First Immortal of the Sword

The light of the Grand Dao surged through the sky from all directions. 

The old blind man and the others each got to work, gathering it with all their might.

This was manifested of the power of the Azure Contient’s source, and it was full of the divine charm of the Grand Dao. Regardless of their level, this was the type of good fortune cultivators could usually only dream of.

To their delight, gathering the power of the Grand Dao took almost no effort at all!

Xuan Ning and Ye Xun took action at the same time.

However, Su Yi undoubtedly benefited the most. 

It was as if he were a torch, and the “raindrops” of light of the Grand Dao were like moths to the flame. They surged toward him, one after another.

As a result, the skies around Su Yi were completely enshrouded in the boundless rain of light!

This unbelievable scene drew attention from cultivators throughout Nine Tripod City.

However, no one dared approach to seize good fortune from him.

A man’s reputation didn’t appear out of nowhere. Who was so sick of living as to set their sights on Su Yi’s good fortune?

Still, there was no denying that the cultivators in Nine Tripod City were lucky.

As time passed, Su Yi drew more and more of the rain of the Grand Dao to the city. It poured onto the city, far denser than anywhere else. The cultivators within the city naturally benefited from this too; it made gathering the rain of the Grand Dao much easier.

Whoosh~ Whoosh~

Waves of the light rain of the Grand Dao fused into Su Yi’s body. All of it surged into the Seed of the Azure.

He was already at the peak of the Spiritual Manifestation Realm, on the verge of a breakthrough.

Now, as he gathered the light of the Grand Dao, he ensured that when he broke into the Spiritual Incarnation Realm, he’d forge the firmest possible foundations with ease!

Heaven and earth were in turmoil, and the dense rain of the Grand Dao poured down on the human world like a waterfall.

It wasn’t just Su Yi and his companions; throughout the Azure Continent, every living thing frantically absorbed this unprecedented stroke of good fortune.

However, there was simply too much of it above Nine Tripod City. It was vast and boundless, and it blanketed heaven and earth. It was far more abundant than anywhere else.

Rather, some of the rain that ought to have fallen in other places instead surged toward Nine Tripod City.

Were someone to look down from on high, they’d see that all territories within ten thousand miles of Nine Tripod City were affected.

Naturally, numerous people noticed these changes.

“Why is the source power of the Grand Dao gathering around Nine Tripod City?” some asked in bewilderment.

“The Xia Emperor must be behind this!” Others gnashed their teeth, their expressions dark.

“If the power of the Grand Dao all shoots toward Nine Tripod City, how will we get our share?”

“Come on! Let’s go to Nine Tripod City! We can’t let the imperial family monopolize this good fortune!”

Numerous cultivators launched into action, rushing to Nine Tripod City from all sides.

….

“Brother Su, I can no longer suppress my cultivation boundary,” said Wen Xinzhao.

Su Yi was briefly stunned, but then, he laughed. “You don’t need to suppress it. Go ahead and break through; I’ll act as your dharma protector.”

“Mm!”

She was dressed in clothes as white as snow, with an ancient sword strapped to her back. When she stopped suppressing her cultivation, her aura instantly erupted, like a long dormant volcano.

Boom!

Forceful sword intent soared into the heavens.

Dark tribulation clouds gathered deep in the dome of heaven, and the destructive aura of an impending tribulation swept across heaven and earth.

The skies were like a curtain of dusk, and the stars shone at midday. The light of the Grand Dao was still falling like rain, and now, someone was undergoing their Tribulation of Spiritual Manifestation. The entire stretch of heaven and earth was instantly thrown into turmoil and permeated with a strange, intimidating atmosphere.

By breaking through now, she can absorb the source power of the Grand Dao amidst the destruction. That will help her cultivation base undergo a complete metamorphosis… thought Su Yi.

Boom!

Tribulation lightning rumbled, and lightning fell.

Throughout Nine Tripod City, numerous cultivators were paying attention to this disturbance, and all were astonished.

Wen Xinzhao’s graceful figure stood in the air, like a lady immortal of the sword killing her way through the nine heavens as she welcomed her Tribulation of Spiritual Manifestation. 

Boom!

The tribulation was dazzlingly bright, and the aura it emanated was terrifying beyond limit.

Wen Xinzhao clashed with it head-on, showing no sign of fear whatsoever. She darted about, nimble as a streak of sword light, fighting within the rumbling thunder and lightning.

Su Yi watched carefully for a moment, then looked away.

Wen Xinzhao’s tribulation of Spiritual Manifestation was unimaginably powerful, but Su Yi could tell that it couldn’t threaten her.

“Master, I… I'm going to break through too…” Qing Wan stammered not much later.

Su Yi was just about to nod his agreement when something suddenly occurred to him, and he said to the other, “Stay here for now. I’m taking Qing Wan outside the city.”

With that, he shot outside city limits, Qing Wan hot on his heels.

Once they were outside, Su Yi stood in midair and said, “You can begin.”

Qing Wan nodded. Her fiery red dress swayed, and her deep, clear gaze turned toward the dome of heaven.

In that moment—

Boom!

Tribulation thunder rumbled deep within the dome of heaven.

A stretch of strange, blood-colored tribulation clouds surged forth, the sight stinging the eyes. The calamitous aura they emanated was enough to make one’s hair stand on end.

“Tribulation clouds like blood, taking the shape of a datura flower. This is one of the three most taboo tribulations a soul cultivator can face!”

