First Immortal of the Sword

She was a young woman in pale purple clothing, and her black hair flowed like a waterfall.
She was icy and aloof, with an innate coldness about her.

Wen Lingzhao.

She was once Su Yi’s nominal wife and Guangling City’s younger generation’s chosen daughter of heaven.
She was once one of the most dazzling disciples of Heaven’s Origin Academy, and she’d attracted more talented, handsome admirers than she could count.

However, ever since Su Yi severed their marriage without the slightest politeness, she’d almost never entered his field of view.

Su Yi didn’t keep track of her business, either.

Occasionally, Wen Lingxue would mention that Wen Lingzhao had a guilty conscience over some of the things she’d done back then.

What did she feel guilty about? Su Yi knew, but he didn’t care.

It was just as he’d written on that line of text he gave her the day he ended their marriage: “Parting will be best for both of us, so let’s each seek happiness on our own.”

He wouldn’t have guessed she’d show up to tonight’s banquet of her own volition.
Typically, wherever he appeared, she made a point of staying far away.

“What’s my sister doing here…?” Wen Lingxue was surprised too.

The others sensed that the atmosphere was a bit off, and all of them looked at Wen Lingzhao.

The icy, aloof young woman stopped in the center of the hall, then sat across from Su Yi and slowly lowered her head.
“Thank you for saving my parents.
Should the opportunity arise, I’ll be sure to repay this benevolence.”

Her voice was soft and weak, yet it seemed to take her full effort. 

When she finished speaking, her jade-like hands clenched the hems of her clothing.
She lowered her head, her delicate frame tense.

The atmosphere quietly died down.

When she saw this, Wen Lingxue’s heart ached, and she felt an inexplicable sadness.

In her heart, Su Yi was wonderful, and so was her sister, but due to a trick of fate, they couldn’t be together.

They were already estranged!

Wen Lingxue was well aware that her sister was extremely stubborn and ambitious.
When she left home on her wedding night, it wasn’t because she looked down on Su Yi, but rather, she rejected her arranged marriage.
She was unwilling to let others decide her fate.

Wen Lingxue knew that Su Yi had never hated Wen Lingzhao, and that he understood why she’d left.

He understood, but that didn’t mean he accepted it. 

Su Yi was similarly proud by nature, and there was no way he’d attempt to maintain or repair his relationship with Wen Lingzhao.

As a result, this former husband and wife were thoroughly estranged!

“No need to thank me,” said Su Yi calmly.
He looked up at Wen Lingzhao, but she was averting her gaze.
“You’re Lingxue’s older sister.
If you were in danger, I wouldn’t stand back and watch you die either.”

Wen Lingzhao froze in apparent disbelief.

But when she replayed Su Yi’s words in her head, she vaguely understood.

Ultimately, Su Yi had saved her parents purely out of consideration for Wen Lingxue. 

Similarly, it was because of Wen Lingxue that he said he’d save her should the need arise…

“What happened back then is no more important to me than the clouds passing overhead.
I’ve never taken it to heart,” said Su Yi after a moment’s silence.
“I hope you can feel the same.”

Wen Lingzhao sank into silence.
After a while, she nodded.
“Many thanks.”

With that, she turned and left.

Su Yi watched her leave, then shook his head.

He’d never once concerned himself with their paltry grudges and conflicts, but it was obvious that Wen Lingzhao had yet to fully let it go.

He took the time to encourage her to move on simply because he didn’t want Wen Lingxue to worry about her big sister.

Whether Wen Lingzhao successfully moved on or not was her problem.

Su Yi’s heart wouldn’t soften just because she’d lowered her head, nor would he take the initiative to improve their relationship.

It wasn’t in his nature.

……

The banquet quickly recovered its former liveliness.

Everyone toasted Su Yi and spoke of days gone by.
Some were wistful, others laughed, while still others mourned those they’d lost…

But all of them could tell that they no longer lived in the same world as Su Yi.

Most of them were still mortal martial artists seeking greater heights of the Martial Dao.

Su Yi, meanwhile, had long since become a mighty Gathering Stars Realm expert.
To them, he was like an immortal or a god.

They might be able to sit at the same table and laugh and drink together now, but as time passed, such gatherings would become fewer and further between.

Even just seeing him in person would surely be difficult…

Tigers didn’t keep company with sheep.

As his cultivation increased, his pursuit of greater heights would lead him further and further away from the others at the banquet.

It was already inevitable.
As the years passed, the distance between Su Yi and tonight’s guests would only increase.

Su Yi, however, didn’t think about it that hard.

The way he saw it, his old friends were safe, and tonight, they were laughing and drinking together.
It was enough.

After the banquet ended, Su Yi noticed Cha Jin still teasing the demonic infant in her arms.
He couldn’t help but furrow his brow.
“Give her to Fellow Daoist Ning.”

Cha Jin froze.
“But I wanted to…”

Before she’d even finished the sentence, she realized something, and her beautiful face instantly flushed red.
“Mm.” 

She was as quiet as a gnat.

Ning Sihua couldn’t help but break into a strange grin.
She walked on up, scooped the infant up, and whispered in Cha Jin’s ear, “Please remind Fellow Daoist Su to set up a sound-blocking formation.”

“….” Cha Jin was already blushing, but when she heard that, even the base of her ears reddened.

After time apart, couples were much like newlyweds.
Their reunion was like rain after a long drought.

