First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1568 - The Universe Realm Immortal Rankings

Enough time to brew a cup of tea later.

Boom!

The blood-red immortal mist filling the sky dissipated.

A dazzling streak of sword qi extended thirty thousand feet into the air. A long time passed without it dissipating.

The sword qi ran the trial guardian through, and he shattered into a rain of light.

Su Yi rubbed his left cheek. It was bleeding. It was just a minor flesh wound, but it was still an injury.

“He was a bit stronger than the first trial guardian. Truly not bad.” Su Yi had yet to get his fill.

After absorbing the rain of light, Su Yi’s cultivation base didn’t just fully recover. It even advanced, breaking into the mid-stage Cloud Soaring Realm!

This transformation brought with it new power. Su Yi’s will to fight intensified, and he was eager for an opponent to test himself against.

Thus, when he entered the third-floor hall, he couldn’t be bothered to check his ranking. He just proceeded straight to the next trial.

The third battleground was blanketed in thunder and lightning that intimidated and influenced the soul, and the guardian was far stronger than in the second trial.

Furthermore, every time the thunder rumbled, it dealt a terrifying impact to trial-takers’ souls.

But this was exactly what Su Yi was most eager for. If his opponents were too weak, he wouldn’t have been interested in these trials.

“Die!”

Before long, he was locked in fierce combat.

......

Time slipped by.

The sixth-floor hall of the Cave of Trials.

“I wonder whether Suo Yuntu will make it through the sixth trial this time,” whispered Yan Beidu.

He was the most dazzling Universe Realm Immortal in his entire sect. They called him a chosen son of heaven with limitless prospects.

“This trial really is just too difficult. There’s two guardians at once, one in the open, and one in the shadows. It’s almost impossible to defend against them both.” Cheng Xiaohan sighed in exasperation.

Just like Yan Beidu, he was a genius among Universe Realm Immortals, an extraordinary talent. His sect had high hopes for him.

“No need to rush. Let’s take it slow. I predict that if we successfully overcome the sixth trial, we’ll be able to further excavate our talent, and our cultivations will soar!”

Yan Beidu’s eyes flashed with perfect self-confidence.

Cheng Xiaohan shook his head. “But we’re ultimately inferior to Wen Jue of the Divine Jade Pure Lands and Pu Heng of the Six Directions Daoist Temple.”

Yan Beidu froze, then rubbed his nose awkwardly. “They’re both unrivaled monsters of the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings. There’s no comparing us to them.”

Ever since the Age of Fallen Immortals had ended, the Divine Mysteries Pavilion had published ranking lists at regular intervals, and the entire Immortal Realm paid attention, especially to the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings and Void Realm Immortal Rankings.

Everyone who made it onto the lists was a top expert of their respective realm.

Wen Jue of the Divine Jade Pure Lands and Pu Heng of the Six Directions Daoist Temple were both on the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings. Wen Jue was eighty-first, while Pu Heng was ninety-seventh.

“Although a list can’t truly gauge a Universe Realm Immortal’s strength, according to our clan’s ancestor, everyone who makes the list is indeed among the most dazzling figures of the present-day Immortal Realm,” Yan Beidu whispered. “They’re either extraordinarily talented geniuses or monsters so talented as to dazzle any era they appeared in. There is no shortage of chosen of heaven blessed with grand fortune, either. Each is stronger than the one before. I came to the Cave of Trials to transform myself and strive for a spot on the ranking!”

Yan Beidu’s eyes filled with staunch determination.

His emotions seemed to resonate with Cheng Xiaohan. “Indeed. After the long Age of Fallen Immortals, the Immortal Realm has welcomed an unprecedented golden age. In the days to follow, more and more legends are sure to arise. Our generation was born at exactly the right time!”

Suddenly, a bleeding figure staggered out of the portal.

Yan Beidu and Cheng Xiaohan recognized him at a glance. He was the second to attempt the sixth trial earlier, Suo Yuntu.

“I’ve embarrassed myself in front of you!” Suo Yuntu laughed bitterly, plopped down on the ground, and breathed heavily.

He was riddled with wounds and looked wretched. Even his chest had caved in. It was obvious that he’d failed his trial; otherwise, he would never have returned to the sixth-floor hall.

“How is this an embarrassment? We’re here to temper our cultivations. Temporary setbacks don’t mean anything,” Yan Beidu said comfortingly.

Chen Xiaohan, however, just asked, “Do you plan to continue? You’re down to your last chance, Fellow Daoist Suo.”

Trial-takers had three chances to attempt a trial. When they used all three up, they’d be eliminated.

Suo Yuntu had failed the sixth trial twice already. One more failure, and he’d be expelled from the Cave of Trials.

Suo Yuntu didn’t even pause to think. “I’m trying again!”

His gaze was firm. “Even if I fail in the end, I want to fail without regret!”

Yan Beidu and Cheng Xiaohan nodded. They too were dazzling geniuses of the Universe Realm, and all of them had the spirit to rise above the masses. None of them would give up lightly.

Suddenly, space rippled, and a tall, upright figure appeared.

This was none other than Su Yi.

Meanwhile, the golden Dao stele lit up with Su Yi’s rank after overcoming the fifth trial: nine thousand, five hundred and twenty-seventh place.

