatly, “Miss, do you know how enormous the gulf between Origin and Spirit Dao cultivators is?”

Ren Youyou said without so much as pausing to think, “They’re as far apart as mud and the clouds. I once heard my seniors say that in the eyes of Origin Dao cultivators, mundane martial artists are as fragile as ants, but that Origin Dao cultivators themselves are no different from ants before a Spirit Dao cultivator.”

Li Miaohong flicked his fingers and said proudly, “Then do you think I could possibly encounter danger while squashing an ant?”

Ren Youyou suddenly looked a bit ashamed. “My warning was indeed superfluous. With your methods and cultivations, even if Su Yi’s abilities were more heaven-defying than they already are… Well, an ant can’t overturn the heavens.”

Li Miaohong smiled. “No, you weren’t wrong to warn me. Common sense is insufficient to judge Su Yi. He dares behave with such wanton abandon, so he must have numerous cards up his sleeves. If he appears before me, I’ll strike with overwhelming force and destroy him. I absolutely won’t give him any chance to use his trump cards!”

Lions used their full strength even when hunting rabbits.

Li Miaohong was long accustomed to wind and waves; he naturally wouldn’t underestimate any foe.

When Ren Youyou heard this, she couldn’t help but sigh.

Li Miaohong’s brow furrowed. “Why are you sighing?”

Ren Youyou whispered, “I’m sighing because Su Yi is a matchless genius of the Origin Dao, yet today, he’s doomed to become just another departed soul beneath your saber. Perhaps this is what they mean when they say the heavens make their will clear, and that transgressions are met with retribution. It really is best to stay modest and keep a low profile.”

Li Miaohong was briefly stunned. Then, he couldn’t help but burst into laughter. The little lady sure knows how to talk!

It was then that he sensed something. His eyes flashed with cold light, and his suppressed aura burst forth. “He’s finally appeared!”

Li Miaohong’s long-accumulated killing intent and hatred surged forth like waters at high tide; he was on the verge of losing control.

His presence was now so vast and powerful that Ren Youyou found it difficult to breathe. Her entire body went limp, and she fell to the ground with a thud, her beautiful face pallid.

The imposing majesty of a Spirit Dao cultivator was unquestionably far too much for a Grain Avoidance cultivator like her to bear.

“Miss, once I’ve killed Su Yi, I’ll be sure to bring his head back and let you vent your hatred too,” said Li Miaohong. As his leisurely voice rang out, he shot ahead and disappeared.

“Su Yi? He’s back?” After a brief, stunned pause, Ren Youyou shot to her feet in excitement and charged out of the hall. She wanted to see how Su Yi died with her own two eyes!

The sky was increasingly dark and heavy.

The riverbank below Broken Dragon Cliff.

As soon as Su Yi and company emerged from the river, a calm, icy, dignified voice boomed like a sudden crack of thunder reverberating throughout the night sky. 

“Listen up, Su Yi, you little beast! I am Li Miaohong of the Qingyi Dao Sect, and I’ve come here tonight to take your life to comfort my little sister’s dearly departed soul!”