First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2231 – The Threat of the Impending Storm

The rain poured outside the ancestral hall, and the skies were dark and overcast.

It was as if heaven and earth had been plunged into an endless night. Lightning flashed intermittently, adding an extra layer of heart-palpitating majesty.

Xi Jingshan’s heart ached. He stretched out his hand and wiped away Xi Ning’s tears. “Don’t cry, A’Ning. No matter what happens, I’ll stay by your side forever, whether it’s in life, or… in death!”

Xi Ning gasped, then gazed intently at her father’s haggard face. “I’m not afraid to die, but I can’t bear to see you suffer, Father, nor can I bear to see the entire clan in danger.”

One of the gathered higher-ups, an old man in gray, said solemnly, “In that case, don’t make things hard on your father any longer. Why not just end yourself and be done with it?”

Xi Ning whipped around, her beautiful, jade-like face utterly calm. “And how should I end myself, Clan Uncle? Please enlighten me.”

The old man in gray fell briefly silent. “Just now, I sent someone to initiate contact with Ancestor Xun Hong. I hope that he can leave us a path to life. In exchange…”

The old man hesitated before saying, “We’ll give you up.”

Xi Ning had anticipated this, but even so, her heart ached.

She pursed her lips, then swept her gaze across the room. When she saw that everyone remained silent, she understood. All of them tacitly agreed to this proposal.

In the end, she nodded. “Very well!”

The crowd visibly relaxed, but their gazes were a bit conflicted.

“A’Ning, don’t blame us for our ruthlessness. It’s between you and the entire clan. We have no choice but to protect the clan,” sighed an old man. He looked deeply ashamed.

“I won’t blame you.” A’Ning shook her head. “I caused this, so I naturally ought to bear the consequences.”

Suddenly, Xi Jingshan said gently, “A’Ning, I’ll go with you. We’ll face it all together.”

Xi Ning’s delicate frame quivered. “Father, I…”

“Don’t try to stop me,” said Xi Jingshan. “I’m your father, but I cannot protect you, and I’m overcome with shame. If I can’t even accompany you in death, I’m… unworthy of being your father!”

Boom!

Thunder boomed outside the hall, and heaven and earth shook.

A figure dashed through the downpour and into the hall.

He was a dignified middle-aged man in purple robes. This was the man the higher-ups had sent to negotiate with Ancestor Xun Hong of the Three Purities Daoist Court.

“How did it go?” the old man in gray couldn’t help but ask.

The middle-aged man in purple slumped and shook his head. “They… refused!”

A deathly silence instantly descended over the ancestral hall. All of them looked stricken.

“Ancestor Xun Hong said that the Xi Family is already a fish on the chopping block and that they can do with us as they please. He said that… we’re completely unfit to negotiate with them!”

The middle-aged man said indignantly, “They even said that unless Su Yi shows up, all of us must die!”

The atmosphere was increasingly stifled. The old-timers of the Xi Family couldn’t sit still. All of their expressions were as unsightly as could be.

Who could have imagined that giving up Xi Ning still wouldn’t be enough to save them?

“A’Ning, only you can save the clan now!” The old man in gray suddenly looked at her. “I know you can make contact with Su Yi! Right?”

Whoosh!

All eyes were instantly on Xi Ning.

Xi Ning lowered her head, her expression shifting and uncertain. Internally, she was deeply conflicted. In the end, she shook her head. “I can’t contact him.”

Bang!

One of the higher-ups slammed the table in front of him and bellowed, “You can’t, or you don’t want to?”

Xi Ning responded with silence, but this only enraged the crowd even further. They were completely frantic.

“It was Su Yi who caused this mess. Why won’t you ask him to step forth and take responsibility?” someone said through gnashed teeth.

“What’s more important to you? Su Yi, or the lives of everyone in the Xi Family!?” someone roared.

Xi Ning’s beautiful face paled, and she silently clenched her fists. These were her seniors, and they’d always treated her kindly, yet now… all of their faces were hideously contorted with fury, like a pack of vicious ghosts.

Her heart filled with indescribable grief and agony. All of this is the Three Purities Daoist Court’s doing, so why is everyone blaming me and Fellow Daoist Su?

“Enough!” Xi Jingshan bellowed, quelling all other voices in the hall. His face was ashen with fury. “As all of you saw earlier, my daughter and I are willing to sacrifice ourselves to save the clan from disaster, but the Three Purities Daoist Court refused!

“Now, here you are, trying to force A’Ning into a disloyal, dishonorable act that goes against her fundamental nature. You’re taking this too far!”

It would have been obvious to anyone that Xi Jingshan was furious!

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the hall, his gaze swept around the room, his eyes glinting like cold lightning. “And do you really think Su Yi’s arrival will be enough to save us from this disaster?

“That’s nothing but the ravings of a madman! They’ll just keep using our lives to threaten Su Yi. We won’t be able to sleep peacefully until Su Yi is dead!”

The gathered higher-ups’ expressions darkened.

“Then let Su Yi go to his death!” The purple-robed middle-aged man shouted suddenly. “He caused this mess, and now, he’s endangered our entire clan. Even if he dies, he brought it on himself!”

Xi Ning’s gaze was instantly icy and imposing.

That was her clan uncle, Xi Qingsong!

