First Immortal of the Sword

“Little Aunt, allow me to introduce you to my Fellow Daoist Shen Mu,” Tang Bao’er said with a smile.

“Oh,” said Tang Yuyan. “What’s his cultivation?”

Tang Bao’er froze, stunned, before catching on. “Fellow Daoist Shen is at the peak of the Universe Realm.”

“The Universe Realm?” Tang Yuyan furrowed her brow. “And what are his origins?”

Her tone was harder and colder, as if this were an interrogation. Furthermore, Su Yi keenly sensed that this unrivaled Immortal Lady of the Tang Family was gazing at him with a hint of enmity.

It didn't quite make sense to him. But of course, Su Yi wasn’t the type to get hung up on such a detail, nor could he be bothered to explain himself. He just stayed seated and sipped his tea.

Tang Bao’er obviously sensed that something was amiss too. She couldn’t help but say, “Little Aunt, what’s up with you? Fellow Daoist Shen is my most respected friend…”

Tang Yuyan frowned. “When did you make this random friend, and why haven't I heard about it? And you say he’s your ‘most respected friend…’? He’s just a Universe Realm Immortal. How is he worthy of such respect?”

She wasn’t being at all polite, and she made no effort to disguise her distaste.

Tang Bao’er was instantly displeased. “Little Aunt, so what if he’s in the Universe Realm? Just a few months ago, a Universe Realm Immortal slew several Immortal Kings at the Seventh Gate of Heaven, creating a storm of bloodshed that shook the entire Immortal Realm!”

Tang Yuyan froze, stunned. She couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re talking about Su Yi? I know about him. He is indeed a rare, heaven-defying genius, but how could you be so immature as to compare this nobody to him?”

Tang Bao’er was speechless.

Before she could respond, Tang Yuyan continued, “There are countless Universe Realm Immortals in this world, but Su Yi is one of a kind!

"Never mind the rest. He was strong enough to kill the unrivaled Demon Noble of the Silvermoon Demons, Yin Beiwu. You could search the entire Immortal Realm without finding another Universe Realm Immortal capable of such a feat!"

Despite herself, Tang Yuyan's beautiful eyes filled with admiration. “There’s absolutely no one else like him. There never has been, and there never will be. It would be hard not to respect him!”

Tang Bao’er and Su Yi exchanged glances. Both of them had strange looks on their faces, as if they didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

She knew better than to divulge Su Yi’s identity, but she longed to shout, “Little Aunt, open your eyes wide and have a good look. The Shen Mu you’ve been insulting and the Su Yi you admire are one and the same!”

But she could only force these words back down.

Tang Yuyan didn’t notice any of this. She looked at Su Yi once more, then said, “Go on. Tell me where you came from, how you met Bao’er, and what you’re after. If you lie to me, it won’t end well for you after I learn the truth!”

She spoke coldly, as if she were interrogating a criminal.

“Little Aunt!!” Tang Bao’er stomped her feet in fury. “Fellow Daoist Shen is my friend. How can you treat him like this? If you’re going to be like that, just leave!”

Tang Yuyan sighed. “Lass, you can know someone for a long time without understanding their true nature. If I weren’t worried about your safety and afraid that others would deceive and exploit you, how could I possibly concern myself with this?”

Su Yi finally understood. Tang Yuyan seemed certain that he had ulterior motives for approaching Tang Bao’er. That was why she was so hostile to him!

Tang Bao’er said in a huff, “Little Aunt, this is Tang Family territory. Do you really think Fellow Daoist Shen would try anything here?”

“The more you argue, the more worried I am that he’s bewitched you,” said Tang Yuyan. “How about this? Let me ask him about his origins, and if it turns out that all of this was just one big misunderstanding, I’ll apologize. How about it?”

But then, someone shouted a rebuke from outside the pavilion. “Yuyan, you’re being impudent!”

Tang Lingqi rushed in, a dark look on his face. There was no doubt about it; he’d overheard their conversation.

Tang Yuyan frowned. “Seventh Uncle, where’d that come from?”

Tang Lingqi ignored her, walked right up to Su Yi, and said apologetically, “We’ve embarrassed ourselves, Fellow Daoist Shen. Please don’t take offense.”

Su Yi waved the apology away. “The ignorant are without sin.”

Tang Yuyan was stunned; she keenly sensed that something wasn’t right here. She asked in disbelief, “Seventh Uncle, you… how could you apologize to a Universe Realm Immortal like that?”

Tang Lingqi snorted coldly, “Yuyan, all I can say is that Fellow Daoist Shen is such a distinguished guest that the Tang Family is lucky he accepted our invitation. Apologize for your rudeness!”

His voice was stern.

Tang Yuyan’s beautiful face shifted erratically. “You… You want me to apologize to him?”

But Su Yi’s interest was waning. “No need for that. Let’s just let this end here; I feel no need to pursue something so trivial.”

Tang Yuyan’s expression filled with uncertainty. She’d already realized that she’d misunderstood Shen Mu, but her pride staunchly opposed apologizing to a Universe Realm Immortal like him.

Tang Lingqi felt a headache coming on just watching it. Yuyan is wonderful in almost every way, but she’s too cold and proud.

“Yuyan, step back for now.” Tang Lingqi waved, and Tang Yuyan left without another word.

Just like that, this little interlude passed.

Tang Lingqi took a seat, smiled, and exchanged pleasantries with Su Yi. He was delighted that Su Yi had come.

