First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1399 – Farewell!

Beneath the dome of heaven.

Su Yi glanced at his entirely undamaged hands and said, “That was your killer move? Doesn’t seem that way to me. If that’s all you’ve got, when—if—I draw my sword, you’ll no longer have any opportunity to turn things around.”

Off in the distance, Hong Feiguan pursed his lips.

Weng!

Steadfast Adherence suddenly shone with strange, blood-colored demonic light in his grip. It was like burning blood, and it stained the surrounding skies a striking shade of red.

The entire stretch of heaven suddenly swayed violently, and the battered landscape rumbled and boomed.

The distant onlookers all felt chills course through their hearts. It was as if the edge of Hong Feiguan’s saber were right up against their throats!

“Burning Heavenly Demon Blood!” whispered Mo Qingchou, her beautiful face unprecedentedly solemn.

This was the innate divine ability of main-branch descendants of the Hong Family. Rumor had it that their progenitor was a heavenly demon born of the chaos of the Immortal Realm.

Naturally, their bloodline ability was connected to this ancestor. Rumor had it that once activated, this ability let members of the Hong Family burst forth with several times their usual strength! The boost was temporary, but it was immeasurably terrifying!

Now, Hong Feiguan’s eyes shone with crystalline, blood-colored radiance, giving his youthful, handsome face an additional, unearthly quality.

Wisps of resplendent, blood-colored power of the Laws interwove around him like rising mists, undulating like the tides.

The entire stretch of heaven and earth trembled. Numerous onlookers looked stricken, and they hurriedly fled into the distance.

Even the peak experts of the Cloud Soaring Realm couldn’t help but circulate their cultivation bases. Only then did they neutralize the divine pressure blanketing heaven and earth.

Su Yi’s eyes narrowed.

Hong Feiguan’s white robes billowed around him. He gripped his right hand and leaped through the sky, the pitch-black edge of his saber rising into the air. A wave of blood-red demonic light burst forth. 𝗳re𝘄𝐞b𝗼ve𝚕.co𝗺

And when this slash descended….

Boom!!

Boundless saber qi poured down to earth. Visions of a sinister, demonic realm manifested within it. Demonic gods raced about, their power shaking heaven and earth.

Without exception, the distant onlookers were visibly stricken.

Too terrifying!

Even just gazing upon it from afar, they felt immense pressure bearing down on their hearts and minds, leaving them feeling suffocated.

Su Yi’s robes billowed around him as he stepped into the air and met this strike head-on.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Streak after streak of sword qi rose into the air. When Su Yi charged, it was as if a windstorm of sword qi were sweeping through the sky.

Boom——!

It was like a clash between the sun and moon. The entire area collapsed with a bang.

Countless streaks of sword qi swept outward, then collapsed as the blood-red light filling the skies burst forth.

Su Yi was sent flying directly backward.

That terrifying, blood-red saber qi was full of immeasurable, tyrannical power. It had actually neutralized Su Yi’s power in one fell swoop!

Bang!

The skies trembled. Su Yi flew a full several hundred feet before managing to stabilize himself.

His blood and qi churned, and his blue robes were in tatters. Blood dripped from a bloody gash on his left cheek.

“This is my true power,” the distant Hong Feiguan said calmly.

Deathly silence greeted this declaration, followed by a sudden clamor of voices. The experts of hostile factions couldn’t help but cry out in excitement.

“Wonderful!”

“Even gods and ghosts would flee from such an attack!”

“Heh heh, that punk Su Yi is sure to lose!”

…The crowd was in uproar. Hong Feiguan’s dazzling attack was incomparably astonishing.

Su Yi wiped the blood from his cheek with his fingertip, his gaze as calm as ever. If anything, he seemed intrigued. “For a moment, let’s pretend you aren’t a revenant. What percentage of your strength did that attack represent?”

Hong Feiguan thought for a moment, then said with complete seriousness, “Just about sixty percent.”