Xi Qingsong had always loved nothing more than flattering and fawning on her father. She would never have guessed that he’d turn around and say something so shameless and debased.

“Why not send the Three Purities Daoist Court and their allies to their deaths instead?” Xi Ning said slowly and emphatically. “They’re the ones who are doing this!”

“As if that’s possible!” The purple-robed Xi Qingsong roared, “A’Ning, it seems to me that you’re sick in the head! You’re still arguing on Su Yi’s behalf even now. Don’t you care whether the Xi Family lives or dies!?”

“Enough!” Xi Jingshan suddenly let out a long sigh. It seemed he was thoroughly disappointed. “The Three Purities Daoist Court’s actions are already known throughout the God Domain. So long as Su Yi still breathes, he’s sure to have heard the news by now. The question is whether or not he’ll show up. We’ll just… have to wait and find out.

“Over the next few days, I’ll go into house arrest with A’Ning. No matter the outcome, we will live and die with the Xi Family!”

With that, he got up and led Xi Ning away.

The gathered elders’ expressions shifted erratically. Each looked more unsightly than the one before.

“Xi Ning’s selfishness is going to get us all killed!” someone cursed under his breath.

……

A treasure ship flew beneath the dome of heaven, as fast as teleportation. It covered a thousand miles in a flash.

Su Yi was sprawled out comfortably on board, sipping wine.

Grand Elder Wei Zhong, meanwhile, sat still and upright.

An ordinary-looking middle-aged man in plain robes steered the boat. His name was Li Sanjiu.

Qi Wei had brought him. He was like an attendant.

Li Sanjiu was a solemn, unsmiling man of few words, and he treated everyone coolly.

He was practically mute even in front of Qi Wei.

At first, Wei Zhong thought Li Sanjiu was a deeply hidden, terrifying expert.

But when he saw him take on various odd jobs without complaint, and that Qi Wei didn’t seem to attach any particular importance to him, Wei Zhong quickly disregarded him.

“Actually, no matter how fast we get there, we won’t be able to seize any initiative.

“Reports indicate that over the past two weeks, the Three Purities Daoist Court has placed sixteen Master Gods outside Skybright Mountain.

“Three of them are from the Three Purities Daoist Court, while the others are from other top factions of the Spirit Firmament Divine Continent.

“The strongest of them is a Five-Tribulation Master God, while the weakest is a Three-Tribulation Master God.”

“As I’m sure you know, there’s no need for such a large force to defeat a faction like the Xi Family. The Master Gods alone are more than enough to determine their fate.

“Master God Xun Hong of the Three Purities Daoist Court is leading this operation. He’s a Five-Tribulation Master God!”

“But that’s just the power they have on the surface,” said Su Yi.

Qi Wei nodded. “That’s right. The forces they’re displaying on the surface are more than enough to wipe out the Xi Family, but they aren’t much of a threat. The real threats are hidden in the shadows!

“The Qilin Trading Company has already investigated. Nine-Tribulation Master Gods from all four divine continents are watching the coming storm. They can appear near Skybright Mountain whenever they please.”

Wei Zhong gasped. Nine-Tribulation Master Gods! And more than one of them at that!

If all they want is to destroy the Xi Family, there’s absolutely no need for experts of that level. The Nine-Tribulation Master Gods hiding in the shadows are undoubtedly here for Su Yi.

“Do you know who’s come?” asked Su Yi.

“For now, we can say with certainty that their ranks include Master God Yun He of the Three Purities Daoist Court, the Dipankara Buddha of the Western Paradise Spirit Mountains, and Master God Tian Huang of Endless Transformations Divine Mountain. We don’t know who else is here, but… we’re certain that there are quite a few of them.”

Here, Qi Wei sighed. “This storm is too great. Nothing like this has happened in the past one hundred thousand years of the God Domain’s history.

“Old-timers who’ve long since gone into seclusion and unparalleled figures of legend thought to have vanished a long time ago are likely to appear.

“No one can say for certain just how many major factions will get involved, or how many terrifying existences are lying in wait.”

A chill coursed down Wei Zhong’s spine. He said gravely, “In that case, why are we going to Skybright Mountain? What if we get swept into this? I’m afraid we’ll struggle to even escape with our lives!”

Qi Wei said airily, “The Qilin Race has no need to fear this storm.”

Su Yi rubbed his forehead, then laughed. “The bigger the storm, the better. I refuse to believe that all of those factions and experts are of one mind.”

Qi Wei smiled brightly. “I feel the same way. The more chaotic the situation, the more variables will arise. The Three Purities Daoist Court might be the rulers of the Spirit Firmament Divine Continent, but there’s no way they can prevent anything from going wrong.”

She’d only just said this when she flipped her hand, and a purple jade amulet rose into the air.

She examined it briefly, then furrowed her brow.

“Fellow Daoist Xiao, you probably didn’t anticipate this, but today at noon, the ancient Xi Family sent an emissary to negotiate with Master God Xun Hong.

“They offered to give Xi Ning up in exchange for the Xi Family’s survival!”

Su Yi had been sprawled out and leisurely drinking this entire time, but when he heard that, his eyes silently narrowed.

At that moment, Li Sanjiu suddenly sensed something, and he whipped around to look at Su Yi.