First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2646 – We’ll Only Kill the Primary Culprit

Outside the cave, a group stood in midair. Their leader was an old man in black who stood atop an auspicious blue cloud. He had a willowy beard, and he carried a fiery red sword on his back.

His aura rose and fell like the tides, forceful and imposing. He was actually a Half-Step Eternal!

And even the weakest of his companions was a Nine-Tribulation Master God. Their ranks included no small number of Half-Step Eternals.

The leader raised his hand and called out, “Rise!”

Clang!

The fiery sword on his back shot into the firmament, illuminating and dazzling the nine heavens. It dyed the very air itself a blazing shade of red.

Everyone felt a stinging pain in their eyes. Admiring looks rose unbidden to their faces.

The old man in black was called Lu Jianchi. Long ago, he was an unparalleled sword cultivator famed throughout the Central Divine Continent.

Had the Great Extinguishing not swept across the Divine Continent, Lu Jianchi would have easily fought his way to the River of Destiny and established true Eternal foundations a long time ago!

“Be careful, everyone. The killer was strong enough to defeat Zhao Baihou, so they’re surely no ordinary person. Once we’ve forced them into the open, be sure to attack together!” Lu Jianchi said gravely.

“Understood!” The others shouted their assent, all of them seething with murderous intent.

But before Lu Jianchi could launch his attack, two figures appeared out of nowhere, a man and a woman.

These were none other than Su Yi and the Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend.

“Hah? Seems we needn’t go to all that trouble. The culprits have appeared of their own volition. All the better,” said Lu Jianchi, his gaze imposing as he scanned this unfamiliar pair.

The man seemed ordinary and unassuming, but the woman’s presence was strange. He couldn’t see through her.

But none of that mattered. What mattered was ascertaining whether or not these were the ones who’d killed Zhao Baihou.

Meanwhile, his companions locked onto Su Yi and the Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend, their eyes blazing with murderous intent. All of them were itching for a fight.

“A moment please,” said Su Yi. He clasped his fist. “I’ll accept full responsibility for this battle, but first, allow me to bid my friend farewell.”

He’d only just broken the Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend’s Karmic Tribulation, and she urgently needed to find a quiet place to go into seclusion. Otherwise, it would delay their trip to Red Pine Mountain.

The two of them had already agreed to reconvene at Red Pine Mountain prior to the Battle for Order.

He’s telling us to wait? The crowd was stunned, to the point that they almost dared not believe their ears.

But Su Yi no longer paid them any heed. He just faced the Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend and said, “You should leave, Fellow Daoist. You can leave trouble of this level to me.”

“Very well.” The Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend inclined her head, then turned to leave. From beginning to end, she ignored the others completely.

Lu Jianchi and the others found their complete disregard baffling, but also infuriating. What’s going on here? They clearly don’t take us the least bit seriously!

“Stop right there!” Just as the Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend was about to leave, a man in a royal crown and golden robes stepped forth to block her path. He said coldly, “You want to sacrifice your companion to escape? You’re dreaming!”

A flood of murderous intent locked onto the Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend. He looked ready to attack at any time.

The Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend said nothing. She just drew her hand through the air.

Splurt!

The golden-robed man’s head flew from his shoulders, the stump of his neck as smooth as a mirror.

A moment passed before fresh blood erupted like a geyser.

She’d just killed a Half-Step Eternal in a single strike!

The crowd was stunned. Everyone was astonished.

The leader, Lu Jianchi, was instantly solemn. The Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend’s abilities had shaken him deeply. Just… where exactly did she come from?

Meanwhile, the Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend turned to look at Su Yi. “Fellow Daoist, how about I seize this opportunity to kill the whole group and save you some trouble?”

“No need for that.” Su Yi shook his head. “You should hurry on your way. Don’t linger.”

Only then did the Heaven-Combating Ancient Fiend nod, her snowy dress swaying around her. In the blink of an eye, she’d vanished over the horizon.

From beginning to end, no one dared to stand in her way.

When she vanished from view, everyone inexplicably sighed in relief.

But the looks on their faces were unsightly. They would never have guessed that they’d lose a Half-Step Eternal the second they found the killer’s trail!

And the red-haired woman’s terrifyingness was completely unexpected—and horrifying. None of them dared to stand in her way!

At the same time, they were confused. Who is this woman? Isn’t she at all concerned about her companions’ life or death?

The crowd looked at Su Yi in bewilderment. Or does she think that he’s strong enough to handle this all himself?

“We can fight now,” Su Yi said warmly, as if offering a gentle reminder.

“Wait!” Lu Jianchi said immediately, his voice grave. “I’d like to know who exactly it was that killed Zhao Baihou.”

Su Yi answered honestly. “I’m not the one who killed him, but he did die trying to seize a Fragment of Heaven’s Will from me.”

Lu Jianchi’s expression filled with uncertainty. A little while later, he said, “We’re only after the culprit. We absolutely won’t implicate anyone else!”

He spoke with staunch conviction, but his words left the others visibly flabbergasted. Who could have failed to realize that, for all his outward murderousness, in truth, Lu Jianchi just didn’t want to fight this stranger?

