First Immortal of the Sword

The River-Stabilizing Steles were utterly enormous, like a grand, insurmountable barrier.

The figure poking out his head with great difficulty seemed incomparably minuscule by comparison, but his movements shook the entire stele!

His face was deathly pale, and his eyes were sunken. Upon closer inspection, his features were youthful, but his eyes were as worn with age as a pair of fossils.

He gasped for breath, then burst into sputtering laughter.

“I finally... endured... long enough to make it out!”

Perhaps because it had been too long since he’d last spoken, his voice was hoarse, with frequent pauses.

Suddenly, a blue and gold bird whooshed over. It stopped a thousand feet from the stele, tucked in its wings, and transformed into a woman in a feather coat.

The woman knelt in midair, her voice full of excitement. “Disciple Hong Ling greets you, Founder! Congratulations on breaking free after countless years of adversity!”

“Hong Ling...” The head looked up in a daze, as if trying to remember something. A moment later, his eyes filled with understanding, and he murmured, “So, you’re that little girl. And what do you mean, ‘breaking free’? I’ve managed to stick out my head, that’s all. I haven’t yet truly regained my freedom.”

A moment later, he seemed to realize something. “Lass, have you... been waiting for me this entire time?”

“Founder, we’ve been waiting for you throughout the ages!” said the woman in the feather coat, still kneeling, her voice choked with sobs. “Only you can raise the banner of the Primordial Divine Court, lead our people back to the Eternal Heavens Domain, and reign over the world!”

“The Primordial Divine Court...” The man looked dazed once more.

The Primordial Era had been a time of competing elites. Heavenly Sovereigns clashed, and the world was tumultuous, chaotic, and beset by war.

Then, a faction known as the Primordial Divine Court rose to prominence. It was they who finally quelled the world’s unrest.

Back then, the Primordial Divine Court had numerous Heavenly Sovereigns to oversee things, as well as countless Heavenly Monarchs. No other faction beneath the heavens could resist them.

They were like supreme rulers!

The leader of the Primordial Divine Court was honored as the Master of all, a Sovereign Among Sovereigns, the Sovereign Venerate!

No one knew his name. They only knew his title: Yi!

Thus, everyone knew him as Sovereign Venerate Yi!

A sovereign among sovereigns!

He was the mightiest, most dazzling, most influential existence of the Primordial Era, the legend honored as the foremost expert of his age.

It was just that few could have imagined that the legendary Sovereign Venerate Yi and the abject figure pinned beneath the River-Stabilizing Stele were one and the same.

“Countless years have passed, and the past has faded into obscurity. Does the Primordial Divine Court... still stand?” asked the man.

The kneeling woman said firmly, “It’s stood all this time! It’s just...”

Her voice was suddenly somber and full of bitterness. “The Primordial Divine Court has declined, and it’s on the verge of collapse. Only a few old-timers remain to protect it. The rest have dispersed, or been lost to the dust of history.”

The passage of time was merciless.

The Primordial Era had ended a long, long time ago, entering the long age of the Devastation, followed by the New Beginning. There was no telling how much time had passed.

The Primordial Era had been all but forgotten. So much time had passed that even ancient records contained only sparse, incomplete information.

When an era ended, its history started collecting dust.

But in this case, even the following era had ended, and it, too, was gradually starting to fade from memory!

The Primordial Divine Court had declined for countless years. By now, few even knew that it had once existed.

“So, that’s how it is...” The man sighed, then sank back into silence.

A long time passed before he said calmly, “Give me a little more time. I’ll... come back!”

The kneeling woman quivered from head to toe. She could already picture the day of the Founder’s return, as well as the Primordial Divine Court’s return to dominance!

......

That same day, in the deepest depths of the River of Destiny, the Silent Annihilation Forbidden Domain.

This was considered the most taboo, dangerous section of the River of Destiny.

Countless Whirling Netherworld Blossoms floated amidst the darkness deep below the river’s surface. The flowers demarcated the borders of the Silent Annihilation Forbidden Zone.

The river denizens knew that when they saw the flowers, they had to leave immediately. If they went any deeper, they’d be doomed.

But now, countless Whirling Netherworld Blossoms rose like a dense cloud. Each glowed like a burning, blood-red lantern, illuminating the darkness of the river. It was a spectacular sight.

“The River of Destiny’s Water Prison has finally cracked!”

“Haha! I just knew that Destiny’s Chosen couldn’t possibly rise again! The age of the Destiny Demons has begun!”

“How much longer until we can break free?”

“Don’t be in such a rush. Soon! We’ll be free soon!”

A clamor of voices emanated from within the Silent Annihilation Forbidden Domain. They were full of delight, excitement, and anticipation.

Suddenly, a cold, dignified, female voice resounded throughout the darkness. “No, Destiny’s Chosen yet lives!”

The clamor of voices died down. All gave way to silence.