Su Yi mulled that over. “In that case, not bad at all. It’s worth drawing my sword for.”

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, he flipped his palm, and the Sword of the Human Realm appeared in his grip.

Its simple, undecorated blade shone with deep blue light. Its edge was reserved, as if everything extraneous had been washed away.

As soon as Su Yi gripped it, the Sword of the Human Realm let out a clear hum. Clear, ethereal wisps of immortal light flowed around its simple, undecorated blade.

Terrifying sword force swept outward, connecting heaven and earth!

Numerous onlookers felt a prickling pain in their eyes, and they couldn’t help but be astonished.

“My sword is called the Human Realm. It accompanied me in battles across the stars in my past life,” Su Yi said softly.

Whoosh!

His robes billowed around him as his presence changed completely. It was as if an unparalleled god of the sword had risen out of the abyss, the sharpness of his edge suddenly on full display.

He was proud and majestic, as unrestrained as an immortal!

His unstoppable, forceful momentum shook the very dome of heaven!

“Why is it that…he suddenly seems like an entirely different person…?”

“What terrifying sword intent!”

“Don’t tell me that this is Su Yi’s true strength?”

The distant onlookers were stunned. Even the prominent experts hostile to Su Yi had to admit that this display of strength was far too terrifying.

He was like a god or immortal of the Dao of the Sword, standing proudly over the Human Realm!

It was to the point that even just gazing upon him from afar filled their hearts with irrepressible dread.

“The Sword of the Human Realm? But it seems to me that your sword cannot represent the pinnacle of power within the Human Realm,” Hong Feiguan said calmly.

“The Sword of the Human Realm isn’t limited to cutting down foes of the Human Realm,” said Su Yi, every bit as calm. “Even if there are gods and immortals in the heavens above, sooner or later, it’ll cut them down too!”

He wants to slay gods and immortals here in the Human Realm? That’s insane!

Countless people sneered.

Especially those experts of immortal factions. They couldn’t help but laugh dryly and shake their heads.

“You’ve got spirit, but if you lose today, your words will make you a laughingstock,” said Hong Feiguan. He laughed too.

He was from the Immortal Realm, and he knew the strength of the Immortal Dao like the back of his hand. Su Yi’s words seemed like arrogant boasting well beyond the bounds of rationality.

“That day will come sooner or later. Alas, you won’t be there to see it,” said Su Yi, a hint of pity in his gaze.

“….”

“….”

Neither the crowd nor Hong Feiguan had anything to say to that.

Hong Feiguan’s gaze filled with calm indifference, and he attacked without any more wasted words.

Clang!

The hum of his saber swept out like a wave as he attacked valiantly.

His innate talent, his Heavenly Demon Bloodline, circulated, making his saber shine with blood-colored light, almost as if it were on fire. When he attacked from afar, it was as if he were cleaving a blood-red path through the heavens!

“Not a chance.” Su Yi shook his head.

His voice had only just rang out when he leaped through the air and attacked with all his might.

Boom!

The Sword of the Human Realm shot into the air, bringing with it monstrous sword intent.

The grand and mysterious Platform of Rebirth manifested within the surging sword intent. Murky, dim sword qi transformed into a strange power of rebirth, surging around the platform.

Every soul in the audience palpated in terror, as if they’d been plunged uncontrollably into an endless abyss.

Especially since the gathered experts were revenants. When they saw this strike, they shuddered no matter their cultivation.

Hm?

The moment Hong Feiguan’s slash descended, he shook in place as a terrifying oppressive force bore down on his entire body.

As if he’d plunged into an abyss.

Or as if he were a piece of grain beneath a giant millstone.

Everything around him, from the heavens above to the earth below, was completely blanketed by that terrifying sword force!

The Platform of Rebirth had appeared. Life and death were unpredictable!

Su Yi poured the essence of understanding of reincarnation’s mysteries into that slash, fusing them into the Laws of Rebirth to manifest the Platform of Rebirth here in the Human Realm!

