First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1209 - So That’s All Your Dao of the Sword Amounts to

What terrifying sword force!!

The hemp-clad elder’s pupils suddenly constricted, and his scalp went numb.

He already used the strongest methods at his disposal in this third strike, his goal to deal Su Yi a massive setback and prevent him from retaliating.

Who’d have thought that Su Yi would break his third strike as soon as their confrontation began?

Furthermore, the elder even sensed a threat looming over him! He bellowed without the slightest hesitation. His sleeves billowed around him, and his hands gripped the air in front of him.

Boom!

Blood-red sword intent rose to defend him, like a divine mountain rising from the earth. Its base was rooted in the ground, and its peak pierced the firmament.

Countless Dao Markings floated within his concentrated sword intent. It seemed dense and inestimable, as if it stretched out in perpetuity. Its steep slopes stretched as far as the eye could see!

But it was then that Su Yi’s sword qi descended.

Boom!

Heaven shook and the earth swayed.

That mountain of blood-red sword intent split like paper. It provided practically no defensive utility at all.

The hemp-clad elder was completely astonished, but there was no time for him to give the matter any further thought. The bright red sword case on his back rumbled, and he immediately grabbed it, held it tight, and used it like a shield.

Bang!!!

Sword qi descended, slamming into the bright red sword case.

That entire stretch of sky collapsed, and the earth split.

The hemp-clad elder was ruthlessly forced back, sword case in hand, cleaving open a startling rift in the sky. A perfectly straight ravine formed on the ground, scattering dirt, which transformed into powder.

Explosive sword qi swept explosively outward. The entire stretch of heaven and earth now seemed devastated and tumultuous.

It was only after the smoke receded and the dust clouds faded that the two onlookers saw the results.

At the foot of the Mountain of Wondrous Fortune, the old man in hemp had his arms wrapped around his sword case. One knee rested on the ground, and his long white hair was disheveled.

His hands were dripping with blood, and the liquid flowed down the sword case's surface.

His bony frame quivered, his thoroughly wrinkled face deathly pale as his chest heaved like a blacksmith’s bellows.

The knee resting on the ground was a bloody pulp, and the ground was cracked beneath him.

This was the strongest sword cultivator under Venerate Flooding Heavens’ leadership, a Cosmic Enlightenment powerhouse, yet now, he was supporting himself with his sword, and he seemed utterly wretched.

The spirit sparrow was flabbergasted. The Third Officiant... is injured!?

Earlier, the bird almost couldn’t bear to watch. It thought that even if Su Yi survived the Officiant’s third slash, he was sure to take heavy injuries.

Who’d have thought that the result would be the exact opposite?

In their third clash, the Third Officiant’s strongest attack seemed no more durable than paper. He’d even been sent flying, kneeling on the ground, using his sword case to support himself. Without it, he would have toppled over already!

“Is this his true killer weapon?” The man in dark robes said in a daze, his gaze shifting and uncertain.

Earlier, he was angry. He thought Su Yi’s willfulness made his whole-hearted attempt to help him embarrassing, like he was showering affection on an uninterested party.

Now, he suddenly realized that he’d been mistaken. Su Yi wasn’t simply acting willfully. Rather, he really did have the ability to contend with the old peacock!

In their third confrontation, the power of Su Yi’s slash was enough to make even the onlookers sense a dire threat!

Looking at the old peacock’s miserable state, it was obvious how terrifying that slash had been!

“I... I actually lost...” The old man in hemp clothes said in a raspy voice. It seemed he couldn’t accept this so easily.

His voice contained a trace of bewilderment.

He was a Cosmic Enlightenment Realm sword cultivator, yet an Imperial Apex sword cultivator had wounded him. This was unquestionably far too heavy a blow.

“I did say that I had no need of your ‘three strike promise’ and that we could just fight until we determined a victor,” Su Yi said plainly.

One hand held his sword aloft, while the other was behind his back. He stood perfectly upright without so much as a hair out of place.

Inwardly, he was actually a bit surprised.

After all, that slash combined the might of the Dark and Gold Fortune Vine, the Laws of Profound Ruin, and the aura of the Sword of the Nine Hells. It had drained almost half the power of his cultivation base.

He estimated that it was enough to deal even a Cosmic Enlightenment expert a severe blow.

Yet the Third Officiant had blocked it!

He might look wretched, but his wounds were superficial and far from major.

There was no doubt about it; the old man’s attainments in the Cosmic Enlightenment Realm were far beyond ordinary.

“Are you still going to fight?” The sparrow was dumbstruck.

The dark-robed man’s eyelids twitched.

The old man in hemp was stunned too.

After a moment’s silence, he took a deep breath, struggled to his feet, and said expressionlessly, “According to the rules, you’ve already passed the fourth trial. There’s no need to fight any further.”

His voice remained indifferent, except more dispirited.

The spirit sparrow and Second Officiant both inwardly sighed in relief. The old peacock was stubborn and paranoid to the point of madness.

But he wasn’t the type to renege on his word.

“Then let’s disregard the trial and disregard the rules. As a sword cultivator, do you dare accept my challenge?” Su Yi’s gaze was distant as he locked onto the old man in hemp.

This declaration came as a complete surprise to everyone else present.

The hemp-clad elder’s expression shifted, as if he were seeing Su Yi for the first time.

Finally, his dried lips curved into a self-deprecating smile. “Despite my Cosmic Enlightenment cultivation, I targeted a young Profound Unity cultivator like you. That was already shameless and beneath me. If I continue to fight you, how could I call myself a sword cultivator going forward?”

