Chapter 1411: The Sword Fanatic |
As the dog hung its head in shame, Daoist Master Red Cloud had a strange look on her face.
Xing Que was no run-of-the-mill mutt. They’d traveled side-by-side even in the Immortal Realm. Xing Que had seen all types of wind and rain, and its horizons were extremely broad. It was courageous to the extreme.
Even ordinary immortals were entirely unworthy of Xing Que’s attention.
It was for this reason that Daoist Master Red Cloud sent Xing Que to the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone. Were anything to happen to Su Yi, Xing Que was more than strong enough to save him from catastrophe.
At least in theory. In practice, Xing Que wasn’t just no help. It was scared of the one it was supposed to protect!
Now, this was interesting.
“Replay what you saw for me,” ordered Daoist Master Red Cloud.
Xing Que nodded, raised its paw, and tapped the air.
Whoosh~
The Su Yi reflected within the rain of light was bloody and battered, with his vital energy in disarray.
Yet a terrifying aura emanated from him, rising into the heavens and suppressing everything on all sides. It was like the descent of a tyrannical god of the sword!
With every slash, an immortal avatar of will shattered.
It was as if his enemies were made of rotten wood. None could stand in his way!
Meanwhile, Su Yi’s voice accompanied this scene.
“No proper immortals at all… not even one?”
“Is that… all?”
“An ant trying to shake a tree!”
“Who am I…?”
“I’m just a sword cultivator with no place to call home…”
“The Dao is as lofty as the heavens, but my heart is like a sword. It can suppress the heavens until they’re just three feet tall!”
“The unrest of this ever-shifting world is as fleeting as a dream, while my heart is as unfettered as the wind!”
“The heavens aren’t worthy of dread, and gods aren’t worthy of awe. His enemies cannot break him, and the Dao cannot impede him. That’s how a sword cultivator ought to be.”
…His voice was valiant, forceful, proud, and contemptuous!
As these scenes dissipated, Daoist Master Red Cloud sank into thought. A long time passed before she returned to her senses.
The dog keenly sensed that her emotional state was strange, as if she’d recalled something.
A while later, she asked out of nowhere, “Xing Que, do you recall the Sword Fanatic of the Central Immortal Court?”
The dog’s heart shook, and its eyes filled with deep-seated dread. “I remember!”
The Sword Fanatic.
The leader of the ten great Immortal Lords of the Central Immortal Court!
As well as one of the greatest sword immortals of the Immortal Realm!
He was infatuated with the sword, and his disposition was tyrannical and paranoid. He’d killed too many to count, and when it came to his swordsmanship, he was as frenzied as a demon.
Thus, older-generation cultivators called him “the Sword Fanatic!”
“Mistress, don’t tell me you think that terrifying power was connected to the Sword Fanatic?” exclaimed the yellow dog.
“It was somewhat similar,” said Daoist Master Red Cloud, her profound gaze shining with inscrutable light, as if she were trying to figure something out.
But in the end, her brow furrowed slightly.
She couldn’t reach any definite conclusions!
After a moment’s silence, Daoist Master Red Cloud said, “He controls the power of reincarnation, and has already reincarnated twice. I suspect… that terrifying power originated from yet another one of his past lives.”
The dog gasped.
The Temple Master had reincarnated into the Wilds’ Su Xuanjun, who’d in turn reincarnated to become Su Yi. This was already common knowledge.
But no one had considered the possibility that the Temple Master was also a reincarnation!
“If that terrifying power originated from one of his past lifetimes, does that mean he was once an extremely terrifying expert of the Immortal Dao?” murmured the dog.
It had followed Daoist Master Red Cloud throughout the Immortal Realm, witnessing occasions both big and small. It had even participated in the Immortal Peach Banquet with her.
However, that terrifying power had nonetheless scared it. If that power really belonged to one of Su Yi’s past lives, just how terrifying of an existence must he have been?
Daoist Master Red Cloud fell briefly silent, then took out a jade box and passed it to the dog. “If it’s as I suspect, Fellow Daoist Su will soon break into the Path of Transcendence. Bring this to him as a token of my respect.”
The dog asked curiously, “Mistress, what kind of treasure is in the box?”
“A piece of Nine Wonders Immortal Ginseng,” said Daoist Master Red Cloud.
“!!!” The dog’s eyes bulged, and it practically jumped in shock.
But before it could say anything, Daoist Master Red Cloud said, “Go on. Be quick about it.”
……
Mount Clearmoon, Universal Emptiness Temple.
Late at night, beneath a thick-trunked osmanthus tree.
Su Yi, Qing Tang, Illuminating Emptiness, Ol’ Wei, Wei Shan, the Universal Emptiness Sword Buddha, and Sword Immortal Qingshi were having a banquet.
The wine was among the best brews of the Human Realm.
The dishes were all rare delicacies.
Master and apprentice had been reunited, and good friends dined together. The atmosphere was lively and harmonious.
Su Yi had treated Qing Tang on the way back, removing all latent threats from her body.
“And here I thought you were sure to step onto the Path of Transcendence on this trip to the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone,” said Illuminating Emptiness.
“Do you think it’s that easy to become a Transcendent?” The Universal Emptiness Sword Buddha glared at him.
“Even without stepping into Transcendence, Fellow Daoist Su achieved a complete victory at Mount Luowu,” said Sword Immortal Qingshi. “What does it matter if he broke through or not?”
The crowd couldn’t help but be rueful at the mention of this battle.
The battle of Mount Luowu had been far too dazzling. Word of the battle was still shaking the stars, spreading far and wide.
After this battle, Su Yi’s prestige had reached unprecedented heights!