This was one of the reincarnation sword intents Su Yi had condensed while calming his heart and combing through and consolidating his experiences!

He called it “the Impermanence of Rebirth!”

At this critical juncture, Hong Feiguan’s eyes lit up with blood-colored light. He gripped his saber in both hands and slashed the air furiously.

Boom!!

A rift tore open, splitting that seemingly omnipresent sword force. The power of reincarnation dimmed and faded.

But before Hong Feiguan realized what was happening, he felt a stinging pain in his eyes, and his heart palpitated.

Countless new streaks of sword qi exploded into being, paving a path of bright red flowers, like a road of fire illuminating the darkness.

The Flowers of the Far Shore, the Path of Fire!

These were the mysteries of the Far Shore: they beckoned lost souls, guiding them into deliverance!

Su Yi called this attack “Deliverance of the Far Shore.”

Hong Feiguan now found himself standing upon the Path of Fire.

Kcch!!

Fiery Far Shore Sword Intent ate away at Hong Feiguan’s defenses. Its terrifying, corrosive power enveloped him completely.

His expression shifted abruptly, more solemn than ever before.

“Break!” Hong Feiguan bellowed, and monstrous, blood-red demonic light burst around him. He waved his saber like mad, cleaving through the Flowers of the Far Shore raining down from the heavens. The flowers scattered on impact and poured down like a rain of light.

But the omnipresent power of deliverance was the bane of revenants like him.

By the time he’d fought his way out of the Path of the Far Shore, he was covered in blood. His snow-white robes were stained red, and the gashes covering his skin were so deep that the onlookers could see his bones.

“This…” The distant onlookers’ hair stood on end.

The sword intent Su Yi now had on display was like a world manifested out of the Six Paths of Reincarnation. It was strange, taboo, and terrifying beyond imagination.

Earlier, Hong Feiguan had seemed as proud and contemptuous as a god. Now, after just two strikes, he was already injured!

Who wouldn’t have been astonished?

“Fellow Daoist Su really is different after drawing his sword,” said Mo Qingchou. Her starry eyes were sparkling.

Su Yi’s bearing was unparalleled, and he seemed as proud and unrestrained as an immortal. He was manifesting the cycle of reincarnation here in the Human Realm. That divine majesty really was entirely different from before.

“Cut!”

Hong Feiguan had only just broken free when another streak of sword qi came slashing toward him.

Rumble! Boom!

This time, it was as if an ocean had appeared, boundlessly, immeasurably vast. Its turbid waters were manifested of sword qi, and as they churned, they stirred up a power of oblivion seemingly capable of consuming even deities.

Hong Feiguan swayed on his feet and almost plummeted into the sea of sword qi.

Instead, he charged valiantly ahead, slashing through the waves as if in a frenzy. Terrifying saber qi swept forth like the tides.

But no matter where he went, all he saw was turbid seawater. There was seemingly no end to it. He was like an abandoned amnesiac cast out to sea; there was no way out!

Within the oblivion of the Sea of Bitterness, you could neither live nor die. You were trapped forever, never to be delivered!

This attack was called “the Inescapable Sea of Bitterness!”

“Die! Die! Die!” bellowed Hong Feiguan.

His long hair hung loose, and his blood and qi boiled as he gripped his saber and charged.

His will to fight had practically caught ablaze. His injuries were piling on, but even so, he never once got discouraged. Shockingly, he managed to carve a path of blood through the Sea of Bitterness!

Even Su Yi had no choice but to admit that Hong Feiguan was a rare, valiant figure with an ironclad will.

Other Cloud Soaring revenants weren’t even remotely comparable!

Alas…

This time, he was up against Su Yi.

Boom!

Sword qi rumbled between heaven and earth, and sword light manifested the cycle of reincarnation. It interwove, creating images of the Infernal Palace with the Bureaus of Adjudication, Devas, Beasts, Ghosts, and Asuras, among other ancient buildings.

