First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2642 – Seeing an Injustice and Intervening

The old-timer was killed? Gu Qi was stunned. He looked around, but saw no sign of the killer.

“I saved your life. All I ask is that you give me that Fragment of Heaven’s Will in exchange. That’s not unreasonable, is it?”

A slow, leisurely voice emanated from afar, and a man in jade robes and a tall hat approached from the distant skies. He had a friendly smile on his face, but he ignored Gu Qi and Po Xue completely, instead focusing on Su Yi.

“Zhao Baihou!” Po Xue’s expression shifted. “So it’s you!”

In ancient times, once every thousand years, the Central Divine Continent held a Ten Thousand Daos Debate. The continent’s top orthodoxies sent their elites to participate in the competition. They were then ranked based on their performance.

Every Ten Thousand Daos Debate was a grand occasion, one the entire continent paid attention to.

When the competition ended, those in the top hundred were recorded on the Dao Debate Ranking, and their names spread far and wide.

Zhao Baihou had participated in a Ten Thousand Daos Debate as a Nine-Tribulation Master God. He won eight battles in a row, making it onto the Dao Debate Ranking.

He even ranked in the top thirty!

Back then, unparalleled elites like him had no need to fear failing to one day achieve Eternity.

Po Xue would never have guessed that Zhao Baihou would still be alive even now, countless years later!

“You recognize me?” Zhao Baihou glanced at Po Xue, then realized something. “Ah, so you’re a member of Hidden Blue Sword House. No wonder.”

Po Xue clasped his fist in greeting. “Many thanks for your timely intervention, Fellow Daoist. You saved us from grave peril.”

Zhao Baihou said slowly, “If you understand that you owe me a debt, you ought to repay me. I saved you, but not for free. As I said earlier, that Fragment of Heaven’s Will will be more than good enough.”

The atmosphere was instantly oppressive.

Po Xue sighed. “Given your status and prestige, why covet a single Fragment of Heaven’s Will?”

Zhao Baihou frowned, then said coldly, “I save others expecting a reward. Without one, why would I bother meddling in complete strangers’ affairs?”

Po Xue’s expression shifted.

Gu Qi’s heart shook. He urged, “Young friend, that senior saved your life. It’s time to repay him!”

He was worried that if Zhao Baihou flew off the handle, it’d implicate him, too. Thus, he was extraordinarily frantic.

“A reward, huh?” Su Yi laughed, took out the Fragment of Heaven’s Will, and tossed it to the ground. “Want it? Kneel and take it.”

Po Xue gasped.

Gu Qi was struck dumb. All he could think was, We’re finished! That kid isn’t just going to get himself killed. Zhao Baihou might well kill us in a fit of rage, too!

Zhao Baihou narrowed his eyes. The smile vanished from his face.

Terrifying murderous intent silently emanated from his body.

Heaven and earth shifted, and the air was thrown into disarray.

Without wasting any time on talk, Zhao Baihou raised his right hand and swung it like a saber.

A streak of saber light flashed into being, every bit as forceful and sharp as the attack that defeated Ol’ Devil Purple River.

But against all expectations, that streak of saber light exploded in midair, scattering into a rain of light.

It was a blue-green jade flute that shattered it.

And its wielder was a man in silver robes!

Gu Qi, Po Xue, and Zhao Baihou were stunned. Who is it this time?

Only Su Yi stood there, calm and at ease. He didn’t find this at all strange.

“Who are you?” Zhao Baihou glared murderously.

“I saw an injustice, so I stepped in to correct it,” the silver-robed man said with a laugh.

He had a relaxed, carefree demeanor, and as he spoke, he faced Zhao Baihou and drew his hand through the air, as if slitting his throat.

A moment later, a figure clad in white appeared beside Zhao Baihou, seemingly out of nowhere. Her delicate, jade-like fingers swept through the air, and…

Splurt!

Zhao Baihou’s head flew through the air, his eyes still wide with shock and fury.

“How terrifying!” Chills coursed down Po Xue’s spine.

Gu Qi stiffened. He was instantly rooted to the spot.

Ol’ Demon Purple River had been plenty strong, but Zhao Baihou killed him instantly.

Now, a mysterious woman had appeared out of nowhere and decapitated Zhao Baihou before he could even fight back.

It was all just too much. Life and death were determined in an instant. The complete absence of resistance or combat was exactly what made it so terrifying.

The mysterious woman was dressed in white, with a head of long, blood-red hair. A pair of snow-white bare feet were visible beneath the hem of her flowing white clothing.

Her face was shrouded in a blood-red rain of the power of the natural order, obscuring her features.

But when they saw her, everyone felt indescribable, instinctual terror.

Po Xue’s expression shifted erratically. Where… did these two terrifying existences come from?

Gu Qi’s heart and mind quivered. Had it been possible, he’d have upped and fled by now.

But he didn’t dare!

When the silver-robed man saw this, he walked over with a laugh, crouched, picked up the Fragment of Heaven’s Will by Su Yi’s feet, and handed it to him.

“You won’t fault me for overstepping, will you, Fellow Daoist?” he asked.

Su Yi accepted the fragment and said casually, “He saved me with impure motives, but I’m afraid you didn’t kill him simply out of the goodness of your heart, either.”

The silver-robed man was none other than Shen Jue, otherwise known as “Divine Severing!”

Su Yi and Shen Jue had traveled together back in the Heaven-Combatting Hidden Realm. They’d parted ways there, too.

