First Immortal of the Sword

The territories of the ancient Tang Family.

Su Yi, Tang Jinhong, and Tang Lingqi sat alone in an enormous hall. The room was completely covered in formations, and no one would dare enter without their explicit permission.

“Fellow Daoist Su, we couldn’t assist you this time. We humbly request your understanding,” said Tang Jinhong with a shamefaced bow.

Su Yi laughed it off. “You helped me by staying out of it. After all, I would hate for what happened here today to implicate you.”

Before the battle began, he and Tang Lingqi had a transmitted conversation. Su Yi asked the Tang Family to cooperate with him by putting on a little show.

It was for that reason that Tang Jinhong chose to endure, back down, and watch coldly from the sidelines.

Su Yi’s goal was simple. He wanted this storm to blow past the Tang Family without implicating them.

After all, each of the seven dead Immortal Kings represented a powerful faction. If their factions held the Tang Family accountable for their deaths, it would cause endless trouble.

Now, the battle was over, and he’d achieved his goal.

“I’m afraid that even now, that girl Yuyan has no idea we were putting on an act,” laughed Tang Lingqi.

As they conversed, the atmosphere was rather harmonious.

Before long, Tang Jinhong said gravely, “Fellow Daoist Su, the battle that followed this Divine Hunt is sure to shake the world and cause enormous waves…. I’m afraid that some of the top factions will guess your true identity.”

Tang Lingqi was instantly solemn. “Ancestor, what do you mean?”

“As the years go by, Immortal Kings die, and new Immortal Kings rise to take their place. That’s normal and expected,” Tang Jinhong said slowly. “But what happened today was decidedly abnormal. Rather, nothing like this has ever happened before.

“The only comparable incident is the one that happened just a few months ago, the grand battle at the Seventh Gate of Heaven.”

Tang Lingqi instantly understood. A few months ago at the Seventh Gate of Heaven, Su Yi slew numerous Immortal Kings despite his Universe Realm cultivation.

Today, under the pseudonym Shen Mu, Su Yi caused the deaths of yet another sizable group of Immortal Kings!

Furthermore, in both battles, Su Yi won despite being overpowered and outnumbered by borrowing external power. The first time, he used the Stele of Heaven’s Will to direct the Laws of the Immortal Realm. Today, he relied on a terrifyingly powerful Combat Soul Puppet.

One such incident was astonishing enough, but when two happened in rapid succession, it was inevitable that people would connect the dots!

In just a few short months, more than ten Immortal Kings had fallen. This was simply too terrifying. What faction of the Immortal dao would be able to remain uninvolved?

And what faction of the Immortal Dao wouldn’t do their utmost to investigate this incident?

The moment they uncovered any leads, endless trouble and endless peril would inevitably head Su Yi’s way!

But Su Yi just laughed their concerns off. “It’s fine if they figure it out. With my current strength, I have no need to fear Immortal Kings.”

Tang Jinhong and Tang LIngqi exchanged glances. They couldn’t help but nod.

It was true. Even without borrowing external power, Su Yi had managed to kill Immortal King Chi Meng of the Jade Firmament Immortal Palace!

So long as his enemies weren’t stupid, they wouldn’t take reckless action against him.

But both of them also knew that the moment Su Yi’s enemies truly set their sights on him, they’d attack with all their might and strike with lethal force!

“It seems to this old man that you’d best lie low for a while, Fellow Daoist Su. It won’t be too late to continue your journey after this storm dies down,” said Tang Jinhong.

Su Yi smiled noncommittally.

The three of them chatted a little while longer before Su Yi decided to set off.

Before his departure, he said softly, “I’d like to thank the Tang Family for looking out for me during this Divine Hunt. Should you ever run into difficulties you cannot resolve on your own, I naturally won’t remain uninvolved.”

Tang Jinhong shook, then solemnly inclined his head. “No need to be so polite, Fellow Daoist Su. We simply did what we ought to do.”

Su Yi said nothing. He just bade farewell and left.

Tang Jinhong and Tang Lingqi saw him off personally, alerting no one in the process.

It was only after they watched Su Yi fade over the horizon that Tang Lingqi said hesitantly, “Ancestor, have you… perhaps guessed Fellow Daoist Su’s origins?”

It seemed to him that Ancestor Jinhong was far too humble in front of Su Yi. Every word and gesture was full of the utmost respect, and he didn’t dare to put on even the slightest of airs.

It was all a bit strange.

Tang Jinhong subtly inclined his head. “I’ve… figured out something, but I can’t be certain yet. If I’m right, you’ll know later.”

Inwardly, he muttered, Who else in the Immortal Realm could have such unbelievable abilities? And who else would care so deeply about the Seventh Gate of Heaven? Earlier today, he even said he’d get even with the Church of the Pure One…

Tang Jinhong was an ancient expert who’d survived the Age of Fallen Immortals. He’d long experienced the ups and downs of worldly affairs.

Furthermore, as an old-timer of the ancient Tang Family, he had access to secrets and intelligence networks far beyond other people.

The moment Tang Lingqi told him that Su Yi was the young man who’d killed all those Immortal Kings at the Seventh Gate of Heaven, Tang Jinhong guessed his true identity!

Now, after witnessing Su Yi’s unbelievable abilities and conversing with him today, Tang Jinhong had already concluded that a certain long-lost, unrivaled legend… had truly returned!

Even just the thought of it made his heart and soul shake. He in no way dared to divulge any of this.