The old blind man watched this play out from within Nine Tripod City, and he couldn’t help but cry out, looking utterly surprised.

In the Netherworld, those capable of triggering the three great forbidden Tribulations of Spiritual Manifestation were absolutely as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns. Even in peak orthodoxies, they were the cream of the crop!

A Datura Flower Tribulation… Her Tribulation of Spiritual Manifestation isn’t at all ordinary… thought Su Yi.

He could naturally determine what type of tribulation this was.

However, he wasn’t exactly surprised. He was well aware of Qing Wan’s foundations and aptitude, and furthermore, she’d been cultivating by his side, and she practiced the Ten Directions Asura Sutra. Among ghost cultivators, she was already a peak-level genius.

Boom!

The blood-colored tribulation clouds churned as the grand tribulation erupted.

Bright red tribulation lightning ripped through the sky, crashing murderously down. The aura of destruction it emanated was terrifying beyond limit.

At that moment, Qing Wan seemed like an entirely different person. Her clear eyes flashed like lightning, her bearing was sharp and forceful, and she emanated an air of aloof, contemptuous pride.

Her blood-colored dress swayed around her as she met her tribulation head-on.

Su Yi stood with his hands behind his back, watching from afar.

Occasionally, he glanced at the city, where Wen Xinzhao was undergoing her tribulation.

The more time passed, the less worried he was.

It was just as he’d thought; both Qing Wan and Wen Xinzhao had long since prepared to meet their respective tribulations.

Even if their tribulations were both extremely rare and terrifying, their abilities and aptitude were enough to handle them.

Hm? Su Yi suddenly noticed that numerous cultivators had blurred into streaks of light, and they were shooting toward Nine Tripod City from afar.

After a moment’s thought, he understood.

He was using the aura of the Seed of the Azure to gather the light of the Grand Dao. This had undoubtedly made it harder for cultivators in other places to absorb it.

Thus, they’d all rushed to Nine Tripod City. They were here to vie for good fortune, nothing more.

However, Su Yi wasn’t overly concerned.

The rain of the Grand Dao was boundlessly enormous, and it blanketed the entire continent. There was no way any one person could monopolize it.

Not even he could possibly seize it all for himself. 

“Stop! That’s Banished Immortal Su!”

“This…”

“This won’t be easy.”

Numerous voices rang out. When the cultivators who’d rushed over saw Su Yi hovering overhead, their expressions changed, and they stopped in their tracks.

As time passed, more and more cultivators gathered in the surrounding area.

But from beginning to end, no one dared approach the gates of Nine Tripod City.

Because Su Yi was there! Who in this world didn’t know how terrifying Su Yi was?

However, they weren’t willing to just up and leave.

All of a sudden, the atmosphere was stifled and restless.

Finally, one of the older-generation cultivators worked up his courage and said in a quavering voice, “Su… Your Excellency Su Yi, can… can we compete for good fortune here?"

All eyes were instantly upon Su Yi.

Su Yi said without the slightest interest, “Sure.”

It was just one word, but it was like a blessing from the heavens. The gathered cultivators all whooped for joy.

“Many thanks, Your Excellency!”

“Many thanks!”

Cries of gratitude swept forth like a wave.

Some of the cultivators were inwardly delighted. With His Excellency Su here, we can vie for the rain of the light of the Grand Dao without fear of others’ wickedness. This is unquestionably wonderful news for us!

And that was indeed the case.

More cultivators arrived from all directions to vie for good fortune, but they all seemed very restrained. None dared cause conflict or disorder; they each relied on their skills to compete for good fortune. 

The reason for this was simple: they were worried that they’d displease Su Yi otherwise!

Time slipped by.

In the time it took to brew a cup of tea, Wen Xinzhao successfully overcame her tribulation, smoothly entering the Spiritual Manifestation Realm. She was now a true advanced cultivator of the Spirit Dao!

“Quick, go back and enter seclusion to stabilize your cultivation.” Su Yi smiled, then ordered from afar.

“Got it!” Wen Xinzhao straightforwardly agreed, turned, and headed back to Azurecloud Court.

Not long after, Qing Wan welcomed the last layer of her lightning tribulation too.

However, the last layer was utterly strange. It took on the form of a grayish, dim, bloody vortex thousands of feet across.

The calamitous aura it emanated stimulated the nearby cultivators, and without exception, their expressions shifted.

“What level of Tribulation of Spiritual Manifestation is that?” A series of startled cries rang out.

“Just as I thought. Qing Wan’s tribulation is no ordinary Datura Flower Tribulation…” Su Yi’s eyes flashed.

Last year, on their way to the Great Xia, Qing Wan underwent her tribulation of metamorphosis, acquiring a spiritual body. At the time, she faced a similarly taboo tribulation.

A quick look at bit.ly/3iBfjkV will leave you more fulfilled.

It was for that reason that Su Yi led her outside Nine Tripod City. This way, she wouldn’t affect Wen Xinzhao.

Su Yi suddenly sensed something, and he looked at Qing Wan.

He wasn’t sure when it had gotten there, but the image of a strange landscape had appeared around Qing Wan: mountains and rivers hanging upside-down from the sky, overlooking an abyss!

Upon closer inspection, the image resembled a strange, indifferent eye. The inverted landscape was its pupil, its depth a void-like abyss. 

“It’s that mysterious power merged with Qing Wan’s latent potential again…” Su Yi’s eyes narrowed.

This was already his second time seeing that mysterious power.