First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 385: Mowing Down Foes Like Mustard Grass

The Blood Sacrifice Spirit Array was an ancient, grand formation placed here by the third-generation leader of the Immortals Sword House, Bai Changhen.

If it absorbed the blood essence of a True Spirit divine beast, its power was sufficient to slay all foes beneath the Imperial Realm!

Now, the formation’s power was under Chu Xiu’s control. Although its power had yet to reach its upper limit, it was still so terrifying that Tong Xinghai, Clarifying Truth, and the others despaired.

Yet now, Su Yi had taken down a manifestation of the formation’s power in a single slash!

This was unquestionably unbelievable!

Before the crowd could react—

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

As Su Yi waved his sword, streak after streak of sword qi manifested from the inscrutable power of the restriction shot forth and descended.

The seventeen charging monstrosities burst apart like giant soap bubbles and scattered into flecks of light.

Rumble!

The dispersed power of the formation fell like rain, then swept outward like a windstorm.

“This….”

“How terrifying!”

Tong Xinghai, Clarifying Truth, and the others were all visibly stunned.

Hua Xinfeng, however, finally understood. Earlier, the clear talisman array Su Yi had carved on the palace gates seemed like it failed to break through the seal, but in truth, it acted as a key, giving Su Yi control over the power of the restriction!

“You can actually control the Heavensphere Yao Emperor’s Heaven-Sealing Formation of the Nine Absolutes?” Chu Xiu could no longer keep his cool, and his expression shifted erratically.

And here he’d been completely assured of his victory. He thought that the power of the Blood Sacrifice Spirit Array was enough to slaughter anyone who stood in his way.

Who would have thought that Su Yi would break through his ultimate trump card so easily?

He felt as if someone had whacked him over the head out of nowhere, catching him completely off guard. How could he possibly remain calm?

“When I first stepped onto the thirty-three-step staircase, I sensed that there was something strange about the statues. I knew they housed the power of the restriction, and that someone was already controlling them,” said Su Yi calmly. “I originally planned to use various methods to destroy the restrictions, one by one, but when I discovered the power sealing the palace gates, I immediately changed my mind.”

He then turned to look at the distant Chu Xiu. “You saw what happened after that. I used the power of the restriction to break the power of the restriction.”

Without exception, the onlookers’ hearts shook. They realized that Su Yi picked up on the palace’s mysteries as soon as they arrived, and furthermore, that he'd prepared ample countermeasures!

Both his methods and his thought process were unquestionably terrifying.

Chu Xiu took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. “I don’t understand. According to the ancient records of the Immortals’ Sword House, it was their founder, the Heavensphere Yao Emperor, who left this palace here. They said that only the power of the Blood Sacrifice Spirit Array can unlock the Heaven-Sealing Formation of the Nine Absolutes covering the palace. How could you possibly seize control of it so easily?”

“You wouldn’t understand even if I told you,” said Su Yi casually.

The Heaven-Sealing Formation of the Nine Absolutes was indeed an imperial-level killing formation of unfathomable power.

However, over countless years, the formation’s power had ebbed. All that remained was its meager?source energy, just enough to maintain its operations.

In its current state, so long as one saw through its core profundities, they could use the Dao of Talismans and Formations to effortlessly control all of its mysteries and strengths.

“Hah? Fellow Daoist Su, don’t tell me you really think you’ve already won?” Chu Xiu couldn’t help but laugh coldly.

Su Yi wasn’t the least bit polite. His only response was a swing of the sword.

Whoosh!

Streaks of sword qi mingled with the obscure power of the restriction filling the air, hurtling toward the distant Chu Xiu.

Chu Xiu made no attempt to dodge. Instead, his eerie green eyes stared intently at Su Yi, and when he spoke, he paused for emphasis between each word.

“Su Yi, you’ve ruined my plans! Next time we meet, I’ll be sure to show you what I can do!” Chu Xiu's voice still echoed through the air as radiant sword light enveloped him completely.

Boom!

His body instantly burst into countless fragments.

When they saw this, Tong Xinghai, Clarifying Truth, and the others’ hearts shook, but at the same time, they were confused.?He’s already dead. What does he mean, ‘next time we meet’?

Hua Xinfeng wondered the same thing, so she promptly asked Su Yi.

“That isn’t his true body,” said Su Yi. He reached out and grabbed the air, pulling the fragments of Chu Xiu’s body towards him.

Upon closer inspection, the pieces were burnt scraps of iron.

“No wonder that guy kept refusing to fight me,” sneered Su Yi. “He was actually just a puppet refined through a secret technique.”

“A puppet?” Hua Xinfeng was flabbergasted, and her eyes widened in disbelief. “He seemed so real. How could he possibly be a puppet?”

“It’s called a Demon Puppet. It’s a type of alchemy used by demonic cultivators. They take a living person’s skin, flesh, and bones, as well as various divine medicines and materials. After a unique process and with the support of secret spells, the Demon Puppet that results is no different from a living person,” said Su Yi casually.

“Controlling the Demon Puppet requires secret soul arts. You have to sever a portion of your soul and fuse it into the Demon Puppet’s body. That way, the puppet will become an avatar with intelligence, spirituality, and life force.”

He paused, then said, “Unless fighting breaks out, even cultivators like me find it difficult to recognize a Demon Puppet’s presence, never mind ordinary people.”

Hua Xinfeng couldn’t help but sigh in amazement.