Yan Beidu and the others glanced at this score, and all of them inwardly relaxed.

His rank was inferior to theirs!

Yan Beidu smiled and inclined his head. “My name is Yan Beidu. Greetings, Fellow Daoist. Might I ask your honorable name and surname?”

Su Yi casually told them his name, then said thoughtfully, “Have you been here a while?”

Yan Beidu smiled. “That’s right. We entered the Cave of Trials half a month ago. What about you, Fellow Daoist?”

“I only arrived today,” said Su Yi.

Yan Beidu was flabbergasted. “Today?”

Cheng Xiaohan and Suo Yuntu were obviously stunned too.

Su Yi nodded. “That’s right. Strictly speaking, I arrived two hours ago.”

“....”

When they first saw Su Yi’s ranking, they thought they’d encountered someone slightly inferior to them. Who’d have thought they’d misjudged him?

Cheng Xiaohan couldn’t help but ask, “Does that mean you passed the previous five trials without pausing to rest?”

Su Yi took out a jug of wine and had a drink before answering. “That’s right.”

“What?!?!"

He'd made it through five trials in a single go? Who was this guy, to be so fierce?

After all, every time they’d overcome a trial, they’d needed to take time to cultivate and process the experiences and revelations they’d had in battle. They also needed to prepare for the trial ahead.

That was true even for top geniuses like Wen Jue and Pu Heng!

Who could have imagined that someone who’d only just arrived in the Cave of Trials today could make it to the sixth floor without pausing to rest?

Suo Yuntu couldn’t help but ask, “In that case, your strength has long since earned you a spot on the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings, so why haven’t we heard of you?”

There was no doubt about it; he only half believed Su YI.

Yan Beidu and Cheng Xiaohan looked at Su Yi, too.

“The Universe Ream Immortal Rankings?” Su Yi asked with great interest. “What’s that?”

Wang Ye’s memories included no mention of any such thing.

Yan Beidu and the others were flabbergasted. “As a Universe Realm Immortal, how could you not know about the rankings?”

Su Yi laughed and shook his head. “You’ve misunderstood. I’m only in the Cloud Soaring Realm. I only just broke into the mid-stage Cloud Soaring Realm earlier.”

“???” The three of them felt like they were going insane. How could a Cloud Soaring Realm cultivator have even gotten into the Cave of Trials?!?

And when had a Cloud Soaring cultivator ever made it to the sixth floor in a single uninterrupted attempt?

“Fellow Daoist, are you sure you aren’t joking around?” Yan Beidu frowned.

Cheng Xiaohan snorted coldly. “There’s no need to even ask. He’s got to be messing with us! Even if he’s a Cloud Soaring Realm cultivator, he ought to know about the Universe Realm Immortal rankings! Yet he insists on playing dumb. Don’t believe a word he says!”

Su Yi was frustrated. When he told the truth, no one believed him! It was as strange as could be!

However, he finally understood that the Immortal Realm now had a Universe Realm Immortal Ranking, and this drew his attention.

Su Yi asked, “Are you perhaps among the elites on the rankings?”

“....” The three of them suddenly felt that Su Yi was simply detestable. Every sentence was barbed!

First, he said he’d made it to the sixth floor without a break. Then he insisted he was really in the Cloud Soaring Realm. Now he was asking them to their faces whether or not they were geniuses of the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings!

How could they bear this?

“Clearly, any further talk would be a waste of time. Please carry on, sir!”

Yan Beidu glared, then returned to his former position. Cheng Xiaohan and Suo Yuntu paid Su Yi no further heed either.

As dazzling experts of the Universe Realm, who among them didn’t have a proud heart?

When Su Yi saw this, he couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head. He said no more, instead turning and passing through the portal to attempt the sixth trial!

“Tell me, do you think that guy was deliberately making fun of us?” Yan Beidu couldn’t help but ask after he left.

“I’m sure of it!” Cheng Xiaohan said furiously. “Who ever heard of someone making it all the way to the sixth floor in a single attempt? And what Cloud Soaring Transcendent could gain entry to the Cave of Trials? Most laughable of all, he pretended not to know about the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings. What is that, if not blatant nonsense?”

Suo Yuntu nodded. “He was surely messing with us!”

Yan Beidu rubbed his nose. “Then do you think he can pass the sixth trial?”

Cheng Xiaohan and Suo Yuntu immediately fell silent.

“According to the rules of the Cave of Trials, even if you can’t beat a trial guardian, so long as you can last an hour, they’ll let you advance to the next floor,” said Yan Beidu. “Let’s wait an hour and see whether or not that guy succeeds!”

The other two nodded.

Time slipped by, and soon, an hour had passed.

There was no sign of Su Yi.

Yan Beidu, Cheng Xiaohan, Suo Yuntu, and the other three exchanged glances. All of them felt conflicted.

Reality proved that even though that Su person told outrageous lies, he really was terrifyingly capable.

He’d actually overcome the sixth trial on his first attempt!

The most unbelievable part was that Su Yi’s name was nowhere to be found on the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings!

The three of them sank into a lengthy silence. They suddenly felt as if they’d been dealt an invisible blow. The sensation wasn’t at all pleasant.

In truth, they’d all guessed wrong.

Su Yi had long since passed both the sixth and seventh trials to arrive in the hall on the eighth floor!