“Young Master, please allow this old servant to toast you.” Old Wei rose and lifted his cup.
Su Yi raised his as well, and both of them drained their cups with a laugh.
They were still in the middle of the feast when Mo Qingchou and Li Zhong arrived.
Mo Qingchou returned the Divine Replenishment Furnace and offered Su Yi a storage treasure full of treasure. “Fellow Daoist Su, these are your trophies from the battle of Mount Luowu.”
Su Yi accepted them, then invited Mo Qingchou and Li Zhong to join them at the table. Both were all too delighted to agree.
As they conversed, Mo Qingchou brought up the current situation of the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone. “According to our ancestor’s estimates, if the world’s changes keep speeding up, the full Path of Transcendence will reappear within a month.
“Within three months, immortal revenants will be able to travel throughout the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone.
“And within six months, immortal revenants will be able to walk the world freely!”
The atmosphere at the banquet was suddenly heavier.
Cloud Soaring revenants really weren’t much of a threat to Su Yi at this point.
But who could fail to realize that after their losses at Mount Luowu, there was no way the immortal revenants of ancient factions would let Su Yi off?
But Su Yi wasn’t concerned. He was just curious. “The world’s changes are speeding up?”
Mo Qingchou nodded. “They are. The world has been changing for the past twenty years, but the changes have been gradual. That is, until two years ago, when they started speeding up!
“Our clan’s ancestor suspects that these changes are an omen, and that after the Path of Transcendence re-enters the world, opportunities and good fortune of the Immortal Dao will likely reappear in the Human Realm as well!”
Sword Immortal Qingshi and the Universal Emptiness Sword Buddha’s spirits soared.
The return of the Path of Transcendence didn’t mean that much to them. After all, they were both already peak Cloud Soaring Transcendents.
But the Immortal Dao was different!
Long ago, before the End of the Dharma, that was the supreme path they’d longed for even in their dreams!
Su Yi was quite surprised too. “Does that mean that cultivators of the Human Realm will most likely have an opportunity to transcend mortality and become immortals in the future?”
“That’s indeed the case,” said Mo Qingchou, her expression full of longing. “After the End of the Dharma, the world’s connection to the Immortal Dao was lost. Even the Path of Transcendence was severed….
“But things are different now. The world is changing, and bliss is arising from the depths of misfortune. The Human Realm is most likely in store for an unprecedented golden age!”
“For us, this is a rare opportunity!”
Waves of emotions rocked through the others’ hearts.
“However, this means that other revenants will do everything in their power to take Fellow Daoist Su down,” Sword Immortal Qingshi said suddenly. “After all, they’re still bound by their curses, neither fully human nor ghost. They cannot possibly pursue greater heights of the Dao. Even if the Immortal Dao reappears, they can only gaze upon it from afar and sigh, as they’re doomed never to reach it.
“Only the power of reincarnation can break their curse and free them from confinement!”
All of this combined meant that revenants with a grudge against Su Yi would soon go mad in pursuit of revenge!
But Su Yi just laughed, not at all concerned. “Before, I was surrounded by enemies on all sides. I have far fewer enemies now, and in the future…”
“You won’t have any enemies at all! You’ll be invincible!” Illuminating Emptiness chimed in.
Su Yi shook his head. “Invincible? That’d be far too dull. No, I’d rather have enemies.”
The crowd didn’t know what to say to that.
“Hah? You sure know how to boast. Who else above or below the heavens would dare call themselves invincible or undefeatable? Besides, this is just the Human Realm. Up in the Immortal Realm, your trivial cultivation base… isn’t even worth looking at.”
Suddenly, a yellow dog sauntered over from afar.
It spoke like an experienced senior sharing their wisdom.
“Where’d this dog come from? Is it some kind of spirit?” Illuminating Emptiness let out a strange shout.
Sword Immortal Qingshi and the Universal Emptiness Sword Buddha’s pupils constricted.
Mo Qingchou’s heart shook as she realized something. Her eyes shone with strange light.
“Monk, one more word out of you, and I promise to trap you at the bottom of an outhouse.” The yellow dog glared at Illuminating Emptiness.
Its cold gaze made the monk shudder from head to toe, and he inwardly cried out in alarm.
“This junior is called Mo Qingchou. Greetings, Your Excellency Xing Que.” Mo Qingchou rose and bowed in greeting.
The crowd was unwittingly dumbstruck. All of them knew that she hailed from an Immortal Lord clan, and that she was a prominent figure even amongst descendants of immortals.
Yet now, she took on the role of junior and bowed to a mere yellow dog!!
Illuminating Emptiness had been a bit displeased with the dog’s attitude, but when he saw this, he wisely refrained from saying anything further.
“The Mo Family has already recognized this lofty one?” The dog looked at Mo Qingchou in surprise.
“This junior learned of your identity from my seniors,” Mo Qingchou said softly.
“Is it strong?” Su Yi asked suddenly and with great interest.
Mo Qingchou was just about to say something when the dog let out a deep sigh and said somberly, “Empty titles of a bygone age, that’s all. No need to bring them up.”
Putting on airs in front of me? Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. He raised his hand to pet the dog’s head.
“I came here to chat. Don’t touch me!” The dog immediately dodged. If Su Yi rubbed its head in front of everyone, what face would it have left?
But its immediate reaction revealed something to the crowd, and their gazes shifted inscrutably. It seems ‘His Excellency Xing Que’ has quite an extraordinary relationship with Su Yi. Otherwise, how could he dare to pet Xing Que’s despite knowing its origins?
Seth's Thoughts
J-Ji... Juechen!?
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