She’d never even heard of a Demon Puppet before, but Su Yi hadn’t just heard of them; it seemed he knew their refining methods like the back of his hand!

Whoosh! Whoosh!

It was then that Rong He and Elder Yun suddenly fled, shooting into the distance.

Su Yi glanced at them, then waved his sleeves.

Boom!

A swath of the restriction’s power shot forth, opening like a net and instantly enveloping them both. It then dragged them back, and they landed right in front of Su Yi.

Tong Xinghai, Clarifying Truth and the others had planned to run too. When they saw this, their hearts gave into despair.

Su Yi was already strong enough to kill every last one of them.

Now that he’d seized control over the Heaven-Sealing Formation of the Nine Absolutes, he had effectively become the master of this entire vast and majestic palace.

Conversely, they’d become little more than fish on the chopping block. They could do nothing but wait to be slaughtered!

“You two are Possessed too, yet you’re willing to serve Chu Xiu. Don’t tell me… Are you from the same plane of existence?” Su Yi stood there with his hands behind his back, facing Rong He and Elder Yun.

Elder Yun was visibly terrified, and he said in a quavering voice, “Su Yi, I urge you to let us go. Otherwise, when our lord appears in the flesh…”

Before he could finish, both he and Rong He coughed up blood. Their life force rapidly left them, and they collapsed to the ground, dead.

Both were experts, and both were Possessed, yet now, they’d died, just like that!

Su Yi’s brow furrowed. “He placed a curse on their souls? This Chu Xiu is actually quite capable.”

He’d originally planned to remove their souls and investigate their origins. Now, he could only give up on the idea.

Then, he turned his gaze on the distant Tong Xinghai, Old Yao Sky Serpent, Clarifying Truth, Shang Luoyu, and the other survivors. All of their expressions changed; they felt as if the god of death had set his sights upon them. Chills coursed down their spines.

“Fellow Daoist Su, there’s no grudge between us. We clashed earlier, but I was only following orders. If you’re willing to grant me a path to life, I’m willing to accept you as my master and serve you until the day I die!” Tong Xinghai took a deep breath, then bowed.

“I, too, am willing to accept you as my master. I’ll obey you, come hell or high water!” said Old Yao Sky Serpent in a panic.

Both were long-established heretical cultivators whose infamy shook the world, yet when they faced Su Yi now, they trembled like baby chickens, frantic and terrified.

“You’re not qualified to become my subordinates,” said Su Yi calmly.

“Then we’ll just have to fight to the death!” Tong Xinghai’s eyes flashed with vicious light. He bellowed, then swung his spear and charged.

Old Yao Sky Serpent took action as well, except he chose to flee. He obviously hoped to escape while Tong Xinghai’s last-ditch struggle distracted Su Yi. action

When Su Yi saw this, he couldn’t help but shake his head.

Kch! Kch!

He flicked his fingers twice in rapid succession.

One streak of power flew forth, mixed with the obscure power of the restriction, like a sharp, unblockable arrow. It pierced?Tong?Xinghai’s skull right between the eyes, leaving a bloody hole through his head. His knees thudded to the ground, and he fell to the floor, dead.

The other streak shot through the air, towards Old Yao Sky Serpent’s fleeing figure. It pierced his heart with a spray of crimson “rain.”

Killing enemies with a flick of his fingers!

He crushed both Tong Xinghai, who was about to fight with everything he had, and Old Yao Sky Serpent, who had hoped to flee, right where they stood, as if they were ants.

That bloody, terrifying scene left the few survivors—Clarifying Truth, Shang Luoyu, and a few of their companions—feeling utterly helpless. Irrepressible despair welled up within their hearts.

Su Yi was strong enough on his own, but now, he wielded the power of the formation too! He was like a god; they had no way of defeating him. How could they even fight back?

Su Yi glanced over. “How about you? Do you have anything to say?”

Clarifying Truth took a deep breath, then clasped his palms and lowered his head. “Fellow Daoist Su, it is never a good idea to take anything to extremes, for doing so has lasting consequences. If you’re willing to lower your blade, I swear on my life that the Shanglin Temple will no longer be your enemy.”

He paused, then raised his head slightly and gazed calmly at Su Yi. “If you take this any further, I’m afraid the Shanglin Temple will never let this matter go. They’ll view you with enmity forever, and they won’t rest until they get revenge.”

Two middle-aged monks stood beside him. Both looked at Su Yi, awaiting his decision.

Su Yi merely burst into jeering laughter, his gaze contemptuous. “If Shanglin Temple isn’t afraid of annihilation, they’re welcome to come looking for me.”

Before he’d even finished speaking, he waved his sleeves, and the power of the formation filled the sky with misty light, enveloping all three monks.

In the blink of an eye, they were destroyed, both body and soul. Su Yi harvested them as easily as if they were chives.

In the end, only Shang Luoyu remained.

Her cold, delicate features were already pallid, and her face was a mask of utter dread and uncertainty. There was no sign of her former overbearing pride.

The Celestial Xiezhi sword buzzed on her back; it seemed that it too sensed a threat.

When she sensed Su Yi’s gaze, Shang Luoyu was so scared that she immediately drew her sword and shrieked hysterically, ?“Su Yi, I admit that I offended you, but that was an emotionally-driven conflict. If I really think about it, there’s no deep hatred or grudge between us. Why not show mercy and let me go just this once?”