First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1281 - Who Asked You About Fairness?

The palace interior was vast and empty. There was no furniture or decorations at all, save for the eternally lit bronze lanterns on the walls.

As soon as Su Yi entered, the gates slammed shut behind him.

He was instantly on guard, and he scanned his surroundings.

A man sat cross-legged on the ground at the far end of the hall. He was dressed in gray robes, with coarse, firm features. Even seated, he was built like a mountain, with an imposing martial bearing.

Wei Shan!

Su Yi’s eyes narrowed, and ripples coursed through his heart.

He’d considered all sorts of possibilities. The only thing that never occurred to him was that he’d see Wei Shan the moment he entered this mysterious immortal palace.

But Su Yi quickly realized that something was amiss.

Wei Shan was seated cross-legged, but it seemed he’d lost his awareness. He was like an unmoving clay statue.

“Shen Mu, you’re finally here.”

A cold, tranquil voice suddenly rang out.

A rain of light flowed through the air, outlining a human figure.

She wore a pale green dress, with a jade belt around her waist. Her long hair was tied up and decorated with a golden crown.

She gripped a black scepter, and her features were picturesque, pretty, and youthful, like a girl in her teens. Moreover, she and Qing Wan were completely identical!

“Heavenly Prayer?” Su Yi’s eyebrows rose in surprise.

A frantic shout emanated from the bronze kettle hanging from Heavenly Prayer’s slender waist. “Your Excellency the Temple Master, watch out! That isn’t her! She’s just seized Heavenly Prayer’s body!”

Nine Planets!

He was the soul accompanying Heavenly Prayer. He and Su Yi met outside the Grotto of Abstruse Force when Heavenly Prayer visited the Dark and Gold Star Realm.

When he heard Nine Planets’ warning, Su Yi realized several things weren’t right.

This “good fortune connected to immortality, soon to re-enter the world” was most likely a trap. And it was targeting him!

Also, the woman who’d occupied Heavenly Prayer’s body had called him Shen Mu!

“You haven’t awakened the memories of your past life yet, have you?” whispered Heavenly Prayer.

As she spoke, she brushed her fingertip against the bronze kettle, sealing Nine Planets completely. He could no longer make any noise.

Su Yi rubbed his forehead. “Before we do anything else, can you tell me what’s going on?”

Heavenly Prayer shook her head and said coolly, “None of that is important. I’m simply here to sever a karmic tie.”

“Oh,” said Su Yi. “One involving Shen Mu?”

“Yes.” Heavenly Prayer nodded. Her eyes were as cold and clear as snow as she stared at Su Yi. “Shen Mu must die completely and utterly. Even a reincarnation... cannot be permitted to exist.”

Her bearing was cold, tranquil, and aloof, like an immortal beauty from beyond the nine heavens. She seemed utterly distant and unapproachable.

But her words were enough to send chills through one’s heart.

Heavenly Prayer pointed at Wei Shan. “Rest assured. Once you’re dead, he can leave here with his life. I never drag the innocent into my affairs.”

Here, an inexplicable hint of a smile tugged at her lips, and she said gravely, “Ultimately, this grudge is between the two of us.”

Su Yi sipped from a jug of wine. “If I’m not mistaken, you’re the woman who shattered Shen Mu’s heart. Is that right?”

Heavenly Prayer said coolly, without the slightest ripple of surprise, “All of that happened a long time ago. You’ve yet to reawaken Shen Mu’s memories, so you needn’t concern yourself with that.”

“But I am no longer Shen Mu. Why target me?” Su Yi truly couldn’t wrap his head around it all.

Heavenly Prayer said solemnly, “You aren’t him now, but you’re sure to become another him. And I cannot tolerate his existence.”

Su Yi was just about to ask further questions when Heavenly Prayer shook her head. “You’re going to die today. There’s no point in asking anything else.”

Before her cold voice finished echoing through the room, she waved her black scepter.

Boom!

Countless flashes of immortal light burst, transforming into radiant divine chains and enveloping Su Yi.

Their aura was so terrifying that Su Yi felt pricking pain on his skin. A strong sense of crisis arose in his heart.

Without the slightest hesitation, he swung his sword with all his might.

He circulated his cultivation base to unprecedented heights. The Laws of Restricting the Profound flowed along the edge of his sword.

Bang!

A moment later, his sword qi shattered.

Su Yi was sent flying back. He slammed into the palace walls, shaking the entire building.

He couldn’t help but frown.

Although he wasn’t injured, the power of that strike was enough to prove that the woman who’d occupied Heavenly Prayer’s body had strength beyond the bounds of the World King realm!

In other words, she was most likely a terrifying existence of the Path of Transcendence!

“It’s useless. With the power of a World King, to me, you’re no different from a mantis trying to block a chariot.”

Off in the distance, Heavenly Prayer’s clothing danced around her, and her picturesque features were perfectly tranquil. Her tone made it seem as if she were commenting on something so trivial as to barely be worth mentioning.

“If you were in the Heavenly Longevity Realm, I’m afraid you wouldn’t have the guts to say something so shameless.” Su Yi brushed off his clothes, his expression as calm as ever.

“Naive. In a life-or-death battle, the strong reign supreme. Who asked you about fairness?” Heavenly Prayer said plainly, “You needn’t be bitter. Had Shen Mu died properly, the current you could never have existed.”

She raised her black scepter and tapped.

Boom!

Immortal light swept through the skies, descending upon Su Yi like a waterfall.

Su Yi circulated the Laws of Flying Light and attempted to dodge.

But a moment later, his heart sank. The Laws of Flying Light were comparable to supreme Celestial Laws, yet now, they’d been suppressed!

