First Immortal of the Sword

Strange, blood-red flames emerged from Ying Qi’s fingertips, and River Ancestor Bai Mang’s head shrank several times over.

When it was the size of a thumb, Ying Qi strung it on a thin, bright red string. River Ancestor Bai Mang’s face was still contorted with hatred, but it now had an additional, indescribable layer of horror, now frozen in place forever more.

Ying Qi examined the newest addition to his collection of beauty’s heads, then smiled. “Every beauty has her own distinctive charms and demeanor. I left her alive as long as I did because I wanted to capture this rare, wondrous look of terror.”

He languidly toyed with the thumb-sized shrunken head beneath the flickering lamplight. Its dull glow lent him a heart-palpitating, strange air.

River Ancestor Sparrow sat there in a daze, a chill coursing through his entire body.

Rumor had it that Destiny Demons were innately bloodthirsty, and that they brought disaster, upheaval, and bloodshed wherever they went.

River Ancestor Sparrow had known that, but he hadn’t really felt it... until now.

For a moment, he wanted to flee, the faster and further the better.

“What are you afraid of? You’re no hero, and I have no interest in adding your gallbladder to my collection.” Ying Qi glanced at him as if seeing through his unease.

River Ancestor Sparrow laughed dryly and was just about to speak when Ying Qi sensed something. He drained his cup of wine and laughed. “Honored guests have arrived. As their host, shouldn’t you hurry up and greet them?”

Although he said this, he was the first to take a step forward and vanish from the hall.

Guests?

River Ancestor Sparrow blinked, stunned. A moment later, his heart shook. Don’t tell me that Su Yi has arrived?

He shot to his feet and flew after Ying Qi.

......

Outside the Dark Light Forbidden Zone.

Su Yi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance at River Ancestor Sparrow’s territories.

The Dark Light Forbidden Zone was like a massive continent covered in mountains as numerous as the trees in a forest, their slopes covered in halls and pavilions. It was a spectacular sight.

I could perhaps have River Ancestor Shen Xiao and the others take up residence here when I’m finished, thought Su Yi. That spring is so dangerous that they can’t stay in the Golden Frost Forbidden Zone much longer. And if I kill River Ancestor Sparrow, I can claim the Dark Light Forbidden Zone for my own.

As he pondered, Su Yi suddenly sensed something. He looked over and, thanks to his secret power of the heart, clearly sensed a blood-red spirit pearl hovering over the Dark Light Forbidden Zone.

It was like the eye of a devil, and it was “looking” at him from afar!

Don’t tell me they know I’m here?

This thought had only just occurred to Su Yi when formations rumbled within the Dark Light Forbidden Zone, and firelight interwove. A dazzling beam of silver light ripped through the air and hurtled right toward him.

Upon closer inspection, it was a white-robed man with a jade fan. This was none other than River Ancestor Sparrow!

“Su Yi, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time,” said River Ancestor Sparrow. He smiled, but the depths of his gaze were full of cold hatred.

His response confirmed several of Su Yi’s hypotheses. He looked around, then said calmly, “Does that mean you’ve placed an inescapable net around the area?”

River Ancestor Sparrow smiled, then responded with a question of his own. “Did you come alone?”

Su Yi said casually, “I’m just here to stamp out a single dirty beast. Why disturb my companions? I’m more than enough on my own.”

River Ancestor Sparrow laughed coldly. “Shameless boasting! If not for the Book of Destiny, an Immeasurable Realm cultivator like you could never have been so bold!”

Su Yi laughed dismissively. “And where do you get the confidence to speak to me like that?”

Suddenly, another voice rang out. “I’m the source of his confidence.”

Ying Qi’s red-robed figure appeared shortly after. He was tall and thin, but his most eye-catching feature was the character “prisoner” emblazoned on his forehead.

Dense, terrifying, ferocious energy swept outward as he appeared, enveloping the entire area. His presence was far, far more terrifying than that of River Ancestor Sparrow!

River Ancestor Sparrow stiffened, then instinctively stepped aside.

Su Yi’s gaze focused. The Book of Destiny, which he had hidden in his sleeves, had actually stirred at the sight of this new arrival!

“Allow me to introduce myself. I am Ying Qi of the Destiny Demon Race. I’ve been waiting for you for a long time,” said Ying Qi, clasping his fists, his demeanor calm and composed. “I can guarantee that there’s no ambush waiting for you here. I have no helpers of any kind. I’m here on my own.”

He pointed at River Ancestor Sparrow. “He was no more than bait to lure you here.”

Su Yi’s gaze was calm, but inwardly, he was very much surprised. A Negative Karma Destiny Demon! Doesn’t that mean that something has shifted in the Silent Annihilation Forbidden Domain? If not, how could this Ying Qi person have made it here?

Su Yi pondered briefly, then said, “Does that mean you were the one who killed River Empress Lu Ping?”

Ying Qi smiled and inclined his head. “That’s right, but that’s not all. I even visited the Heavenly Sovereigns to request information about you, all in preparation for our meeting.”

His red eyes looked Su Yi up and down, seemingly gratified. “I’ve got to say, now that I see you for myself, you’re every bit as impressive as the rumors say. I’m not at all disappointed!”

The atmosphere was stifled and oppressive, silent save for the echo of Ying Qi’s voice.

River Ancestor Sparrow stood to the side, not daring to even breathe too loudly.