Including the Road to the Yellow Springs and the Naihe Bridge!

At that moment, Su Yi unleashed three strikes.

“Adjudication of the Six Paths!”

“Demise of the Yellow Springs!”

“Helplessness of Naihe!”

At this point of the battle, Hong Feiguan finally lost his cool. “How is this…”

If not for his steadfast heart, he would truly have believed he was trapped within the cycle of the Six Paths!

In the eyes of the distant onlookers, the entire stretch of heaven and earth had transformed completely. It was now dim and deep, like the pits of the Netherworld, a world of samsara.

And Hong Feiguan was like a beast struggling within the confines of its cage!

“Dammit!”

Over in the Hong Family’s camp, Hong Jiuchong’s expression darkened, and worry appeared on his brow. His companions also looked as if they were seated upon a bed of needles.

No one would have imagined such a complete turnaround after Su Yi drew his sword. Hong Feiguan was now in grave peril!

Those who’d been cheering him on just moments prior fell silent, their expressions full of uncertainty.

All of this took quite some time to describe, but it happened in a flash.

It happened instantaneously, yet seemed somehow drawn out.

Finally, Hong Feiguan broke through the encirclement, averting catastrophe!

However, he was badly injured. His hair was disheveled, and his handsome face was translucent with blood loss.

“The power of reincarnation really is a taboo… But with your cultivation base, such power won’t be enough to kill me!” Hong Feiguan said gravely, his voice low and raspy.

His eyes were bloodshot, and although he was badly injured, his will and aura were as firm as a mountain. He seemed utterly unshakable.

The crowd was in uproar. All of them looked stunned. Even the greatest of the older-generation Cloud Soaring experts had to admit that in Hong Feiguan’s place, they couldn’t possibly have lasted this long.

But Hong Feiguan had fought his way to freedom!

Su Yi laughed. “Have a look at this.”

With that, the Sword of the Human Realm tapped the air in a natural gesture, like an immortal lighting a lamp or the Buddha plucking flowers.

But this seemingly casual, understated strike expended an enormous amount of Su Yi’s energy. Even his face paled.

But as soon as this slash appeared, a curtain of night fell.

The visions of the Platform of Rebirth, the Path of the Far Shore, the Sea of Bitterness, the Infernal Palace, the Road to the Yellow Springs, and the Naihe Bridge had only just disappeared, but now, all of them returned.

It was as if a complete world were taking shape, formed out of the power of the cycle of reincarnation!

“This is bad!” Numerous onlookers’ expressions shifted, and they moved further away. Revenants like them dreaded nothing more than the power of reincarnation!

When the boundless power of reincarnation descended like the curtain of heaven, their hearts and bodies quivered. Even though they were just watching from a distance, they felt suffocated, suppressed, and on the brink of despair.

They dared not linger; all of them activated their defenses and retreated.

Hong Feiguan’s mind buzzed. It was as if he’d been struck by lightning, and all remaining color drained from his face.

He suddenly realized that Su Yi’s earlier strikes had been a mere prelude to what was about to come.

Now, all those seemingly scattered, disparate moves linked together to form a singular, complete strike!

This was Su Yi’s true killer move.

One slash, and the cycle of reincarnation manifested!!

But even in the face of this moment of crisis, Hong Feiguan didn’t give up.

His body blazed as if on fire. He roared and swung his saber in fury.

Boom!

Endless saber qi surged and swept outward, as if countless demonic gods were emerging from the blood-colored primordial chaos. They waged war against the cycle of reincarnation, charging straight into it.

But all of Hong Feiguan’s struggles seemed weak and ineffectual.

As the cycle of reincarnation continued, Rebirth, Oblivion, the Far Shore, Withering and Flourishing, and the End alternated and combined, producing incomparably terrifying power.

This sword intent seemed capable of dragging all of heaven and earth into the abyss, casting them into oblivion within the cycle of reincarnation. How could Hong Feiguan possibly have defended himself?