“Haha, that’s indeed the case,” laughed Shen Jue. “I indeed came here looking for you, as I have a favor to ask.”

Su Yi glanced at the red-haired woman in white standing in the distance. “For her sake?”

Shen Jue shook his head. “It’s for my sake, too.”

Next, he looked at Po Xue and Gu Qi. “Are these two your friends?”

Po Xue laughed bitterly and shook his head. “A blind old fool like me is unworthy of being friends with someone so esteemed.”

By now, he naturally realized that there was more to Su Yi than met the eye. If he’d failed to realize that, it’d mean he’d lived all this time for nothing.

This was no junior, nor was he a favored son of heaven. He’d let his imagination run wild. None of that had any connection to reality!

This was obviously a deeply hidden, terrifying existence!

The thought that he’d been so determined to take Su Yi as his disciple made Po Xue feel incredibly awkward. It seems I thought too highly of myself!

It was also then that Gu Qi came to his senses. His face alternated white and green; it was quite the spectacular sight.

Especially when he replayed some of what he’d said and done earlier. Chills coursed down his spine. He felt both awkward and frantic.

Su Yi disregarded Gu Qi and walked over to Po Xue. He said apologetically, “I had no desire to deceive you, and I humbly request your forgiveness if I offended you.”

Po Xue shook his head. “You needn’t say such things. You never once treated this old man with disrespect, and you have nothing to apologize for.”

Then, he said with an air of self-deprecation, “I just wouldn’t have guessed that I’d misjudge you like this even at my cultivation…”

Su Yi gave him the first-tier Fragment of Heaven’s Will and said, “Fellow Daoist, you’ve taught me a lot over the course of our journey. Please accept this as a token of my gratitude.”

Po Xue was stunned. He found this hard to believe.

Shen Jue had a bewildered look on his face, too. Su Yi is obviously different from before!

In the past, he was self-confident and contemptuous, the majesty of a sword cultivator on full display.

But now, he’s like a sword in its case, his sharpness withdrawn. It’s like he’s washed away everything extraneous and achieved a return to simplicity.

He’s even more modest in his interactions with other people.

And this is obviously no mere act, either. It’s a fundamental change of heart.

“Accept it,” Su Yi said with a smile, pushing the fragment into Po Xue’s hands. “It’s just as you said earlier, Fellow Daoist. Our meeting was a stroke of fate. You helped me considerably, too.”

Po Xue was suddenly ashamed. I’ve clung to life all these years, but in terms of magnanimity and comportment, I’m obviously inferior!

“Many thanks!” Po Xue bowed solemnly. “Might I ask for your honorable name and surname?”

“Su Yi,” said Su Yi, returning the gesture.

Su Yi!!

Po Xue had only just awakened from dormancy, so he had no idea what that name represented.

Gu Qi, however, reacted as if he’d been struck by lightning. He quivered from head to toe and almost collapsed onto the ground.

A moment later, he threw himself onto his knees and cried out frantically, “This junior understands his mistakes. Please forgive me, Your Excellency Su! Please, spare my life!”

Po Xue was flabbergasted. His name alone was enough to scare a Master God into kneeling and begging for mercy?

In truth, Po Xue had long since grown displeased with Gu Qi. Much of his behavior was selfish.

For instance, earlier, Po Xue had risked his life to hold Ol’ Demon Purple River back. He’d asked Gu Qi to lead Su Yi away.

But Gu Qi was so intimidated that he spinelessly tried to escape, leaving his charge behind.

And when Zhao Baihou appeared, Gu Qi urged Su Yi to give up his Fragment of Heaven’s Will. His behavior was simply shameless.

Now, seeing him kneel and beg, Po Xue didn’t feel the least bit sorry for him. On the contrary, he found it extremely satisfying. You brought this on yourself!

Su Yi didn’t so much as glance at him. “Your behavior was a bit on the despicable side, but you had no malicious intentions, and there’s no reason for me to make trouble for you. Go ahead and leave.”

Gu Qi still didn’t dare to believe it. He said in a quavering voice, “Your Excellency, if I’d known who you were, I wouldn’t have dared to do any of that. Please, whatever you do…”

“Scram!” Shen Jue furrowed his brow and roared. He couldn’t stand to watch any more of this.

Gu Qi quivered from head to toe, scrambled to his feet, and dashed off.

Shen Jue and Po Xue shook their heads at the sight of it.

Su Yi said softly, “You can’t blame him for this. Perhaps I’ve just killed too many people over the past few years, giving me a ferocious reputation. That’s what scared him so badly.”

Shen Jue mulled that over, then sighed. “It’s true. After the battle in the Borderless Mountains, what expert of the God Domain doesn’t fear you?”

Po Xue was instantly curious. Just who is Su Yi? Why would everyone in the God Domain be so afraid of him?

Po Xue instantly made up his mind. I’ve got to find an opportunity to ask about Fellow Daoist Su sometime!

“Every encounter ultimately ends with a parting. Farewell,” said Su Yi with a wave.

Po Xue hurriedly returned the gesture. Inwardly, he was quite pleased. He’s a mysterious, transcendent figure, yet he’s shown no sign of pride or haughtiness, nor has he taken offense at anything I said to him along the way.

He didn’t hold Gu Qi accountable, either.

Even after revealing his identity, he’s made no attempt to force us into submission. On the contrary, he’s treating me with such modesty.

Never mind the rest. His comportment is extraordinary!