First Immortal of the Sword

As Su Yi pondered, Innocence’s eyelashes fluttered, and she awakened in the world in his sleeves.

“What woke you up?” exclaimed Su Yi.

“Master, just now, I sensed a hint of a familiar presence, and I reacted instinctively,” said Innocence. “Don’t tell me you ran into an Outsider Celestial Demon?”

Su Yi’s heart shook. “Are you certain the presence you sensed came from an Outsider Celestial Demon?”

Innocence said firmly, “I’m certain of it!”

Su Yi’s thoughts raced. He took out a Heart-Nourishing Bug he’d saved for later and passed it to Innocence. “Do you know what...”

But before he could finish the question, she popped it into her mouth and devoured it like a crunchy piece of candy.

Su Yi didn’t know what to say.

Innocence, meanwhile, broke into a delighted grin. She said excitedly, “Master, these are Divine Heart Bugs, a species unique to the Void. Even there, they’re quite rare. Don’t tell me you’re in the Void right now?”

Su Yi laughed. Everything made sense now. “So that’s it!”

The world on the far side of the spacetime barrier in the spring had to be the Void!

The Void was a mysterious plane occupied by Outsider Celestial Demons. It was much like the Silent Annihilation Forbidden Domain occupied by Negative Karma Destiny Demons.

To the inhabitants of the River of Destiny and its associated territories, both the Void and the Silent Annihilation Forbidden Domain were full of mystery.

Innocence had just resolved several of his doubts at once. He could now say with certainty that the countless figures he’d seen earlier had been Outsider Celestial Demons.

And that old man had to have been a Sovereign of the Outsider Celestial Demons!

Su Yi went on to ask a few more questions, which Innocence answered to the best of her ability.

It turned out that the Divine Heart Bugs were one of the Nine Great Divine Insects raised by the Outsider Celestial Demons. They could invade cultivators’ hearts and devour their heart power, but they could also effortlessly pass through barriers between worlds, nibbling away at them in the process!

During the Devastation, the Outsider Celestial Demons relied on the Divine Heart Bugs’ power to open spacetime tunnels to the River of Destiny. That was how they’d invaded the Eternal Heavens Domain!

That aside, Divine Heart Bugs were useful as nourishment. They could temper and strengthen the heart.

Thus, the Outsider Celestial Demons of the Void saw Divine Heart Bugs as rare and precious cultivation resources.

Su Yi was now certain that the spring did indeed lead to the Void. He waved his sleeve through the air, and Innocence appeared out of nowhere. “See that? There’s a spacetime barrier in the spring. The Void lies on the far side.”

Su Yi pointed at the spring a thousand feet away. “The barrier is cracked, and an army of countless Outsider Celestial Demons is stationed just beyond it. Do you... want to go back?”

Innocence stared at the spring in a daze, her little face filled with uncertainty. After a while, she shook her head. “I have no interest in going back, and I’ve never even considered leaving your side!”

“That wasn’t a test,” said Su Yi. “You can tell me how you really feel.”

Innocence lowered her head, her eyes dull and her voice soft, “Master, I wouldn’t lie about such a thing. They... threw me away. I no longer see them as... my clansmen...”

Her soft voice was full of despondency, melancholy, and undisguisable hatred!

Su Yi rubbed his forehead but didn’t ask any follow-up questions.

Innocence’s origins were highly unusual. She’d been trapped in the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone since the Devastation.

His first incarnation’s heart devil said that although she looked like a harmless little girl, she had an extraordinary aura. She was undoubtedly an extraordinary figure, even among Outsider Celestial Demons.

But Innocence had never been willing to discuss it, and Su Yi didn’t push.

For now, he just asked, “What would you do if I were to fight the Outsider Celestial Demons?”

Innocence stiffened, her gaze shifting erratically.

“Take your time and think it over carefully. You needn’t rush to answer me,” Su Yi said casually.

“Mm,” said Innocence.

Su Yi then went on to ask her a few questions about her cultivation. He soon learned that during her years of seclusion, she’d been undergoing a transformation akin to rebirth, like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. However, she wasn’t yet ready to “leave the cocoon.”

That final step was a bottleneck. It was far too difficult.

According to Innocence, this particular bottleneck was known amongst the Outsider Celestial Demons as the Metamorphosis of the Heart.

Those who overcame it became Demon Sovereigns, while those who failed vanished from this world completely. There was no hope of surviving a failure.

Simply put, you became a Sovereign, or you died. There was no third option!

Su Yi couldn’t help but find this surprising. The Celestial Demons’ cultivation was far more brutal than a cultivator’s. A single failure could determine their life and death. It was immediately obvious how terrifying tribulations were to them.

Su Yi had originally planned to send Innocence to cultivate in the Divine Punishment Destiny Ruin, as the power of Divine Wrath could help temper her heart. She could even learn its unparalleled legacy, the Spirit Platform Chapter.

But in the end, Su Yi decided against it. He’d revisit this decision when Innocence answered his earlier question with her actions.

