First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2265 – Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk

Bang!

At a critical juncture, Su Yi suddenly attacked, using his fingers as a sword and thrusting into the cave walls.

A desperate shriek suddenly rang out.

It was then that Feng Wuji finally saw the monster’s true appearance clearly.

She was an unearthly woman emanating a baleful, ferocious aura. Her eyes were bright right, and blood dripped from the sockets.

Su Yi’s strike had pierced her right through the forehead. Moments later, her body crumbled like an avalanche and dissipated.

Immediately afterward, a Chaos Soul Crystal fell, and Su Yi plucked it from the air.

Feng Wuji was so startled that he broke out in cold sweats. “Was that an ancient divine wraith of the Dao Transformation Blood Cave?”

In the face of that unearthly woman, he felt no different from an ant. She was just too terrifying.

“Not exactly. She was a similar, lesser creature,” said Su Yi. “Well, fine. I suppose she just barely qualified as a divine wraith.”

The woman was a manifestation of the resentment, hatred, and lingering obsession of one of the gods who’d died here, mixed with all manner of turbid, bloody, baleful energies.

A creature like her could never have “lived” so long if not for the Chaos Soul Crystal.

No small number of Chaos Soul Crystals were buried in the Dao Transformation Blood Cave. They were like seeds. When divine wraiths attached to them and refined them, they took on the qualities of “living” beings.

“The divine wraiths of the first level were already so terrifying. I don’t dare to even imagine how terrifying the wraiths hidden on the ninth level will be,” sighed Feng Wuji.

With his paltry cultivation, he’d have died many times over now if not for Su YI.

But Su Yi was nowhere near so rueful. The way he saw it, the Dao Transformation Blood Cave was the most important part of his trip to the Extreme Lightning Demon Cave.

The reason was simple. Here, he could refine his cultivation base, temper his combat skills, and gather Chaos Soul Crystals!

These were precious treasures seldom seen in the outside world.

If he were really lucky, Su Yi might even find a Profound Chaos Stone!

Profundities upon profundities. That was the nature of the Dao.

Permeable, yet impermeable. That was the nature of destiny.

Profound Chaos Stones were imbued with Profound Chaos Qi. This mysterious power could break through impermanence and seek the mysteries of Eternity.

In the eyes of Master Gods, Profound Chaos Stones were unquestionably supreme treasures. They were true, unsurpassed good fortune!

The reason was simple. Profound Chaos Stones were immensely useful in helping Master Gods touch upon the mysteries of the River of Destiny!

When Li Fuyou was last here, he came in search of Profound Chaos Stones, but left with only a single walnut-sized piece.

Even so, Li Fuyou saw it as a supreme treasure!

The Rahu Yao Ancestor had similarly gotten trapped in here while searching for Profound Chaos Stones.

After all, Nine-Tribulation Master Gods like them had already reached the end of the Undying Realm. Their next step was to prove their Daos, seek the mysteries of the River of Destiny, and strive for eternity!

It was thus obvious how extraordinarily precious Profound Chaos Stones were.

Su Yi soon led Feng Wuji further in.

……

Two hours later, Su Yi had slain thirty-nine divine wraiths and gathered thirty-nine Chaos Soul Crystals.

He’d practically swept through every enemy in his path. He destroyed them with little difficulty and reached the second level of the Dao Transformation Blood Cave with ease.

Four hours later.

Su Yi had slain thirty-three more divine wraiths and acquired thirty-three more Chaos Soul Crystals.

…Time slipped by. Eight hours later, Su Yi reached the end of the fourth level and entered the fifth. He’d yet to take a single break.

He’d gathered ninety-two Chaos Soul Crystals. This harvest was beyond his predictions.

A portion of these treasures, he set aside to temper his Divine Dais. A portion, he planned to sell off and trade for divine medicines and materials.

It was on the fourth level that the pressure on him had rapidly multiplied. The divine wraiths there lacked intelligence, but their combat strength was otherwise similar to a Three-Tribulation Master God.

Pressure was pressure, but they still didn’t pose much of a threat. Su Yi had still killed everything in his path.

It was only upon reaching the fifth level that Su Yi truly felt threatened.

The divine wraiths here were comparable to Four-Tribulation Master Gods!

Furthermore, every last one of them was strange and terrifying. They weren’t even remotely comparable to the divine wraiths he’d faced before.

In the end, Su Yi had no choice but to draw the Sword of Proximity. Only then did he manage to kill all thirteen divine wraiths he encountered along the way.

Li Fuyou came here as a One-Tribulation Master God, and he only made it to the fifth level before having to risk it all.

Now, I’ve only just reached the Creation Realm, but I’ve already made it here. That is more than sufficient proof that the Dao I seek far surpasses those of my past lives!

Su Yi was deeply rueful.

Next, he took some time to rest on the fifth level before leading Feng Wuji to the sixth level.

This time, he encountered truly powerful foes. These wraiths were comparable to Five-Tribulation Master Gods!

Even though he gave it his all, killing the first wraith he encountered left Su Yi covered with wounds.

But Su Yi wasn’t at all concerned. He’d roughly confirmed the current limits of his strength. Next, he planned to borrow the battles on the road ahead to create his Grand Dao Divine Ability!

A full day passed before Su Yi arrived at the end of the sixth level, his whole body covered with wounds. He had one last opponent to face on this level.

This wraith looked like a scholar of the mundane world. His whole body emanated explosive ferocity, and he had strength comparable to a first-rate Five-Tribulation Master God!

Su Yi was severely injured, but he was certain that he’d have had almost no hope of defeating an opponent of this caliber even in peak condition.