Su Yi, however, showed no sign of nervousness. He took a casual sip from a jug of wine, then said, “Did you come looking for me because... I’m Destiny’s Chosen?”

Ying Qi laughed and shook his head, “No. If you were really Destiny’s Chosen, I’d have fled as far as I possibly could by now. There’s no way I’d dare show myself before you!”

He paused, then reined in his smile and said solemnly, “I know you’ve yet to truly master the Book of Destiny. That means there’s still room for you and the Destiny Demons to negotiate.”

“And what would you like to discuss?” asked Su Yi.

Ying Qi didn’t beat around the bush. “I’ll be direct with you: we are fated to oppose Destiny’s Chosen, but so long as you give up the Book of Destiny, I guarantee that none of us will make any further trouble for you!”

With that, he took out a blood-red talisman. “This is our race’s Lifeblood Contract. Give up the Book of Destiny, and I’ll sign it on the spot and guarantee your safety going forward!”

Su Yi didn’t even look at the talisman. “Ah, but there’s someone who won’t agree to let that happen.”

Ying Qi furrowed his brow, then looked around. “Is that so? I’d like to see just who could be so suicidal as to interfere in the Destiny Demons’ affairs!”

“See for yourself,” said Su Yi. He flipped his palm, and the Book of Destiny rose into the air.

Ying Qi’s gaze focused, his entire being seemingly provoked. He instinctively circulated the full extent of his qi and readied himself for battle.

River Ancestor Sparrow tensed, too.

“What are you so afraid of? For now, just watch and listen,” said Su Yi.

An inscrutable rain of chaos light scattered from the Book of Destiny, and a voice emerged from within the tome. “Idiot! You know Su Yi has yet to master the Book of Destiny, so why even offer him a Lifeblood Contract?”

Ying Qi blinked in surprise, then frowned. “Who are you?”

River Ancestor Sparrow was startled, too. Someone in the Book of Destiny is seriously cursing out Ying Qi? Aren’t they afraid to die?

“I’m your ancestor!” said the voice, clearly enraged.

“Countless years have passed,” said another voice. “It’s to be expected that our juniors wouldn’t know us. What’s there to be angry about?”

“Cut the crap! Don’t you think there’s something off about the Little Chosen’s behavior? He’s actually bold enough to let us interact with our clansmen in the outside world!” someone said gravely.

“Are you afraid to die, Little Chosen? Are you planning to beg us old-timers to help you find a path to life?” someone said with a cold laugh.

It was a clamor of voices, all of them belonging to different people. River Ancestor Sparrow’s heart shook just listening to it, but Ying Qi realized something. His eyes filled with bewilderment in an uncharacteristic loss of composure.

He instinctively asked, “Are you... perhaps... the seniors who vanished in the Battle of Silent Annihilation?”

The Battle of Silent Annihilation!

That was the name of a terrifying, nigh-apocalyptic struggle in which countless Destiny Demons perished.

It was after that battle that their entire race was sealed in the Silent Annihilation Forbidden Domain, like prisoners forever doomed to oblivion!

“If you understand, why not hurry up? Kill Su Yi and save us already!” someone shouted.

“Hurry up and kill him! This is a rare opportunity. Don’t miss it!” someone urged.

The clamor of voices rang out without end. Su Yi made no effort to stop them, instead just gazing quietly at Ying Qi from afar.

In truth, the moment Ying Qi appeared, the Book of Destiny shifted. Su Yi made no effort to suppress its strange movements. On the contrary, he made sure the seven Negative Karma Destiny Demons imprisoned inside heard every word of his conversation with Ying Qi.

Ying Qi’s expression shifted erratically, but he didn’t rush to attack. Instead, his brow furrowed. “I knew there were a lot of unforeseeable variables surrounding you, but I didn’t expect you to give me such a ‘delightful surprise’ so shortly after we met. Tell me, what do you want me to do?”

He, too, disregarded the clamor of voices, despite being convinced that their owners were indeed seniors of the Negative Karma Destiny Demon race.

Su Yi said calmly, “All of those old-timers are trapped in the Book of Destiny. Aren’t you worried you’ll wind up following in their footsteps?”

Ying Qi’s eyes flashed, and his brow furrowed.

“Little Chosen, you’re being rather dishonest,” said Mo Hanyi, speaking up for the first time. “You’ve only mastered the first page of the Book of Destiny. Even though you successfully suppressed those River Ancestors, you needed help from the two old-timers in the Divine Punishment Destiny Ruin to succeed.”

When Mo Hanyi spoke, the clamor of voices instantly gave way.

“Given the circumstances, how are your threats any different from empty boasting?” Mo Hanyi’s voice was tinged with mockery. “It seems you’re really in insurmountable peril this time. Otherwise, you would never utter such blind nonsense!”

Su Yi smiled but said nothing. However, Ying Qi’s eyes widened in apparent disbelief. “Might I ask... Are you... perhaps... His Excellency the Sovereign Preceptor?”

Only one of the forebears of their race had ever been honored as “Sovereign Preceptor,” and only he dared call himself “the teacher of Demon Sovereigns.”

The Sovereign Preceptor was among those who’d found Destiny’s Chosen during the Battle of Silent Annihilation, but he hadn’t been seen since. Everyone thought he’d died in battle.

Countless Destiny Demons despaired over his loss. They felt as if the heavens had collapsed, and they’d lost their pillar of support.

That man was none other than Mo Hanyi, the Sovereign Preceptor of the Negative Karma Destiny Demons!

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