He knew that the moment he did, the resulting storm would be so terrifying as to make the entire Immortal Realm tremble. The whole world would descend into unpredictable turmoil!

…

“Little Aunt, is Su Yi really that amazing?” said Tang Bao’er. Her beautiful eyes sparkled.

“How could ‘amazing’ be sufficient to describe him?” Tang Yuyan thought back to what she’d seen during the Divine Hunt and what had happened afterward. Even now, she couldn’t help but feel dazed. Just who is Su Yi really?

“It’s a shame that’s already left,” said Tang Bao’er, pursing her lips.

“Don’t get hung up on him. Someone like him isn’t from the same world as us, and as time passes, the distance will only increase. Our chances to see him will grow fewer and fewer…” Tang Yuyan sighed.

At first, she didn’t take a young man like Su Yi at all seriously. Now, she realized just how great the gap between them really was.

It was so enormous that she could only gaze upon him from afar!

Tang Bao’er said solemnly, “We’re friends. Why shouldn’t I ‘get hung up on him?’ Even if I don’t get to see him very often, I hope he’s safe and free of concerns.”

Tang Yuyan froze, stunned, then tousled Tang Bao’er’s hair. “I feel the same way.”

……

The Divine Hunt was over.

That very day, word of Shen Mu causing the deaths of seven Immortal Kings spread throughout the Immortal Realm as quickly as if it had grown wings. An enormous wave of uproar followed.

Every major faction in the Immortal Realm was astonished, and every immortal around was talking about it.

The Church of the Pure One.

Within a blessed ground, Sect Leader Qi Nie read through the report that had just arrived, then sank into a lengthy silence. His fair, smooth features shifted erratically.

The message described everything that had happened during the Divine Hunt in full detail, leaving nothing out.

This let Qi Nie reach numerous conclusions!

“Shen Mu? Su Yi? Nonsense! Do you really think I don’t know who you really are? It’s just as Master predicted. You really did reincarnate and return, Tyrant!!”

A while later, Qi Nie let out a long breath, his gaze deep, cold, and forceful.

”But it’s a pity. You’ve returned too late. The Immortal Realm is not what it was prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals.

“The Central Immortal Court no longer exists. Mount Taiwu has vanished, and your subordinates no longer remain in the Nine Gates of Heaven!

“The will of the gods is controlling the Immortal Realm from behind the scenes, and divine misfortune has cast its shadow over the Immortal Dao. So what if you’ve reincarnated and restarted your cultivation?

“With your current strength, you can at best kill early-stage Miracle Realm experts. Against a group of them, you had no choice but to rely on external power like a Combat Soul Puppet. You’re far, far, far from what you once were!

“Had you chosen to lie low, you would’ve been a latent threat, and there would’ve been nothing I could do. Yet for some reason, you insisted on coming out into the open. Do you really think no one in the Immortal Realm can hurt you just because Great Realm experts are unable to leave seclusion?

“Wang Ye, oh, Wang Ye. Do you have any idea that even the lofty and superior gods have long since set their sights on you?

“And I, Qi Nie, will see you to the next world!”

Qi Nie rose and made a decision. He wasn’t going to use the forces of the Church of the Pure One. Instead, he’d reveal the conclusions he’d reached to every faction in the Immortal Realm with a divine backer!

Like the Church of All Spirits, the Divine Mysteries Pavilion, and Exquisite Immortal Pavilion, among others.

Few in this world knew just which factions were backed by a god, but Sect Leader Qi Nie of the Church of the Pure One was precisely one of those few.

“Let’s see how much longer you can jump around with all the gods’ forces in the Immortal Realm chasing you!”

A moment later, he sighed. “If only Master were here. I’m sure he wouldn’t be able to resist crushing the Tyrant’s reincarnation at the first available opportunity!”

A long time ago, his master, the Blood Firmament Immortal Sovereign, had gone into hiding to avoid divine misfortune. He’d had no choice but to seclude himself in a hidden place, far from the rest of the world. There’d been no word from him since.

Qi Nie couldn’t make contact with his master either. All he knew was that when the long-lost “path to divinity” appeared in the Immortal Realm, both his master and the other secluded experts of the Great Realm would re-enter the world.

……

The Church of Supreme Oneness, Jade Firmament Immortal Palace, the Church of Divine Flame…

One top faction after another was startled into action. Even old-timers deep in seclusion emerged to investigate further.

“Investigate! We have to figure out where this Shen Mu person came from no matter what. We absolutely cannot let this go!”

“What Shen Mu? I bet he’s really Su Yi! Hurry and send our forces to investigate. We have to get to the bottom of this!”

“Strange. Two unbelievable, entirely unfamiliar experts of the Immortal Dao have cropped up in such a short time span: Su Yi and Shen Mu. It’s unbelievable! Hurry! Have the informants we’ve placed across the Immortal Realm investigate the Tang Family. I suspect they know Shen Mu’s origins!”

….One after another, the greatest factions of the Immortal Realm issued orders. Dark currents surged beneath the surface of the entire Immortal Realm!

……

A black bat flew to the far west of the Immortal Realm over a plateau shrouded in ice.

Suddenly, a large, pale hand appeared out of nowhere and grabbed it. The bat opened its mouth and spat out a talisman, which another hand caught.

“What is it?” a raspy voice rang out.

“Founder, I suspect that the reincarnation of Tyrant Wang Ye has appeared!” the black bat said in a quavering voice.