First Immortal of the Sword

“That kid sure is unlucky.” The Immortal Lord who’d been walloped so hard he had a bump on his head laughed with sadistic glee.

“Fool! Why aren’t you running?” An Immortal Lord sighed.

Another Immortal Lord gnashed his teeth. “No, if he runs, I won’t be happy at all. All of us got robbed. Why should he get off scot-free?”

All of them noticed that Zhuo Yun was targeting Su Yi.

Su Yi just stood there as if all of this were perfectly normal. He didn’t flee. On the contrary, he looked at Zhuo Yun with great interest and said nothing at all.

His sheer composure left the monk stunned. He stood several hundred feet away and smiled warmly, “Why not leave, dear benefactor?”

Su Yi laughed. “I’m a compassionate sort myself, you know. I’m waiting here to see whether or not you’ll give me an opportunity to exercise my compassion.”

The crowd was gobsmacked. What’s going on?

Zhuo Yun was stunned too. “Is that so? Well… in that case, how about you cooperate and donate all of your demonic cores to this humble monk?”

“I’d be delighted to,” said Su Yi. With that, he took out a core and loosened his grip. The core fell and rolled in the dirt. It would have rolled away if he hadn’t trapped it beneath his toes.

“Go on,” said Su Yi. “Take it. Don’t forget to chant a verse of gratitude.”

The crowd gasped in astonishment. This guy seriously dares to humiliate Zhuo Yun?

Ferocious!

Zhuo Yun is one of the most attention-grabbing, unrivaled Immortal Lords participating in this Divine Hunt. He’s also a favorite to take first place!

Zhuo Yun gazed at the core beneath Su Yi’s feet. His brow gradually furrowed, and his handsome face filled with uncertainty.

His hands tightened around the treasure seal.

But against the crowd’s expectations, Zhuo Yun didn’t attack immediately. Instead, he gazed intently at Su Yi, as if trying to see through him. “Benefactor, are you… trying to insult this humble monk?”

Su Yi smiled. “No, these are indeed alms. I’m a compassionate sort, and when I see a beggar, I naturally can’t help but express my goodwill.”

A beggar!?

The distant Immortal Lords’ eyes practically popped out of their sockets. Just who is this guy? How dare he insult Zhuo Yun to his face?

But the crowd was surprised once more, as Zhuo Yun still didn’t attack. On the contrary, he turned and left without a word!

“Stop right there,” said Su Yi. “Didn’t you say that fate brought us together? Wait up. How could you leave so soon?”

Su Yi was already chasing after him.

“Fate can be good or bad! This humble monk has business elsewhere, so I’ll have to be on my way. If you chase me, don’t blame me for becoming a golden vajra of fury and smiting you as I might a yao or demon!” bellowed Zhuo Yun.

His legs picked up the pace, and he tore through the air like lightning.

“This…” The crowd’s eyes widened. They were completely baffled. Why is Zhuo Yun running away? Don’t tell me he’s afraid?

No, that can’t be! He’s an unrivaled Immortal Lord! A heaven-defying expert capable of crossing realms to fight early-stage Miracle Realm Immortal Kings!

As the crowd watched in bewilderment, the hum of a sword resounded through the cloudy dome of heaven.

Boom!

Several thought feet away, sword qi pierced the sky, and heaven and earth changed color.

Zhuo Yun suddenly froze in place. That sword qi had landed not far ahead of him, shattering the skies to create a massive chasm.

If he hadn’t stopped right in the nick of time, it would have cleaved him open!

Just as I thought. That guy’s a deeply hidden expert. He was trying to turn my attempt at robbery against me!

When Zhuo Yun sensed the power of that strike, he couldn’t help but gasp.

During his conversation with Su Yi, his instincts keenly detected that something was amiss. He couldn’t put a finger on why, but he was afraid.

Thus, he chose to retreat without hesitation.

When this strike landed, it proved that his instincts were right on the mark!

“I donated to you out of compassion, but you didn’t just refuse to thank me. You even turned and left. Don’t you think that’s overly disrespectful?” Su Yi drifted over with a smile on his face.

Zhuo Yun couldn’t help but grimace. “Can I refuse your generosity?”

“No,” said Su Yi decisively. “You ought to accept others’ kindness with a smile. How could it possibly be acceptable for you to refuse my generosity?”

“....”

“...”

Neither Zhuo Yun nor the onlookers knew what to say to that.

Zhuo Yun suddenly steeled himself and said, “Brother, let’s just go our separate ways. Keep pushing me, and I really won’t be polite any longer!”

“Good,” laughed Su Yi. “It’s best if you aren’t polite.”

Boom!

Zhuo Yun flung the treasure seal into the air.

Su Yi waved his sleeves. The light of the Dao rumbled and boomed, blocking the seal and sending it flying backward.

Zhuo Yun poured his strength into his alms bowl with a burst of Buddhist light. It instantly transformed into a hundred-foot-tall golden vajra and swung its fist at Su Yi.

It struck with such force that it seemed as if the skies were falling.

Su Yi stretched out his hand and slashed the air.

Boom!

The golden vajra split in two, then fell apart.

Meanwhile, Su Yi took a step forward, and countless streaks of sword qi whooshed forth, descending upon Zhuo Yun.

The dense rain of sword qi swept through heaven and earth, stinging the onlookers’ eyes to the point that they couldn’t even watch.

Zhuo Yun inhaled. Suddenly, he had three heads, each with the countenance of a Buddhist statue, and six arms. Each held a different treasure—an alms bowl, a treasure seal, a jade ruler, a bronze lamp, a demon-smiting mace, and a string of prayer beads. He rode on a lotus platform and charged at Su Yi.

As they fought, Buddhist light burst forth and sword qi swept through the skies, throwing heaven and earth into upheaval. Heaven and earth shook, and everything dimmed.