Before long, Innocence vanished back into his sleeves and resumed her cultivation. She was in the middle of a transformation. She’d yet to overcome that final barrier or undergo tribulation, so it wouldn’t do for her to wander the outside world.

Su Yi gazed at the spring in solitude for a long time, pondering numerous matters.

The forces of the Far Shore had already extended their influence into the River of Destiny. What would happen when the storm brewing there finally erupted?

Were the armies of the Void due to return to the River of Destiny, too?

Su Yi couldn’t say for sure. All he knew was that these changes were getting closer and closer!

On that day, River Ancestor Shen Xiao and River Empress Peacock returned to the Golden Frost Hidden Realm and came looking for Su Yi.

“River Empress Lu Ping is dead?” This development left Su Yi stunned.

River Empress Lu Ping had been one of Wang Zhiwu’s companions, and she’d joined them on their trip to the Cave of Obsession. She was reserved, and she’d kept a low profile, making her a fringe member of the group.

“She’s dead. All of her subordinates are dead, too. It seems no one survived,” said River Ancestor Shen Xiao. “Even now, no one knows for sure who did it.”

He paused, then added, “I suspect it was River Ancestor Sparrow! According to the information we’ve gathered, he didn’t go into hiding after fleeing. Instead, he remained in his own territories, and he spends his days drinking and partying. It seems he isn’t the least bit afraid of us trying to settle the score with him.”

Su Yi’s eyebrows rose. “Why kill the uninvolved?”

“To vent!” said River Ancestor Shen Xiao. “There’s no other conclusion I can draw. Anyone at all capable knows that River Empress Lu Ping accompanied us into the Cave of Obsession. Whoever killed her presumably thought of her as one of our allies.”

Su Yi sank into thought.

Meanwhile, River Empress Peacock chimed in, “There’s other news, too. Just a few days prior, someone flattened River Ancestor Bai Mang’s territory. They say she had dozens of River Emperors and tens of thousands of lesser river denizens working beneath her, but all of them were slaughtered. It seems she’s most likely dead, too!”

Su Yi was stunned. He’d planned to hunt River Ancestor Bai Mang and River Ancestor Sparrow down to avenge River Ancestor Shen Xiao.

Who’d have guessed that someone else would kill River Ancestor Bai Mang before he got the chance?

Who was behind this?

“Of late, everywhere within one million miles of the Spirit Treasure Celestial City is in uproar. Everyone is ill at ease.” River Ancestor Shen Xiao sighed. “After all, we slew the Ape Ancestor and River Ancestor Ji Dian. Now, River Ancestor Bai Mang is dead, too. Nothing like this has ever happened before. It’s horrifying!”

River Empress Peacock nodded. “Given the circumstances, seeking refuge here was undoubtedly the wisest decision we could have made.”

But then, Su Yi said out of nowhere, “Even amidst all this upheaval, River Ancestor Sparrow is drinking and celebrating. It seems he isn’t worried about a thing. Don’t you think that’s rather out of the ordinary?”

Everyone was stunned.

Su Yi said gravely, “Let’s wait a while longer. The situation is still uncertain, but I’m sure that all will become clear.”

His companions nodded.

Su Yi, meanwhile, couldn’t help but lament the situation. He’d planned to leave soon and hunt River Ancestors Sparrow and Bai Mang down, then set course for the Eternal Heavens Domain.

Who’d have thought the situation beneath the surface of the River of Destiny would become this chaotic?

All he could do was wait a while longer.

Half a month later, River Ancestor Lu Shu returned with shocking news from the outside world.

Everyone in the River of Destiny was saying that River Ancestor Sparrow had slain River Ancestor Bai Mang, River Empress Lu Ping, and all of their subordinates!

In doing so, River Ancestor Sparrow had become the most talked-about River Ancestor around. Countless people were discussing him.

No one knew why River Ancestor Sparrow had done this. It seemed simply insane!

Even more terrifying, although they were both River Ancestors, River Ancestor Sparrow had successfully suppressed and slain River Ancestor Bai Mang!

No one knew how he’d pulled it off.

When Su Yi heard this news, he concluded that the Sparrow Ancestor was involved in the upheaval beneath the surface of the River of Destiny.

It was just, why had he done this?

Su Yi couldn’t see through it.

River Ancestor Sparrow had turned on River Ancestor Bai Mang, his former ally. It couldn’t be a simple matter of venting his hatred.

There had to be more to this than met the eye!

“Daoist Brother Lu Shu, how about we go have a look?” suggested Su Yi.

He had no particular bond with River Empress Lu Ping, but the two of them had, after all, traveled together. Moreover, she had a deep connection with Wang Zhiwu. If only for his sake, Su Yi couldn’t just let this go.

That aside, Su Yi was worried about the Heart-Tempering Sword House, so he planned to take action as soon as possible.

River Ancestor Lu Shu’s gaze focused. “Do you plan to target River Ancestor Sparrow?”

Su Yi nodded. “Should the opportunity arise, I’ll kill him!”

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