Here, he let out a long sigh, his expression bleak as he muttered, “Perhaps my sword heart really has long since gathered dust...”

The dark-robed Officiant’s heart shook. “Old Peacock, rein in your horse before it carries you over the cliff. It’s not too late.”

But Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh coldly. “Losing face? Your sword heart has accumulated dust? No wonder that despite the passage of countless years in the Cosmic Enlightenment Realm, this is all your attainments in the Dao of the Sword amount to.”

His voice contained no mockery, but rather, entirely undisguised disappointment.

The hemp-clad elder was stunned, and his eyes shone with divine light. Throughout his body, his qi churned. “Are you saying that my attainments in the Dao of the Sword... are underwhelming?”

“That’s right,” said Su Yi calmly. “To the point that I’ve lost all interest in drawing my sword.”

Clang!

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, he put away his sword, took out a jug of wine, and started drinking.

The dark-robed man and spirit sparrow were struck dumb. This guy... How could he possibly be this arrogant?

How can he just casually comment on a Cosmic Enlightenment Realm sword cultivator’s swordsmanship?

The old man in hemp was dumbstruck too, his aged face shifting and uncertain.

He’d lived for too many years to count, but this was his first time encountering such an arrogant Emperor.

“Unconvinced?” Su Yi laughed dryly. He could no longer be bothered to say anymore.

This left the old man in hemp even more displeased. Is this kid deliberately poking fun at me?

The dark-robed man coughed dryly. “Fellow Daoist, please, say no more.”

He felt as if Su Yi’s words were intended to punish the old peacock for making trouble.

Admittedly, according to the rules, Su Yi had already passed the fourth trial. Still, if he thoroughly provoked the old peacock, it wouldn’t end well.

But then, a low voice rang out.

“The old peacock might not be convinced, but I’m convinced!”

The voice spread throughout the entire area.

Everyone was stunned, and they looked over, only to see one of the steles atop the Mountain of Wondrous Fate rumbling and booming. A stalwart figure swatched in divine radiance suddenly shot out of it.

He was a brawny middle-aged man with a mustache shaped like a halberd. He had twin sabers on his back, and his majesty was imposing even though he was merely a remnant of will.

“The Blackwater Realm Lord!” The dark-robed man and hemp-clad elder were both stunned.

This was a legendary expert of the lost era, a man who’d once dazzled the heavens, forging a new and powerful Dao! He was a mighty expert of the same era as Venerate Flooding Heavens.

Even the two Officiants had to treat him with respect!

All thirty-six steles atop the Mountain of Wondrous Fate had been left there by legendary experts of that lost era.

However, the Officiants would never have guessed that before Su Yi even stepped onto the mountain to choose a legacy, the Darkwater Realm Lord’s remnant will would appear of its own volition!

“Fellow Daoist, I wish to entrust you with my mantle. Are you willing to accept it?” The Darkwater Realm Lord stood in the air, smiling and clasping his fist.

This scene caught the Officiants completely off guard, and both of them gasped.

There was no doubt about it. The earlier battle had startled the Darkwater Realm Lord’s remnant will, leading to him appearing of his own volition to offer his legacy to the trial-taker Su Yi!

This was unquestionably surprising.

A legendary expert had gone out of his way to offer up his legacy. In ancient times, this was simply unheard of!

Su Yi was a bit dazed too.

But before he could respond, throughout the Mountain of Wondrous Fate, one stele after another rumbled and boomed, and one avatar of will after another rose into the air.

Their ranks included both men and women. All were swathed in divine radiance, their majesty as grand as the heavens, like deities descending into mortal dust!

This was a whole group of legendary experts of the lost era! Yet now, all of them seemed frantic. As soon as they appeared, all of them were talking over each other.

“Ol’ Blackwater, you’re despicable! Trying to give away your legacy before the rest of us get a chance? I’m telling you, your legacy doesn’t suit a sword cultivator! I urge you to give up on the idea!” rebuked an old man in Confucian robes.

“Seems to me that if our fellow Daoist succeeds my legacy, he’ll be able to make further breakthroughs in the Dao of the Sword,” a man in Daoist robes said solemnly.

“Feh! How could your legacy of the Grand Dao possibly be as powerful as mine?”

“Aiyo! Then how about we spar and see which of us is stronger?”

...The entire area descended into chaos as these legendary experts who’d once dazzled the ancient era argued until they were red in the face. None of them were willing to let up.

This scene left both Officiants completely dumbstruck. Even if you’d hit them over the head, they would never have anticipated this.

These were legendary experts with countless feats to their names, people the masses could only view with awe and reverence. Yet now, they were completely disregarding their dignity. They were on the verge of rolling up their sleeves and duking it out, all to get Su Yi to choose their legacy.

This was simply insane!

Some of them even smiled at Su Yi and directly stated their hope that Su Yi would choose their legacy. They even promised not to stop him from choosing other legacies as well.

It couldn’t have been any more ridiculous!

All of a sudden, these legendary experts were clamoring for his attention. This treatment left the spirit sparrow stunned out of its wits.

The fourth trial... can actually go like this!? Have those legendary experts gone completely insane?

How much do they approve of Su Yi to disregard their reputations and argue like this?

Meanwhile, the old man in hemp felt completely empty, as if he’d taken an explosive blow to the soul.

On a visceral level, he felt... that the world was out of whack!