“That guy’s actually this strong?”

“Who is he? How can he fight Zhuo Yun like that?”

“There’s no doubt about it. We completely misjudged him…”

The distant Immortal Lords watched their duel in astonishment and disbelief. All of them struggled to stay calm.

Boom!

Sword qi fell like rain, sweeping through the skies and chopping the Buddhist light to bits.

That tyrannical momentum was so overpowering that Zhuo Yun had no choice but to transform once more. His expression was unprecedentedly solemn. Buddhist flame surged around him, and his skin sparkled like glass. He seemed invincible and indestructible as he circulated the full extent of his cultivation base.

Only then did he just barely manage to block Su Yi’s attack.

Waves of astonishment coursed through Zhuo Yun’s heat. Where did this monster come from? Why haven’t I heard of him?

Meanwhile, Su Yi’s robes billowed around him, and he seemed leisurely at ease. With every gesture, sword qi flew through the air, filling heaven and earth with increasing force and momentum.

Finally, Zhuo Yun couldn’t take it anymore. Alarm appeared on his handsome face, and he no longer dared hold back. He finally used the card he’d been keeping in reserve.

Boom!

His lotus platform took the skies and bloomed, visions of three thousand worlds reflected on its twenty-four petals. Grand, sacred chanting resounded through the air.

In the blink of an eye, the lotus platform neutralized Su Yi’s strikes, one after another.

“The Twenty-Four Devas Lotus Platform Technique?” Su YI smiled, then stretched his hand into the air and grabbed. A streak of sword qi formed in his grip, and he slashed the air.

Boom!

It was as if the river of stars were pouring down to earth. Dazzling sword qi stung in the eyes. Countless stars seemed to surge within it, and when it landed, the earth shook. The very sky itself was thrown into disarray.

The lotus platform barely lasted an instant before it couldn’t take it anymore. It split on impact, its petals crushed.

Zhuo Yun finally looked panicked. His figure blurred as he fled into the distance.

But when Su Yi saw this, he couldn’t help but look moved. A strange light shone in his eyes. This guy really does cultivate the Lotus Bodhi Sutra!

Without any further hesitation, Su Yi swung his sword.

However, it was aimed behind him.

Bang!!!

The sky shook, and a figure staggered backward. Shockingly, it was none other than Zhuo Yun.

The “Zhuo Yun” who’d just tried to flee popped like a soap bubble and disappeared.

There was no doubt about it. This was an unbelievable secret art capable of deceiving the senses and intermingling truths and lies! Had Su Yi mistaken the fleeing Zhuo Yun for the real thing, he would have been attacked from behind. The consequences would be unpredictable

“You actually saw through my Thousand Leaf Bodhi Body’s secrets?” Zhuo Yun found this hard to believe.

Su Yi’s strike landed, and although he blocked much of the power within that strike, it hurt so badly that he almost coughed up blood. His handsome face was a bit pallid.

“Doppelgangers as numerous as the leaves of a Bodhi tree might fool others’ senses. They might not be able to tell which one of you is real, but to me, that really isn’t hard at all,” Su Yi said calmly.

Zhuo Yun sighed deeply, withdrew his aura, and said, “I won’t fight any longer. I admit defeat. What do you want? Are you after my demonic cores, or some other treasure.”

Su Yi shook his head. “I fought you simply to see if you were really Old Monk Nie Ti’s disciple.”

Nie Ti.

A founding expert of Lotus Temple.

Prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals, he was honored as Buddhist Sovereign Nie Ti. He invented the supreme secret Buddhist Legacy, the Lotus Bodhi Sutra, and his prestige shook the heavens. He was a top expert at the very pinnacle of the Immortal Dao.

Back in the day, Buddhist Sovereign Nie Ti protected the Ninth Gate of Heaven for one hundred thousand years. Wherever his Buddhist light shone, countless demons fled!

Even Wang Ye admired him, and after reaching the Pinnacle of the Dao, the two of them sparred frequently. Buddhist Sovereign Nie Ti had provided him with invaluable guidance!

In the years that followed, Wang Ye surpassed Nie Ti, but that did nothing to diminish his respect for the great Buddhist expert.

That was why Su Yi could tell at a glance that Zhuo Yun practiced the Lotus Bodhi Sutra. His aura was grand yet ethereal, like a lotus platform in bloom or a bodhi tree extending its roots. It was profound and unfathomable.

Now, Su Yi confirmed his initial guess!

Zhuo Yun was stunned, as if he found this hard to believe. “In that case, why make trouble for me?”

Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “You tried to rob me, didn't you? Buddhists attach great importance to cause and effect; you can’t overturn karma.”

Zhuo Yun felt a massive weight lift from his shoulders, and he sighed in relief. “I do indeed cultivate the Lotus Bodhi Sutra, but I’m not Founder Nie Ti’s disciple. He… hasn’t accepted disciples in a long time.”

“Where is he now?”

“By the time the curtains fell on the Age of Fallen Immortals, he’d already left Lotus Temple. There’s been no word of him since. He most likely left to avoid divine misfortune,” Zhuo Yun said casually. “As I’m sure you know, in the present day, those experts at the pinnacle of the Immortal Dao are all petrified at the thought of death. Inexplicable divine misfortune has forced them into hiding, and to date, none of them dare show their face.”

He spoke without the slightest politeness, as if he wasn’t afraid of those Great Realm powerhouses at all.

Suddenly, he couldn’t help but ask, “Forgive my boldness, but might I ask who you are and how you recognized my Thousand Leaf Bodhi Body?”

Su Yi smiled. “Buddhists attach great importance to fate. When fate wills it, you’ll naturally have your answers.”

With that, he turned and left.

Zhuo Yun didn’t know what to say to that. “...”