First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1219 - One Slash

Kong Shen shot to his feet, bowed at Su Yi, and opened his mouth to speak.

But Su Yi was already waving him away. “I know what you want to say. The Enforcers have protected the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals for many years. Even if they achieved little merit, they’ve worked hard. I understand.”

Kong Shen looked ashamed. “This whole incident... happened because I didn’t intervene. I tacitly agreed to let it all happen. Fellow Daoist, if you’re displeased, I am willing to pay the price and accept their punishment!”

This declaration left everyone present moved, including the Enforcers, who seemed to find it difficult to believe.

A moment later, one of the Enforcers said gravely, “Officiant, people ought to take responsibility for their own actions. We committed a grave error. How could we possibly let you accept punishment on our behalf? Please, don’t lower your head on our behalf!”

“That’s right! We’re willing to accept our punishment!” The other Enforcers spoke up, one after another.

But Kong Shen ignored them. His head remained lowered, and his back remained bent.

Meanwhile, Lu Yan and the others looked at Su Yi.

Su Yi drained his cup of wine, then looked at Jin Chi and the other Enforcers. He said flatly, “Do you dare say that you’ve sincerely come to admit fault to me?”

The Enforcers looked at each other, all of them a bit ill at ease.

Su Yi laughed. “I can tell that you’re not at all convinced by me. You’ve come here to lower your head and ‘repent’ simply because you’re afraid I’ll borrow Kong Shen and Lu Yan’s prestige to get revenge against you.”

One of the Enforcers sighed. “If you say so, that’s how it is. We.... couldn’t possibly argue with you.”

Although she said this, it would have been obvious to anyone that she wasn’t convinced!

It was obviously just as Su Yi had said; they’d swallowed their anger out of fear for Lu Yan and Kong Shen’s prestige.

“Qing Zhi, that’s not the right attitude!” Lu Yan said coldly. “Do you really think that if the old peacock and I weren’t here, Fellow Daoist Su would be helpless against you?”

“You’re wrong!” Lu Yan pounded the table, then pointed at the Enforcers. “I’m not afraid to tell you that if the old peacock and I weren’t here, you’d die today beyond a shadow of a doubt!”

The Enforcers stiffened, their expressions shifting and uncertain.

At this point, Su Yi rose and looked at Jin Chi. “I’ll give you an opportunity. Block just one of my attacks, and all of you can live.

“Fail to block it, and you’ll die, but they can live. Do you dare try me?”

Complete silence greeted this declaration. Who could fail to realize that Su Yi had no intention of letting Jin Chi go?

The Enforcers were briefly dazed. A moment later, all of them felt as if this were an affront to their dignity. All of them found this absurd.

One strike to determine victory and defeat?

What does this guy think Oneness World Kings are?

Jin Chi was so angry that he laughed. “Truly?”

Su Yi subtly inclined his head and said coolly, “I’m not the type to joke around. Also, I must warn you that I’ve already proven my Dao and entered Heavenly Longevity. When you attack, you’d best give it everything you’ve got.”

Jin Chi’s pupils constricted. The other Enforcers’ expressions shifted.

They thought back to that sudden development that took place in the Sea of Chaos just ten days prior. All of the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals had sensed the disturbance.

There was no doubt about it. Su Yi must have caused that disturbance while breaking through!

“No wonder you’re so confident,” murmured Jin Chi, his eyes flashing with madness.

A moment later, he faced Kong Shen and bowed. “Officiant, as you can see, we came here to admit fault, but Fellow Daoist Su refused to accept our apology, and he even made such a request. Please permit your subordinate to sever this enmity!”

An overcast look appeared on Kong Shen’s face, as if he hoped for better from Jin Chi. “You’ll die!”

Jin Chi’s expression was instantly unsightly. He lowered his head and gnashed his teeth. “Please, grant me your permission!”

Kong Shen seemed completely disappointed in him. He waved dismissively. “Do whatever you want!”

Only then did Jin Chi look up, his eyes flashing like lightning as he looked at Su Yi and said icily, “Then I’ll just have to request our Fellow Daoist Su’s guidance!”

He refused to believe he couldn’t block even a single attack.

“You can attack too,” Su Yi said casually.

Clang!

Jin Chi drew the Demon-Shaking Executioner’s Blade, and his Oneness Realm cultivation base instantly surged like a tidal wave or avalanche.

Furthermore, all manner of defensive treasures floated around him, and a wondrous defensive art silently spread outward.

When Lu Yan and the Servants of the Dao saw this, they couldn’t help but silently nod their approval.

Jin Chi hadn’t let his anger get to his head, and he’d made ample preparations.

But Lu Yan and the others weren’t at all confident, because not even they knew how strong Su Yi was after entering Heavenly Longevity.

“The bastard’s actually quite cautious,” the Heavensdeath Demon Empress couldn’t help but murmur.

“No matter how cautious he is, I’m afraid he won’t be able to take even a single hit,” Meng Changyun said solemnly.

Kong Shen started to speak, but hesitated.

Su Yi glanced at him. “I won’t use any external power. Still, he must die.”

It didn’t sound like he was trying to comfort Kong Shen. Rather, it seemed he was just stating a fact.

Kong Shen’s eyes silently narrowed.

Jin Chi was obviously enraged, and he was so angry that he laughed. “Even if that’s true, I’ll die without regret!”

Boom!

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, his sleeves billowed around him, and the Demon-Shaking Executioner’s Blade cleaved through the air.

