First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2781 – The Founder’s Murderous Intent Rises

The curtain opened on the Nine Luminaries Dao Assembly.

The participants drew lots, and one duel after another unfolded on stage beneath countless eyes.

Su Yi just sat there, drinking wine and conversing with Bu Meng.

He looked relaxed, and indeed, he’d taken the stage twice and won both battles with ease. Both opponents had lost within just ten snaps of the fingers.

This result wasn’t overly eyecatching, but it certainly wasn’t mediocre, either.

But Bu Meng had grown shrewd with age, and he’d watched Su Yi hunt yao and demons before. He knew that this seemingly unassuming young man was holding back.

But not even he knew that Li Muchen wasn’t just holding back a little—he was holding back a lot.

Still, Bu Meng was increasingly looking forward to the upcoming duels. The way he saw it, Li Muchen had a real shot of making it into the top ten.

But then, something happened that darkened his expression.

A disciple of Light Beam Sword Pavilion suffered a crushing defeat, complete with heavy injuries. As if that weren’t bad enough, his opponent planted his foot on his head, ruthlessly humiliating him in front of the crowd.

And the culprit was none other than Wang Yuan of the Blueleaf Sword Sect!

As he left the stage, Wang Yuan pointed at Su Yi and said, “Light Beam Sword Pavilion cannot protect you, traitor!”

With that, he burst into laughter, turned, and left.

Every representative of the Light Beam Sword Pavilion glowered.

The experts of the other participating factions were happy to watch the spectacle. Their conversations made Bu Meng furrow his brow.

Only the so-called “traitor” took this in calmly, as if he hadn’t even noticed.

Bu Meng sighed. “By now, I’m sure you can see how dire our predicament is. Even a kid like that dares to provoke us in front of a crowd, but for the sake of my sect, I, this old man, have no choice but to endure.”

His gaze filled with melancholy. “Given the circumstances, you’d actually be wise not to remain in the Light Beam Sword Pavilion. If you do, I’ll have a guilty conscience.”

Su Yi took a sip of wine. “I’ll help Light Beam Sword Pavilion win a beautiful victory here. It might not change anything, but it’ll at least let you vent some of your frustrations.”

Bu Meng grinned, then patted Su Yi on the shoulder. “I was waiting for you to say that!”

Su Yi looked exasperated. “Drop the act. Others might not realize it, but how could I not realize that these paltry provocations mean nothing to you whatsoever?”

Even after being called out to his face, Bu Meng didn’t look the least bit awkward. He laughed, “How can I stoke your will to fight without a sob story?”

Su Yi rubbed his forehead. A clash of the Grand Dao like this was far enough to interest him, let alone stoke his will to fight.

After two more victories, they entered the next round, and the rules changed. They drew lots, but instead of designating specific opponents, the lots were divided into two kinds: heaven and earth.

Those with heaven lots could choose their opponents. Those without could only wait passively to be challenged.

Su Yi was one of the lucky few to draw a heaven lot.

He immediately pointed at Wang Yuan. “You’ll be my next appointment!”

Wang Yuan’s expression darkened. “Are you sure you want to be my enemy?”

Bu Meng had quite the temper, and when he saw this, he could no longer remain seated. He shouted, “Damned punk! If you’ve got the balls, accept his challenge! If you don’t, get the hell out of here! I don’t care how strong the Wang Family is. Piss me off, and I’ll make them regret having ever given birth to a scoundrel like you!”

Wang Yuan’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. “I’ll remember those words, and I’ll hold all of the Light Beam Sword Pavillion accountable!”

Bu Meng was just about to say something when Sect Leader Shi Huiyan said coldly, “Bu Meng, as a senior, aren’t you ashamed to shout and argue with a junior like that?”

Bu Meng laughed coldly. “Get out of here with that kind of talk. You might like putting on airs, Shi Huiyan, but I don’t!”

When the officiant saw that the two were likely to keep arguing. He stepped in to mediate. Only then did the argument come to an end.

But now, the crowd was increasingly looking forward to Li Muchen’s duel with Wang Yuan.

The young sword cultivator that the Blueleaf Sword Sect saw as a traitor had displayed extraordinary strength in the battles leading up to this.

But it was Bu Meng’s willingness to defend Li Muchen even at the cost of offending the Wang Family that really drew the crowd’s attention.

Wang Yuan’s background wasn’t simple. That aside, while he might not have been a truly top-tier sword cultivator by the standards of the Literati Continent, he wasn’t far off.

Everyone participating in this event was a peak Unfettered Realm disciple of their respective Heavenly Monarch-level factions.

Most of the strongest Unfettered Realm Dao Lords on the continent were in attendance!

Three were even heaven-defying monsters on Divine Reverence Pavilion’s Unfettered Ranking!

The three of them were in the running for the top three.

Them aside, there were a few candidates for the Unfettered Rankings when Divine Reverence Pavilion next published a revised version. All of them were dazzling and unparalleled.

Wang Yuan might not have been on their level, but it wouldn’t do to underestimate him.

But when the duel began, the crowd was astonished to discover that Wang Yuan couldn’t take so much as a single hit.

Li Muchen crushed him completely!

And he did it in just two movements.

A punch forced Wang Yuan to the ground, shattering his protective Dao Light and leaving his flesh in tatters. His whole body convulsed, and he shrieked in agony.

Then, Su Yi put his foot on Wang Yuan’s head, straightened up his clothes, and peered down at his opponent. “You ought to celebrate the fact that you’re still alive.”

