First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2873 - Divining Destiny

The question seemed inexplicable, but Su Yi’s heart was instantly solemn. He suddenly realized that he’d inadvertently let something slip.

The green-haired man in blood-red robes was obviously hiding his presence. His aura had faded into his surroundings to the point that no ordinary person could have discovered him, but because Su Yi had the Light of the Heart, he naturally sensed the man’s existence. And it was for this reason that the man had called him back!

The realization left Su Yi speechless. As the saying went, "Those who’d achieved great virtue secluded themselves, while those who’d achieved great wisdom seemed foolish to others." He had the Light of the Heart, so none of the myriad facets of creation could muddle his senses. He could see through all deception, but it was because of this very ability that he’d inadvertently let something slip!

“Of course I saw you.” Su Yi pondered briefly, then said, “I used a secret technique to examine the aura of the Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone. Naturally, it let me see you, too.”

The blood-red man’s eyes blazed like twin suns as he stared at Su Yi. “What kind of secret technique?”

“I cannot say,” said Su Yi.

The man in blood-red robes paused, stunned, then furrowed his brow. Su Yi instantly sensed the pressure on him increase. The feeling of a knife pressed against his spine intensified.

He furrowed his brow. “What, are you going to attack me just because I saw you?”

The man in blood-red robes gazed intently at Su Yi. “There’s no grudge between us. Why resort to fighting and killing? This humble one calls himself Hong Ye. Might I ask your name?”

“I conduct myself openly and forthrightly, so I have no need to hide. My name is Lu Shi,” said Su Yi. With that, he turned to leave.

“Lu Shi?” Hong Ye repeated, strange light surging in the depths of his gaze. He sank into thought, but he made no attempt to stop Su Yi from leaving.

It was only after Su Yi had faded from view that Hong Ye suddenly raised his geomantic compass and tapped its needle.

Weng!

Faint power of the Grand Dao spread from its surface.

Within moments, the dense, turbid energies of the distant Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone churned. Silver light tore through the air, stopping in front of Hong Ye.

When the light arrived, it transformed into a short old man in yellow robes. He was white-haired and overweight, with a prominent mustache. He carried a black cane, and a verdant little gourd hung from the tip. This was none other than River Emperor Bai Ye, one of the Four City Lords of the Spirit Treasure Celestial City!

Shockingly, as soon as he arrived, he stopped to greet Hong Ye respectfully. Only then did he ask, “What did you call me over for, Daoist Brother?”

“You’re one of the Four City Lords of Spirit Treasure Celestial City. Do you recognize this man?” Hong Ye tapped the air, and a curtain of light appeared, outlining a man in gray.

River Emperor Bai Ye examined the portrait, then nodded. “I’ve seen him before. Two years ago, he and River Emperor Winged Dragon participated in a secret assembly to discuss the Key to Endless Tribulations. However, I don’t know his precise origins.”

“So, he’s in River Emperor Winged Dragon’s camp...” The red-robed Hong Ye sank into thought.

“Daoist Brother, is there a problem with him?” River Emperor Bai Ye couldn’t help but ask.

Hong Ye said, “He called himself Lu Shi, and earlier, he saw through my natal divine ability, the Traceless Mirage. He isn’t simple.”

River Emperor Bai Ye was unwittingly stunned.

The man standing before him was one of the thirteen mightiest River Emperors, as well as the River Emperor with the greatest seniority. His Daoist title was “Hong Ye,” and he was sword brothers with a River Ancestor who ruled over his own forbidden zone.

Put bluntly, the overwhelming majority of River Emperors were mere juniors in front of River Emperor Hong Ye! And River Emperor Hong Ye was most famous for two things: divination and stealth.

His invisibility technique, the Traceless Mirage, was unparalleled. When used, his presence fused fully into his surroundings, making it seem as if he’d vanished completely. He could even stand right in front of another River Emperor undetected!

Yet now, this Lu Shi person had apparently seen through River Emperor Hong Ye’s Traceless Mirage. Of course, River Emperor Bai Ye was stunned!

It was also no wonder River Emperor Hong Ye had called him here. This was truly unbelievable.

“Where is Winged Dragon?” River Emperor Hong Ye asked suddenly.

River Emperor Bai Ye shook his head. “He’s always been the solitary type. Whenever anything comes up, he’ll command his subordinates to take care of it. After killing River Empress Peacock’s clone a few days ago, he took the feather and left. No one knows where he’s gone.”

River Emperor Hong Ye laughed. “It seems he’s dead set on acquiring the Key to Endless Tribulations. That must be why he’s so cautious. Watch over me while I try to divine for information on Lu Shi. Let’s see if I can uncover any clues.”

River Emperor Hong Ye sat down cross-legged and held his geomantic compass aloft. River Emperor Bai Ye stood beside him to protect him. Within moments, the worn-out old compass lit up, erupting with countless minute wisps of the dreamlike power of the Grand Dao.

River Emperor Bai Ye was stunned. That was the Compass of Interconnected Destiny, and it was full of the power of Destiny and a portion of its Laws. It was endlessly profound.