Su Yi was stunned too. “But the one who killed Zhao Baihou was my friend, and I told you I’d accept responsibility for all this.”

Lu Jianchi’s eyelids twitched, but inwardly, he was increasingly on guard. Out loud, he said, “And I said that we’ll only execute the culprit. You might want to help him, but we won’t agree to it!”

He waved his hand through the air. “We’re leaving!”

“Wait,” said Su Yi, a faint smile on his face. “I said I’d take responsibility for this, and I’m a man on my word. I won’t let you leave until this enmity has been resolved.”

Lu Jianchi instantly looked stricken. This kid has got to be dangerous! Otherwise, why would he be so fearless?

Especially since I just strongly hinted that he could leave, yet now, he’s insisting on fighting us! What is that, if not proof of his confidence?

But before Lu Jianchi could say anything, someone frowned. “Daoist Brother, if he’s so insistent on throwing his life away, why not just give him what he wants?”

“That’s right. What wind and waves haven’t we seen before? Now, we’ve even joined forces, but he’s just one person. How could we possibly fail to take him down?” someone else said eagerly; he didn’t like the look of Su Yi.

“Let’s take ten thousand steps back and say that we cannot defeat him. In that case, all we’d have to do is ask Ancestor Hun Yun for help. With his Unfettered Realm cultivation base, no one in the God Domain is a match for him!” said an old man in blue robes and an iron crown.

It might have sounded like he was planning for the worse, but in truth, the implied threat was readily apparent. He was using the presence of an Unfettered Realm Eternal to cow Su Yi into submission!

Indeed, Su Yi picked up on the threat. He couldn’t help but ask, “Your camp includes even an Unfettered Realm expert?”

The old man in the iron crown said calmly, “That’s right!”

“How strange,” exclaimed Su Yi. “Are Eternals really already capable of exploring the God Domain?”

Many of the others laughed, their eyes flashing with disdain, as if they were looking at a complete fool.

Su Yi instantly realized that the situation in the Central Divine Continent most likely wasn’t at all like he’d thought!

At the very least, there were already true Eternals active in the barren Central Divine Continent!

“The Central Divine Continent is different from other places. Your shallow understanding isn’t enough to understand it,” the old man in the iron crown said calmly. “Doing so will only emphasize your ignorance!”

The leader, Lu Jianchi, seized this opportunity to say, “We proved our Daos long ago, and although we hail from different orthodoxies, we’ve all rallied under Ancestor Hun Yun’s banner. No matter who you are or where you came from, you ought to understand the consequences of opposing us.”

He paused, then gazed intently at Su Yi. “Are you still dead-set on resolving his enmity?”

Su Yi laughed. “I’ll happily let it go, assuming you’re willing to let this score go unsettled.”

“Nothing but the ravings of a madman!” The old man in the iron crown roared. “Zhao Baihou was Ancestor Hun Yun’s martial nephew. How could we possibly let his death go unavenged?”

Su Yi didn’t miss a beat. “Attack me, then!”

The crowd frowned. All of them were stunned.

They’d already revealed their identities, and even shared their connection to Ancestor Hun Yun. Who’d have thought this kid still wouldn’t be afraid of them?

“You’re the one who insisted on doing this the hard way!” This time, Lu Jianchi was enraged, too. He said coldly, “Countless years have passed since I first proved my Dao, but I’ve never seen someone so incapable of appreciating another’s good intentions before!”

Boom!

Terrifying sword qi surged around him, and the blood-red sword hovering in midair clanged and hummed. The power of a False Eternal was now on full display.

“Get him!” Practically simultaneously, as if by some sort of tacit agreement, the others drew their treasures and attacked Su Yi.

They didn’t care if ganging up on someone was against martial virtues. On the contrary, when they attacked, each was more vicious and decisive than the one before.

Lu Jianchi attacked, too. His sword force rumbled and boomed as he casually raised his hand and tapped.

The blood-red sword fell like the setting sun, bringing with it dazzling and explosive blood-red sword light.

Su Yi laughed, then took action. A single step forward, and… Boom!

The sky collapsed, and everything shook on all sides.

Countless streaks of sword qi pierced the sky, densely packed, grand, and imposing, like the river of heaven bursting through a dam.

Wherever the flood of sword qi passed, the dozen-or-so old-timers’ treasures and secret arts popped like soap bubbles.

Even they themselves were completely enveloped!

There was nowhere to run. The sword qi blanketed heaven and earth in an endless flood. Even the Half-Step Eternals were like duckweed in a vast ocean, instantly submerged and erased.

Their blood stained the waves red.

Desperate cries rose and fell amidst the sea of sword qi.

Just like that, over a hundred surviving ancient experts died!

Meanwhile, Su Yi put his left hand behind his back, casually raised his right into the air, and tapped.

Bang!

He caught the descending blood-red sword beneath his fingertips, preventing it from advancing any further.

When the tide of Dao Light and sword force collapsed, the sword dimmed. Its blade quivered, and it hummed as if weeping.

Off in the distance, Lu Jianchi’s eyes widened, and his aged face paled. His heart and body quivered uncontrollably with fright.