But then——

Countless streaks of saber qi crumbled and exploded.

Hong Feiguan was plunged into endless peril. His injuries piled on relentlessly, and his body split and broke.

“The Laws of Reincarnation… are actually this terrifying?”

“It’s over!”

Countless hearts jumped with fright as the onlookers were overcome with astonishment and despair.

How terrifying and unparalleled of an existence was Hong Feiguan? He was a leading figure even among descendants of immortals, and he’d accomplished numerous legendary feats prior to the End of the Dharma.

Yet now, his life was in danger!

“Get ready!”

“That Su person might have not been injured, but his expenditures are enormous! When the time comes, attack with everything you’ve got. We absolutely cannot give him the chance to flee!”

“Got it!”

The Fu Family, the Illusory Sword Immortal Tower, the Profound Divinity Sword House, and the Hidden Skies Immortal Sect readied themselves for battle. Their eyes shone with murderous intent.

This battle was indeed unmatched and unparalleled, a shock to the heart and soul.

Hong Feiguan’s defeat was entirely unexpected, and the crowd found it difficult to believe.

But in stark contrast, the factions hostile to Su Yi didn’t care about any of that. All that mattered to them was that this duel was nearing its end.

That meant the perfect opportunity to hunt Su Yi down had arrived!

Mo Qingchou, Mo Yuanshan, and the other Mo Family experts were more nervous than ever before. All of them knew that as soon as the curtains fell on this duel, the area would descend into enormous turmoil.

Suddenly, before anyone else could react, the Hong Family jumped into the fray. They didn’t care that this “life-or-death” duel had yet to truly end.

Rather, they couldn’t bear to see Hong Feiguan killed, so they were disregarding the rules to rush to his aid!

Hong Jiuchong swooshed his sleeves through the air and summoned a portrait painting.

A tall, stalwart figure akin to a deity emerged from the painting. He wore a tall hat and long robes, and his eyes shone like the sun and moon. Endless black immortal light emanated from him.

This was an immortal’s avatar of will!

As soon as he appeared, he threw a punch.

Boom!

A rift tore open in the curtain manifested of the power of reincarnation. The curtain then churned, broke, and dissipated.

Just like that, Hong Feiguan was saved.

Su Yi’s eyes narrowed. He couldn’t help but shake his head. Still, this wasn’t unexpected. The Hong Family’s “rules” weren’t even worth a fart compared to Hong Feiguan’s life.

“Don’t you have any shame?” the distant Mo Yuanshan bellowed in fury. “You announced that you wouldn’t let anyone interfere in this battle, yet here you are, the first to break your own rules. How shameless is that!?”

Hong Jiuchong’s expression didn’t so much as waver. He ignored Mo Yuanshan completely. All he said was, “Everyone, let’s act as we discussed. You hold back the Mo Family while we deal with that wretch Su Yi!”

“Got it!”

The experts of the factions hostile to Su Yi got to work. All of them turned their attention toward the Mo Family, their gazes decidedly unfriendly.

Mo Qingchou’s heart sank. She suddenly realized that well before the battle had even begun, the Hong Family had prepared a backup plan. They’d already joined forces with other hostile factions to ensure Su Yi’s demise.

Su Yi took this in with a smile. “Just as I thought.”

His voice revealed entirely undisguised mockery.

What need was there for talk of “determining life and death, as well as victory and defeat?” What need was there to see who was stronger? This was no more than a fight between enemies. Why speak of fairness?

Fortunately, Su Yi had never trusted such nonsense, so he wasn’t angry, and he naturally wasn’t caught off guard.

Boom!

Heaven and earth were thrown into upheaval.

The hostile factions pointed their weapons at the Mo Family. They didn’t attack, instead just intercepting them to prevent them from reaching Su Yi’s side.

Meanwhile, that immortal’s will descended upon Su Yi.

One punch, and the skies fell and the earth caved in.