Suddenly, Su Yi asked, “I’d like to ask you about something. Why did Gong Nanfeng, a descendant of the Misty God Mountain Gong Family, join the Church of the Pure One? Has the entire Gong Family defected?”

“That’s no secret,” said Tang Lingqi. “Long ago, during the Age of Fallen Immortals, the Gong Family suffered beneath the cataclysm, and their lives hung in the balance.

“It was the leader of the Church of the Pure One who intervened at a critical juncture, saving them from catastrophe. The Gong Family has served the Church of the Pure One ever since.”

Su Yi was stunned. “Was the Church of the Pure One really so well-intentioned?”

Tang Lingqi’s gaze shifted inscrutably, and he lowered his voice. “No. That’s just something they say to trick the general populace. According to our intelligence, the Gong family really was in peril, but the Church of the Pure One didn’t show up to help them. Rather, they came to loot a burning house!”

Su Yi’s gaze focused, but before he could ask any further questions, Tang Lingqi continued, “The Church of the Pure One wanted to force them to submit. The Gong Family struggled bitterly, but in the end, the church’s forces surrounded them, killing until the ground ran rivers with blood. Countless people died.

“Finally, the last remaining Gong clansmen couldn’t take it anymore, and they chose to submit to the Church of the Pure One! They’ve been one of the church’s auxiliary factions ever since.”

Only then did Su Yi understand. He whispered, “So that’s it.”

How could he fail to realize why the Church of the Pure One had decided to take advantage of the Gong Family’s misfortune?

It was surely connected to him and his past life! After all, the Gong Family had worked under Wang Ye. That meant it was inevitable that the Church of the Pure One would view them with enmity!

Tang Lingqi took out a talisman and passed it to Su Yi. “Fellow Daoist, this is a talisman needed to participate in the Divine Hunt.

“With it, you’ll be able to get past the Anti-Demon Barrier surrounding the Divine Hunt Demon Mountains. If you run into life-threatening danger, you can crush it, and you’ll be immediately teleported off the mountain.

“Even so, danger is inevitable. After all, if someone catches you off guard, you might not even have time to shatter the talisman.

“Over the years, no small number of Immortal Lords died because they couldn’t shatter their talisman in time.”

Tang Lingqi patiently explained this, then took out a robe and passed it to Su Yi. “This was woven out of Divine Illusion Ice Silkworm silk. It can obscure your aura; so long as you wear it, not even Immortal Kings will be able to determine your true cultivation.”

Su Yi’s gaze was strange. “Did you register me as an Immortal Lord?”

Tang Lingqi was instantly a bit sheepish. “I did. After all, according to the rules, only Immortal Lords are permitted to participate.

“But it seems to me that you needn’t worry about that. You’re strong enough to kill Immortal Lords with ease. Once you’re on the mountain, so what if someone sees through your true cultivation? What can they do?”

Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. Typically, people of higher cultivations feigned lower cultivations, playing the pig to eat the tiger.

Yet now, Tang Lingqi was trying to pass a Universe Realm Immortal off as an Immortal Lord. It somehow felt strange.

But Su Yi didn’t mind. In his eyes, it didn’t matter how high or low his cultivation base was at the moment.

Tang Bao’er couldn’t help but interject, “Grand Uncle, just now, Little Aunt found out that he’s in the Universe Realm, and she’s participating in the Divine Hunt. What if she…”

“I’ll go find her,” said Tang Lingqi. “I’ll make sure her lips are sealed.”

After chatting a while longer, Tang Lingqi led Su Yi to the residence he’d personally arranged for him, then bade farewell.

Su Yi took out his wicker chair, casually sat down, and started examining a jade slip.

Tang Lingqi had given it to him, and it recorded a list of Immortal Lords participating in the upcoming Divine Hunt.

There were 1,913 of them in total. The list included each of their names, origins, and cultivations in elaborate detail.

Gong Nanfeng of the Church of the Pure One was there too.

Su Yi skimmed the list, but just as he was about to put it away, one of the names drew his attention, and his gaze focused.

Chu Batian.

The unrivaled Immortal Lord of the Eastern Seas’ Jade Firmament Immortal Palace. He was a pureblooded descendant of the Kui Oxen, one of the ten greatest Immortal Lords of the Eastern Seas, and the seventh legacy disciple of Jade Firmament Immortal Palace’s leader.

Immortal Sovereign Sky Killer was one of his ancestors!

“So, this kid is one of Chu Shentong’s descendants…” Su Yi’s eyes flashed. “If I capture him, I’ll have no need to fear failing to find the old man…”

Seth's Thoughts

The Kui (ox) is a rather curious creature. If you're unfamiliar or need a refresher, it's a dragon-like ox or an ox-like dragon with one leg and a booming voice.

From the Classic of Mountains and Seas:

"In the East Sea, there is Liubo Mountain, extending seven thousand li into the sea. On it, there is a beast, resembling an ox, with a blue body, without horns, and with one leg. Whenever it emerges from or enters the water, it brings wind and rain. Its light shines like the sun and moon, and its voice roars like thunder. Its name is Kui."

Immortal Sovereign Sky Killer was mentioned once, briefly, in chapter 1575.

Four top experts of the Eastern Seas participated in the Battle of Eternal Night. Three of them, Wang Ye had killed a long time ago.

One of them, Immortal Sovereign Sky Killer, managed to escape disaster. He was one of the founders of Jade Firmament Immortal Palace, as well as one of the Five Sovereigns of the Yao Path.