Naturally, it was a night of indescribable enchantment and sentiment.

…

Morning the next day.

When Su Yi crawled out of bed, Cha Jin was still fast asleep.
Her hair was a mess, and there were traces of exhaustion on her tender, goose-egg-shaped face.

Last night was simply exhausting.
In all the excitement, she lost track of time and immersed herself in a turbulent sea of bliss.

Su Yi was in good spirits as he got up, washed, and cultivated, as was his habit.

He was already in the late-stage Gathering Stars realm, not far from the peak.
Before long, he’d have fully tempered his foundations in the Origin Dao.

Once I’ve dealt with various trifles, I’ve got to go into seclusion, temper my cultivation, and engage in introspection to prepare to challenge the Spiritual Manifestation Realm.

Su Yi had decided on this a long time ago.

Rather than saying he’d “returned to the Great Zhou”, it was more apt to say he’d chosen to “revisit familiar turf to solidify his Dao Heart.”

In other words, he was preparing to break into the Spiritual Manifestation Realm!

The Spiritual Manifestation was the first of the three realms of the Spirit Dao.

Entering it was equivalent to stepping onto a higher path.
During this process, a cultivator’s soul, body, cultivate base, and even their life itself would undergo metamorphosis, like a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis. 

However, entering the Spiritual Manifestation Realm required first undergoing the Tribulation of Spiritual Manifestation!

Su Yi had long since predicted that his tribulation would be different from any other cultivator’s. 

To the point that even with the knowledge of his past life, he couldn’t gauge just how terrifying this tribulation would be!

The reason for this was simple: despite the Wilds’ long history, the foundations in the Grand Dao he’d achieved in the Origin Dao were unprecedented. 

Unprecedented foundations implied an unprecedented Tribulation of Spiritual Manifestation!

This was why Su Yi, as Su Yi made the journey back to the Great Zhou, he pondered how to face his impending tribulation.

In the end, the only answer he came up with was this: he had to start by examining his Dao Heart!

Thus, he returned to the Great Zhou, walked the path he’d taken upon recovering his memories once more, and combed through his experiences.

Helping the Apricot Cottage’s old locust tree gain sentience, saving Guangling City from the beast tide, eliminating the Celestial Prison Demon Palace, saving the Great Zhou from flood and fire—All of it was, in truth, a way for Su Yi to sever his karmic ties.

Cultivating and seeking the Dao doesn’t require heartlessness.
Karmic ties and fortuitous encounters all have profound truths behind them.
Looking back on my path thus far, I have nothing to be ashamed of, and no further concerns, thought Su Yi.

He thoroughly emptied his mind, his aura increasingly tranquil.

It was on that day that Su Yi began cultivating within the ruins of the Immortals’ Sword House.
He no longer paid any attention to external affairs.

When he had a spare moment, he’d guide Ning Sihua, Wen Lingxue, and Cha Jin in their cultivation, feeling leisurely and at ease.

A day later.

A quick look at tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w will leave you more fulfilled.

Yuan Heng, Bai Wenqing, and Ge Qian arrived at the ruins of the Immortals’ Sword House.

They’d temporarily split up to target the Celestial Prison Demon Court bases on Silverflame, Treasure Temple, and Heavenfault Yao Mountains. 

However, when they went to Bloodthistle Yao Mountain to reconvene with Su Yi, the Sea-Swallowing King, Ge Changling, told them that Su Yi had already left for the Sea of Chaotic Spirits.
The three of them immediately rushed over.

Their arrival resulted in yet another uproar.

Especially Yuan Heng.
He’d changed so much that it stunned Ning Sihua, Tao Qingshan, Cha Jin, and the others.

Just a few months prior, Yuan Heng had been a Grain Avoidance cultivator, and he’d only just undergone metamorphosis to become a true yao cultivator.
Yet now, he was already in the Gathering Stars Realm.
Who wouldn’t have been astonished?

Seeing this, they understood on a visceral level what cultivating alongside Su Yi represented.
As the old saying goes, when a man achieves the Dao, even his dogs and chickens ascend!

Later that day, Su Yi instructed Yuan Heng to escort Wen Changtai and Qin Qing back to the Great Zhou.

Several other martial artists left with them, including Mu Xi and Shen Jiusong.

Su Yi had practically wiped out every Celestial Prison Demon Court cultivator in the Great Zhou.
His allies were no longer content to hide within the ruins, and they planned to temper themselves in the outside world.

Su Yi naturally had no objections to this.

He could protect them for a while, but he couldn’t protect them forever.
Whatever path they chose, they’d have to walk it on their own two feet. 

Wen Lingzhao chose to leave with her parents and take up residence in Guangling City.

Su Yi didn’t particularly care, but out of consideration for Wen Lingxue, he nonetheless gave Wen Lingzhao a defensive talisman.

Another three days passed.

Su Yi was refining a set of magic treasures for use in placing formations when someone suddenly stopped outside his workroom, knelt, and kowtowed.

This was none other than Ying Que.

“Master Su, Ying Que of the black flood dragon race has come to express his gratitude!” 

And indeed, his gratitude was written all over his face, as well as heartfelt awe.

Ying Que had thought himself already dead.
When he woke up, he almost thought he was in the Netherworld.

It was only after Ning Sihua explained the situation that he understood: Su Yi had used an unbelievable method to save him from the brink of death.

Su Yi glanced at him.
“Get up.
It just so happens there’s something I’d like you to do for me.”