It was far too terrifying. This was the power of an immortal revenant’s will, free from the restrictions of the Laws. It was far beyond the bounds of the Cloud Soaring Realm.

Hong Jiuchong and the other Hong Family experts couldn’t help but laugh coldly.

The Hong Family had set the rules of today’s duel. Naturally, they were free to break them, too!

So long as they captured or killed Su Yi and seized control of his power of reincarnation, who beneath the heavens would dare make fun of them for going back on their word?

The winner was a king, the loser, a bandit.

Winning was the most important!

Su Yi sensed an enormous threat from the immortal will’s fist. He took a deep breath, then summoned the Divine Replenishment Furnace without hesitation.

But just as he was about to strike, something entirely unexpected happened.

Someone blocked the path in front of Su Yi, swinging his saber to clash with the immortal will’s fist head-on!

This was none other than Hong Feiguan.

By the time they saw this, Hong Jiuchong and the other Hong Family old-timers were too late to stop him. All of them were so startled that their souls practically left their bodies.

“Hurry up and escape!” bellowed Hong Jiuchong.

But he was one step too late.

They weren’t the only ones who hadn’t anticipated this. The immortal’s will was caught off guard too. By the time he realized what was happening, it was too late to stop his attack.

Dang!!!!

Steadfast Adherence shook and flew from Hong Feiguan’s grip.

Hong Feiguan was sent flying.

The duel had left him already badly injured and riddled with wounds. After taking this fist, his soul body was all but eradicated, and what remained of it was ethereal and indistinct.

“Feiguan, you——!!” Hong Jiuchong and the others were beside themselves with anger and worry.

Off in the distance, the experts of both the Mo Family and hostile factions were stunned too. They dared not believe it.

None of them would have guessed that Hong Feiguan would step in to block the Hong Family immortal’s will!

It was simply insane.

Even that immortal avatar of will couldn’t help but frown. “You fool!”

But Su Yi sank into an uncharacteristic silence. He hadn’t anticipated that Hong Feiguan would come to his aid either.

“Are we of the Hong Family… unable to accept defeat!!?” Hong Feiguan stood beneath the firmament and bellowed, his voice shaking both heaven and earth.

As his words echoed throughout his surroundings, everyone fell silent.

Hong Jiuchong and the others’ expressions shifted erratically, and the immortal avatar of will frowned even deeper.

“The rules… are the rules! I, Hong Feiguan, set these rules, and it’s up to me to uphold them!” His chest heaved, and he breathed in ragged gasps, his voice starting and stopping.

Then, he turned his head with great difficulty and looked at Su Yi. “I lost, but… I didn’t die beneath your sword in a just and fair duel. I can’t help but find that a bit of a pity.”

His body was on the verge of dissipating. There was obviously no saving him now.

Waves coursed through the crowd’s hearts. They simply couldn’t wrap their heads around why Hong Feiguan would do this. Are the rules really more important to him than his own life?

Only Su Yi felt touched. “Only now do I recognize what you said earlier. Were we not enemies, we truly could have feasted, drank, and discussed the Dao together.”

Were rules more important than life itself?

To other people, the duel’s rules meant little, but it was different for Hong Feiguan. This was how he sought the Dao! This was the conviction and will he steadfastly maintained in his pursuit of the Dao of the Saber!

If he let something destroy his heart, how could he speak of seeking the Dao?

In a sense, Su Yi had a similar disposition. He would rather die than go against his convictions!

Thus, at that moment, Su Yi felt as if he’d found something of a kindred spirit.

It didn’t matter that Hong Feiguan was his enemy. That didn’t stop Su Yi from recognizing and appreciating him.

“I ought to apologize…” murmured Hong Feiguan, his eyes dimming as his body withered and dispersed. “I… embarrassed myself… in front of you…”

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, Hong Feiguan’s battered frame dissipated completely.

Steadfast Adherence fell to the ground in the distance, quivering as if crying out in grief over its master.

Su Yi sighed softly. “Farewell.”