With the Compass of Interconnected Destiny and his innate divine ability, River Emperor Hong Ye could perform all manner of wondrous divinations.

Before long, the compass scattered an endless, shifting rain of the light of destiny, manifesting an incomparably indistinct scene. It depicted a lifeless, barren plain shrouded in turbid, malevolent mists. Two figures stood atop a towering, battered stone stele. The first was swathed in mysterious, dull light. They couldn’t see his features. All they could see was that he was tall and powerfully built. The other was a man in Daoist robes and a Daoist topknot. Despite the unclear image, they could just barely discern his youthful features.

River Emperor Bai Ye’s heart shook. River Emperor Winged Dragon and Lu Shi!

Before he could respond, the Lu Shi depicted in the curtain of light seemed to sense something. He turned his head, stretched out his finger, and tapped.

Boom!

The incomparably indistinct image dispersed. The Compass of Interconnected Destiny shook, its light dimming.

Blood trickled from the corner of River Emperor Hong Ye’s mouth, and his face paled, but he didn’t mind in the least. Anyone who tried to pry into the secrets of Destiny would suffer a backlash. He was accustomed to such things, and they naturally didn’t bother him.

What really concerned him was the two people reflected on the curtain of light!

River Emperor Winged Dragon wasn’t traveling alone after all. Rather, he’d entered the Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone with Lu Shi!

“Strange. You only just saw Lu Shi, so why was he so deep in the Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone in the scene you just divined?” River Emperor Bai Ye asked.

River Emperor Hong Ye furrowed his brow. “Perhaps the one I just encountered was his clone? If so, then Lu Shi is even more impressive than we realized.”

“Shall I try to look for the clone?” asked River Emperor Bai Ye, his eyes flashing with ruthlessness.

River Emperor Hong Ye paused to consider it, then said, “Be careful. There’s something strange about him.”

River Emperor Bai Ye nodded, then turned to leave.

...

Meanwhile, deep in the Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone, the churning, baleful mists blotted out the sun. The barren ground was shrouded in darkness. All was desolate and bleak.

A single battered stone stele stood tall. Even split in several paces, it towered ten thousand feet all. The stele’s surface was covered in the vestiges of countless years. There were countless strange, complicated Dao Markings all over it, but most were so badly damaged that they were completely unreadable.

Two figures stood atop the stele, one shrouded in dull light, the other dressed as a Daoist. These were River Emperor Winged Dragon and Lu Shi.

“What just happened?” River Emperor Winged Dragon looked at Lu Shi.

His features were indistinct, as he was shrouded in dim light. Only his eyes were clear, flashing with blood-red flames, yet seemingly as deep as an abyss.

The River of Destiny was endlessly vast, but at least within the surrounding million miles of water, River Emperor Winged Dragon was a top expert. He was one of the thirteen supreme River Emperors. His seniority might have been lower than River Emperor Hong Ye’s, but in terms of strength, he absolutely wasn’t any weaker.

But River Emperor Winged Dragon was keenly aware that only those narrow and limited in their thinking put stock in the “thirteen supreme River Emperors.”

The River of Destiny was far too enormous, and it was full of unknown places and mysterious forbidden zones, as well as unknown, terrifying beings! A River Emperor would have to be a real fool to consider himself “supreme!”

But there was no denying that, at least within the surrounding million miles of water, there was no one River Emperor Winged Dragon was afraid of!

“Someone used a divine ability connected to Destiny to sense our location,” said Lu Shi. “It was but a fleeting glimpse, but I can say with certainty that they know we’re in the Abhorrent Evil Origin Zone.”

The depths of River Emperor Winged Dragon’s gaze flashed with imposing, murderous light. He had unwavering faith in Lu Shi’s judgment.

Several years ago, Lu Shi visited the River of Destiny and became River Emperor Winged Dragon’s distinguished guest.

It wasn’t because Lu Shi’s cultivation base was particularly high, but rather, because his numerous unbelievable methods had won River Emperor Winged Dragon over. For instance, it was Lu Shi who’d told him that River Empress Peacock had information about the Key to Endless Tribulations.

No one knew it, but two years ago, River Empress Peacock hadn't convened that secret assembly because she wanted to, but because River Emperor Winged Dragon forced her. He even threatened her directly, saying that if she refused to give up her leads, she’d have to face the consequences! She would never have convened that meeting in the Spirit Treasure Celestial City two years ago otherwise.

“If I’m not mistaken, it was Old Man Hong Ye who discovered us. He controls the Compass of Interconnected Destiny, and he has an innate divine ability related to divination,” River Emperor Winged Dragon said gravely.

Lu Shi’s brow furrowed in confusion. He murdered, “But why would he look for me? I’ve lived under a pseudonym for the past several years. Beneath the River of Destiny, you’re the only one who knows my true name and origins!”

River Emperor Winged Dragon’s eyelids twitched. “Surely you don’t suspect that I’d leak information about you to River Emperor Hong Ye?”

Lu Shi shook his head. “I know you wouldn’t do that, but that’s why I find the situation so confusing. I feel like someone just screwed me over, but I have no idea how they did it. It’s truly unsettling.”

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