The waters rumbled, as a graceful figure shot out of the depths, her dress swaying like water grasses.

When she reached the stretch covered in Whirling Netherworld Blossoms, she stopped, as if some sort of invisible power were blocking her ascent. She could advance no further.

Whirling Netherworld Blossoms floated around her graceful figure, illuminating her with their blood-red glow. Their radiance revealed fair skin, hair the deep, dark green of algae, exquisite features, and glowing, blood-red eyes.

Most striking of all, she had the character “prisoner” emblazoned on her forehead in red!

“Don’t forget that just a few years ago, we sensed the Book of Destiny somewhere in the River,” said the woman, taking a seat in the flowing current. She held a Whirling Netherworld Blossom aloft like a lantern.

“I sent word to our loyal servants in the outside world. They investigated and reported that the owner of the Book of Destiny was a man with ties to River Ancestor Shen Xiao.

“The man once led a group of experts into the hidden realm manifested from River Ancestor Shen Xiao’s heart devil. It was also there that the Book of Destiny appeared.”

The woman’s tone suddenly shifted. “But although the Book of Destiny has returned, I suspect it’s in new hands!”

“Why do you say that, Your Excellency Ling Zhao?” a modest voice asked from the river’s depths.

Her Excellency Ling Zhao was one of the supreme rulers of the Destiny Demons, a legendary Demon Empress who’d clashed with the previous Destiny’s Chosen!

“Were we still up against the previous Destiny’s Chosen, we’d have no hope of rising to prominence. We’d be trapped in this dark, sunless Water Prison for generations to come,” said Ling Zhao, her tone a bit strange. “But my instincts tell me that someone else now carries the Book of Destiny, someone... who perhaps isn’t even truly Destiny’s Chosen!”

The river’s depths were suddenly in uproar.

“That would be absolutely wonderful!”

“The heavens themselves are on our side!”

“We’ve been consigned to these depths all this time. Our chance to break free has finally arrived!”

The one they called Her Excellency Ling Zhao paid the voices no further heed. She just sat alone, holding a Whirling Netherworld Blossom aloft. The depths of her gaze carried a hint of melancholy.

Inwardly, she murmured, But I’ve... been waiting to kill Xiao Jian all this time. Are my countless years of waiting... going to come to naught?”

The flowers swayed around her, like flowing currents of fire, illuminating the uncertain look on her exquisitely beautiful face.

......

The beat of a butterfly’s wings could trigger a windstorm, and great waves began with a ripple.

The effects of the Struggle for Heavenly Fate and Lonely Heights’ clash with the Big Boss’s heart devil rippled throughout the River of Destiny, reaching the Void beyond, the nine River-Stabilizing Steles in the upper reaches, the forbidden zone in the river’s depths, and beyond.

That included the Sea of Fate and the Abyss of Endless Tribulations.

An unpredictable, dramatic change was silently brewing. This day marked a turning point in the course of history. The Struggle for Heavenly Fate was a prelude to what was to come!

......

A sumptuous banquet had only just ended in the Five-Colored Hidden Realm, River Empress Peacock’s territory.

River Empress Peacock had arranged for Su Yi to stay in the same temporary residence as last time. He was now sprawled out in his wicker chair, making idle conversation with Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan.

“I cannot stay here too long,” said Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan. “After everything that happened, the other Heavenly Sovereigns surely see me as their common foe. I’m not afraid of them, but I’m worried that it’ll implicate my disciples and grand-disciples in the Taiwu Sect.”

A hint of worry appeared on his brow.

Su Yi took out a jug of wine and tossed it to him. “Every debt has its debtor. I doubt they’d dare take this that far. At the very least... Until they’re completely confident that they can take you down.”

After all, if the Heavenly Sovereigns joined forces to obliterate the Taiwu Sect, there was no way that Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan would just let it go.

There’d be nothing to stop him from giving a tooth for a tooth. The moment the Heavenly Sovereigns turned their backs, he’d slaughter their disciples and grand-disciples in turn!

All of them would need to carefully weigh the consequences of that.

Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan subtly inclined his head. “You’re right, but I still cannot hide here forever and disregard the Taiwu Sect’s safety. Thus, I’ve decided to set off tomorrow and return to the Blackwater Celestial Capital. But I’ll return quietly, without informing anybody, and I’ll make arrangements in secret.”

If he returned openly, the other Heavenly Sovereigns would attack without hesitation!

That was for certain.

However, if no one knew that Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan had returned to the Blackwater Celestial Capital, the other Heavenly Sovereigns wouldn’t leave their bases.

After all, if they left their bases recklessly, they wouldn’t just fail to capture their target; Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan might take advantage of their absence to attack. The consequences of that would be dire.

Su Yi pondered briefly, then grasped what Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan was aiming for. He nodded. “That should work.”

“Little Brother, here’s the Yitian Eternal Throne. It’s rightfully yours.” Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan flipped his palm, and a bundle of dark blue light floated into the air.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!