There was no time for any further thought. Su Yi swung his sword and clashed with her head-on.

The illusory Six Paths of Reincarnation floated behind him, and the edge of his sword seemed shrouded in the dim curtain of heaven as he struck.

The resulting impact shook heaven and earth.

The cycle of the Six Paths shattered, and Su Yi was forced back once more, his blood and qi churning.

“Are these the mysteries of reincarnation? They’re indeed taboo. They actually let a Heavenly Longevity cultivator like you block one of my attacks.” Heavenly Prayer seemed thoughtful, and she was obviously surprised.

But her movements never slowed.

Boom!

Countless chains of immortal light fell from the skies and bore down on Su Yi.

She might have looked tranquil, but deep within her bones, she was incomparably aloof, proud, and domineering. When she attacked, she wasn’t the least bit polite. She saw Su Yi as a lamb to the slaughter.

That aside, the power at her disposal was extremely terrifying. Immortal radiance rose into the air. Divine flames interwove, mighty beyond imagination.

Strictly speaking, she was the strongest opponent Su Yi had faced since his return to the stars.

A woman he suspected had long since stepped onto the Path of Transcendence! Although the Illusionist had stepped onto the Path of Transcendence too, his Laws of the Grand Dao had an innate weakness to the mysteries of reincarnation.

But this woman was different. With a single gesture, immortal light burst forth with terrifying power.

Su Yi didn’t shrink back.

He’d already been planning to try himself against a Transcendent opponent while still in the World King Realm, and this was a rare opportunity. How could he refuse it?

Clang!

The Dark and Gold Fortune Vine burst with divine radiance as Su Yi unleashed the mysteries of Profound Ruin without the slightest hesitation. His sword intent was like the light of a new dawn, and his sword force seemed to overturn the blue dome of heaven. As his sword force swept forth, the immortal radiance filling the skies scattered and dispersed.

Although Su Yi felt the impact, he seemed relatively composed.

“What type of Grand Dao is this!?” Heavenly Prayer exclaimed. Waves of surprise rippled across her indifferent gaze.

Her keen senses told her that whatever Dao Su Yi had just drawn on seemed even mightier than the secrets of reincarnation!

Su Yi disregarded her, swung his sword, and attacked once more.

A hint of a cold arc tugged at Heavenly Prayer’s lips. Without any more wasted words, she attacked with all her might.

Boom!

A grand battle ensued, shaking the entire immortal palace.

Su Yi unleashed the full extent of his Dao of the Sword, as forceful as a wandering dragon.

Heavenly Prayer swung her black scepter, drawing upon immortal light. Sometimes, it poured down like a waterfall, or burst forth like a river breaking through a dam. Sometimes, it transformed into a dense swarm of divine chains and danced in the air. Other times, it condensed into a mountain and came crashing down...

As time passed, Su Yi’s wounds started to accumulate. Blood dripped from the corners of his lips.

Even though he was going all out, the disparity between their cultivations was too great. As a result, it was starting to seem that he wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.

But he never retreated.

Fire burned in the depths of his gaze as his will to fight caught fully ablaze. He didn’t even notice the wounds piling up, and he attacked with increasing ferocity.

Unbridled and unrestrained, tyrannical and proud.

Heavenly Prayer’s brow gradually furrowed. Even she couldn’t help but be impressed. He’s only in the Heavenly Longevity Realm, yet he’s this strong. It’s unbelievable!

“Here in Sky Crow Palace, it doesn’t matter how all-encompassing your abilities are. You have no hope of turning the tables,” Heavenly Prayer said coldly. “It’s time we ended this.”

A decisive look appeared on her face as she raised her black scepter.

“Hah!”

Boom!

The immortal palace rumbled. Countless, densely packed, elaborate formation markings condensed out of immortal light burst forth.

The lights slammed into Su Yi under Heavenly Prayer’s control.

This attack was far too terrifying. There was no need to even question it; no World King could have blocked this. They would have perished on the spot.

Su Yi didn’t hesitate to unleash the Southern Mountain Daoist Seal.

Boom!

The seal rose into the air, bursting with immortal light, then descended with the force of an ancient immortal mountain. It forcefully blocked the immortal light charging over from all sides.

“A Transcendent spirit treasure? I wouldn’t have guessed you’d have such a thing, but alas, to me, it isn’t even worth looking at,” Heavenly Prayer said softly.

Her black scepter caught ablaze and swept through the air.

Boom!

The Southern Mountain Daoist Seal was instantly under terrifying suppression.

The treasure was damaged to begin with. As the surging immortal light slammed into it, it swayed; it seemed it wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.

Even so, the power it unleashed left Su Yi astonished.

After all, it was just a damaged Transcendent treasure. Lasting this long was quite impressive already.

Su Yi didn’t clash with her head-on any further. He put the seal away and drew on the power of the Sword of the Nine Hells.

Clang!

The Dark and Gold Fortune Sword burst with divine radiance. Its hum was clear and impassioned as its terrifying, unsurpassed sword intent spread throughout the surrounding area.

Before he even attacked, his sword force shattered the immortal light on all sides!

“This...” Heavenly Prayer’s icy, beautiful face finally shifted in a rare loss of composure.

Her skin quivered, and she sensed an unprecedented, lethal threat. Without the slightest hesitation, she activated her black scepter to the full extent of its power.

Boom!

The Immortal Palace trembled. On its walls, the Dao Markings of the formation lit up with dazzling radiance, and a surging sea of immortal light burst forth like an avalanche.

It was at that moment that Su Yi swung his sword.