Its radiant edge stirred up bright red, stinging saber qi. It was forceful and tyrannical, and although it was just one attack, the might of this Oneness World King’s strongest abilities were on full display.

The other five Enforcers were fully confident. They could tell that Jin Chi held nothing back. This was his strongest trump card, his killer weapon.

He was a Oneness World King, and he was going to such lengths. How could he fail to block a single attack from a Heavenly Longevity World King?

But it was then that Su Yi attacked.

He raised his right hand and casually tapped the air.

It was a simple, understated gesture, without the slightest flourish. A streak of sword qi immediately pierced the air.

It too was completely unassuming.

But it instantly cleaved through Jin Chi’s saber qi, like an axe through bamboo.

Too tyrannical!

In the face of this streak of sword qi, Jin Chi’s ultimate saber strike offered no more resistance than paper!

Jin Chi was instantly frightened, and his hair stood on end. He dared not hesitate to unleash the full power of his defensive arts and treasures. He immediately dodged, too.

But a startling scene followed.

That streak of sword qi’s pressure locked down the surrounding skies. He was like a fish encased in ice; there was no way for him to dodge.

And when that streak of sword qi descended——

Bang!!!

Jin Chi’s ten-plus defensive treasures and layers of defensive arts exploded practically instantaneously.

A rain of light scattered as Jin Chi’s throat was run through!

Splurt!

A bloody hole went right through his throat.

His eyes widened, and he stared intently at the distant Su Yi. It seemed he had something to say, but it was too late.

His whole body silently crumbled into ash.

Even his soul was destroyed!

The entire venue was deathly silent. Even the birds ceased their song.

One slash, that’s all, and a Oneness World King was executed on the spot!

This tyrannical, bloody scene made even the Cosmic Enlightenment World Kings’ hearts quiver with astonishment.

And the remaining five Enforcers were startled out of their wits, rooted to the spot, as if they couldn’t believe this was happening.

“You’ll die without regret?” sighed Lu Yan. “Well, you weren't wrong. How could you even have time to regret it?”

The Heavensdeath Demon Empress’s expression was a bit complicated. And here she’d thought that after breaking through, with her long-suppressed, firm foundations, she could give Su Yi a run for his money.

Sadly... this wish of hers was bound to remain no more than a wish.

“This person colluded with the First Custodian and tried to seize the secrets of reincarnation from His Excellency. His intentions were insidious. For this alone, he deserved to die ten thousand deaths!” Meng Changyun said gravely. His words were directed at the others.

All of them fell silent.

Kong Shen swept his gaze across the five Enforcers and said in a raspy voice, “Shouldn’t you... be celebrating that you’re still alive?”

The five Enforcers quivered from head to toe. A moment later, all of them faced Su Yi, lowered their heads, and admitted fault.

“Enough. You can leave.” Su Yi waved them away and sat back down. Meng Changyun immediately filled his cup.

But the five Enforcers still didn’t dare to leave just like that. It would have been obvious to anyone that they were scared out of their wits!

Jin Chi’s death had undoubtedly served as a warning to the rest of them. They also realized that Lu Yan had been right earlier. If Lu Yan and Kong Shen weren’t here today... none of the Enforcers would have escaped death!

“Go back and repent. You are not to leave your posts again without permission.” Kong Shen sighed, a conflicted look on his face.

All of the Enforcers were Oneness World Kings. Even in ancient times, they would have been top experts.

Who wouldn’t have been rueful to see them fall so far?

“Times... really have changed...” Kong Shen murmured to himself.

Su Yi had shattered the pre-existing order and opened the curtains on a new era. He was far from comparable to ordinary World Kings!

In front of him, their foundations, qualifications, and statuses amounted to no more than floating clouds!

Anyone who put in the airs of an elder or thought themselves extraordinary was doomed to fall flat on their face!

The Enforcers left in silence.

The banquet continued.

Except now, Lu Yan, Kong Shen, and the thirteen Servants of the Dao viewed Su Yi with a hint of fear and awe in addition to their earlier respect.

There was no doubt about it. When he executed Jin Chi, their hearts shifted slightly.

Meng Changyun keenly detected this change, and he couldn’t help but say to himself, If they knew how mighty His Excellency the Temple Master was at his peak, I’m afraid they wouldn’t be able to remain seated!

Out amongst the stars, everyone knows that those worthy of feasting with the Temple Master can be counted on one’s fingers!

At the banquet, Su Yi asked about the trial-takers from the stars beyond the Wilds. He soon learned that the Studio of the Heart’s High Elder, the Nine Heavens Pavilion’s Second Warden, and the Primordial Unity Daoist Sect’s High Elder had all died. While leaving the secret origin grounds, they passed through forbidden zones. Not one made it out alive.

As for the Celestial Palace Master of the Church of the River of Stars, Xue Changjing? Su Yi had killed him in the third trial.

This meant that almost every expert of the stars beyond to enter the Graveyard of Fallen Immortals had died.

Except for Meng Changyun.

After the banquet ended, Su Yi found a quiet place and took out the bronze box containing the mysterious Luo Yao’s skeletal hand.

Immortal light hovered around it, dreamlike and ethereal. The hand’s slender, snowy bones lay silently within the bronze box.

Even though it wasn’t his first time seeing them, Su Yi couldn’t help but feel dazzled. Waves of emotion coursed through his heart.

Does the Immortal Dao of rumors... truly exist?