The gap in strength was just too enormous!

But that didn’t mean he was helpless.

As soon as he began his battle with the scholarly-looking wraith, Su Yi took action.

Clang!

The Sword of Proximity let out a clear hum, and Su Yi’s eyes shone with contemptuous pride.

The battles he’d fought along the way had long since awakened his will to fight. His blood burned, and he thirsted for battle!

All the while, countless experiences and revelations regarding the Dao of the Sword arose in his heart. Some belonged to the Temple Master, while others belonged to Wang Ye, Yi Daoxuan, and Li Fuyou.

Others originated from his pursuit of the Dao of the Sword in this lifetime.

All of these experiences flashed through his mind like fireworks.

His essence, qi, spirit, fleshly body, soul, cultivation base, and powers of the Grand Dao formed a mystical resonance and fused into one.

He sought the Dao within himself, and technique within the Dao.

His Grand Dao Divine Ability was based primarily on his Dao of the Sword, but it encompassed him in his entirety, including the experiences and revelations of his past lives. It was like a giant furnace were melting them all down and unleashing their potential!

Su Yi was acting entirely on instinct, every attack natural and unaffected.

Feng Wuji watched from a safe distance, explosions going off in his mind. His heart quivered.

He heard a sword hum through the incomparably fierce combat. It was like an ancient, impassioned war song, or a rumbling Daost invocation emanating from beyond the nine heavens.

Immediately afterward, he felt a stinging pain in his eyes, as if he’d just witnessed the first light following the first parting of the primordial chaos. It cleaved through heaven and earth, demarcating purity and filth!

Countless heart-palpitating visions of destruction appeared reflected in his mind. Stars fell, and moons shattered. Mountains and rivers collapsed, ten thousand Daos disintegrated, and the heavens were overturned.

Throughout it all, gods cried out in despair!

These visions of destruction were fleeting and ethereal, but when they appeared reflected in Feng Wuji’s mind, his heart seemed to stop, and he almost forgot how to breathe. He felt as if he’d been plunged into an endless abyss. An overwhelming sense of despair, helplessness, and insignificance washed over him.

Feng Wuji’s rationality was on the verge of breaking down. All he could think was, What… what kind of attack is that!?

Boom!!

Suddenly, a heaven-shaking impact rang out.

Every last strange phenomenon vanished from Feng Wuji’s mind. He shuddered from head to toe as if awakening from a dream.

When he looked over, all he saw was Su Yi standing there, propping himself up on his sword.

There was no longer any sign of the Confucian-looking divine wraith. All that remained of him was a Chaos Soul Crystal on the ground.

The walls of the tunnel were now completely covered in startling scars!

Feng Wuji looked dazed. He vaguely remembered Su Yi saying that not even Nine-Tribulation Master Gods could destroy anything in the Dao Transformation Blood Cave.

Yet Su Yi’s last attack had left both sides of the tunnel completely covered in gashes!

This was the first time Feng Wuji had seen anything damage the cave since they’d entered it.

“Just… just how strong was that attack?” Feng Wuji’s whole body broke out in cold sweats.

He hadn’t seen the sword attack’s magnificence for himself. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to, but that its power made his heart and body quiver, and his mind went completely blank. How could he possibly have borne witness to its mysteries?

However, he could pick up some clues from the aftermath of the battle.

That sword attack had been terrifying! So terrifying that it had cut down a divine wraith comparable to a first-rate Five-Tribulation Master God!

Off in the distance, Su Yi thudded to the ground.

He was deathly pale, and his whole body was covered in severe injuries. Even his cultivation base was rapidly waning, to the point that he couldn’t even remain on his feet.

Yet he burst into unrestrained laughter and called out, “Feng Wuji, what did you think of that attack?”

Feng Wuji shook from head to toe, then said bashfully, “My cultivation base is lacking, and my powers of perception are limited. I couldn’t grasp its power at all.”

He let out a deep sigh. “Still, I dare say with certainty that it was the most unbelievable sword attack I’ve ever seen. It seemed that no matter who or what stood in your way, they wouldn’t be able to withstand its power!”

Su Yi thought for a moment, then shook his head. “It’s still not enough.”

“Not enough?” Feng Wuji was flabbergasted.

“It really isn’t enough,” said Su Yi. “It’s way off. I’ve at most taken my first step toward creating my Grand Dao Divine Ability. Now, I’ve got to refine it, one step at a time.”

He sank into thought. He was mentally replaying every last detail of that attack. All the while, new revelations flooded into his heart.

For a moment, Su Yi just sat there as if bewitched, not moving a muscle.

Feng Wuji didn’t dare to disturb him. He just waited in silence.

He never would have guessed that Su Yi would sit there for a full three days straight!

When Su Yi awakened, he let out a long sigh. “In that attack, I really did just barely grasp a crude outline of my target. Still, I’ve at least taken my first step toward creating my Grand Dao Divine Ability.”

Feng Wuji immediately asked, “Brother Su, this is a divine ability you created by combining your powers of the Grand Dao and your Dao of the Sword. Does it have a name?”

Su Yi laughed, then took out a jug of wine and had a sip. “The Dao has no name. ‘Dao’ is just a crude placeholder. My divine ability has yet to take shape. If I had to give it a name now, I suppose I’d call it ‘Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk.’”

An old saying went, “He who grasps the Dao in the morning can die without regret come nightfall.”

Flowers were like the Grand Dao. They were always there, just waiting to be grasped. Understanding this was equivalent to “grasping the Dao!”

Hence the title, “Dawn Blossoms Plucked at Dusk.”

This would be the name of the Grand Dao Divine Ability Su Yi created in this lifetime!