He spoke slowly and clearly, but the audience heard every word.

Because the entire area had long since fallen silent.

The old monsters of the various factions were all visibly stunned, as if they were completely re-evaluating the “traitor” of the Blueleaf Sword Sect.

The top elites among Unfettered Realm cultivators looked stunned, and their mentalities shifted. They were starting to take this opponent seriously.

He was strong!

That was evident from the moment he ended the battle in a single punch.

Over in the Blueleaf Sword Sect’s camp, Shi Huiyuan furrowed his brow, Du Ya’s expression darkened, and Mo Lanhe’s eyes flashed.

They were stunned, too, especially by how abrupt and grievous Wang Yuan’s defeat was. They found it hard to face the crowd.

By now, who could possibly have failed to realize that Li Muchen had been hiding his true strength since his time in the Blueleaf Sword Sect?

“That traitor’s schemes run far too deep!” Du Ya gnashed his teeth.

Meanwhile, Light Beam Sword Pavilion’s camp was in uproar. Everyone was shouting at once.

Bu Meng grinned. Look at that! I know talent when I see it. I’m not blind and stupid like you!

But it was then that a burst of hearty laughter rang out. “Everything’s okay. I got here in time!”

Whoosh!

A figure appeared out of nowhere. He wore a tall hat and old-fashioned robes. He was tall and thin, and his sleeves billowed in the wind. As soon as he appeared, he became the center of attention.

Qi Jingzhen!

The famed founder of the Blueleaf Sword Sect!

It had been a long, long time since he’d last made an appearance. No one would have suspected that an expert of his level would come all this way for the Nine Luminaries Dao Assembly.

Much less that he’d look so happy.

What happened next defied the crowd’s expectations. Qi Jingzhen walked onto the stage, glanced at Wang Yuan, who was still trapped beneath Su Yi’s foot, and broke into a broad grin.

Then, he slapped Su Yi on the shoulder and shouted so loudly that it seemed he was afraid others wouldn’t hear him. “What a good kid. You’re really something! That’s how a disciple of the Blueleaf Sword Sect ought to be!”

His voice spread far and wide. People heard it throughout Qingpu Mountain, and it was dimly discernible even a thousand miles away.

Even the distant onlookers heard him clearly, and the sheer volume left their ears ringing.

Qi Jingzhen was as straightforward as could be. He was obviously proud and delighted, too. He wanted nothing more than to announce here and now that Li Muchen would be his closed-door disciple going forward.

As well as the new sect leader in training!

His reasoning was simple. He’d witnessed Su Yi’s spectacular performance in Heart Sword Tower. That was why he’d returned despite the long journey!

He wanted to see the only disciple to ever overcome all nine floors of Heart Sword Tower with his own two eyes!

Now, seeing him crush his opponent beneath his feet, Su Yi’s majestic bearing filled Qi Jingzhen with delight.

But Qi Jingzhen soon discovered that something was amiss. Wait. Why is everyone so quiet?

Are those old fools blind? Can’t they see how happy I am?

In truth, everyone was totally gobsmacked, especially over in the Blueleaf Sword Sect’s camp. There were no words to describe how they felt.

Many of their faces flushed red with embarrassment, and they longed for nothing more than to find a hole to hide themselves in.

Su Yi was stunned, too. He blinked. What’s going on here?

Wang Yuan, meanwhile, felt deeply humiliated, and his heart filled with fury, but with his head stuck beneath Su Yi’s foot, he couldn’t see who’d just arrived.

When he heard the new arrival praise Su Yi as a worthy member of the Blueleaf Sword Sect, Wang Yuan couldn’t help but roar, “Fuck your mother! Everyone in the Literati Continent knows that Li Muchen is a traitor to our Blueleaf Sword Sect!”

His voice boomed throughout the premises.

The experts of Blueleaf Sword Sect wanted to cry, but they had no tears. They almost wanted to die. You’ve sure got guts, Wang Yuan. How dare you curse at the founder like that!?

The others were starting to realize what was happening, and their expressions grew strange. A few of the old monsters couldn’t hold back sputtering laughter.

“A traitor? To your Blueleaf Sword Sect?” Qi Jingzhen realized that something was amiss, and his smile faded.

He turned to look at Sect Leader Shi Huiyan, his gaze cold and terrifying. He said slowly and clearly, “What exactly is going on here?”

When Shi Huiyan saw the murderous look in Qi Jingzhen’s eyes, his heart filled with panic. Nonetheless, he steeled himself. “Founder, it’s a long story. How about we find a place to talk? I’ll explain everything.”

But Bu Meng could no longer hold back. He pounded his chest and laughed like mad. “Hahaha! Qi Jingzhen, Li Muchen has long since been expelled from the Blueleaf Sword Sect. He’s now a member of my Light Beam Sword Pavilion!

“Ol’ Qi, I can tell you deeply admire Li Muchen. Otherwise, why lavish such praise upon him immediately upon your arrival? Hahaha!” Bu Meng threw back his head and laughed so hard that he wept.

Qi Jingzhen looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, his face ashen. His hands and feet quivered as he realized that he’d just made a complete fool out of himself.

But why? How had this happened?

He was utterly enraged. He couldn’t accept this.

This is the heaven-defying sword cultivator who overcame the ninth floor of Heart Sword Tower, the man I was just about to take as my closed-door disciple and declare the future leader of the sect. How could he possibly have been expelled?

Dammit! Which son of a bitch made that decision!?

Qi Jingzhen really felt the urge to kill someone.