First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1558 - The Assembly of All Spirits

Su Yi understood at a glance.

It wasn’t that the youth couldn’t bear to part with those tattered, blood-stained clothes. Rather, he wanted to hold that bloodshed and resentment to his chest and carve it into his heart.

Su Yi gazed intently at the youth for a moment, then said, “When we leave the Black Dragon Market, I’ll take you back to the White Reed Province.”

The youth froze, and he obviously had questions, but in the end, he pursed his lips and said nothing. He was thoroughly on guard.

......

The following morning.

A cluster of ancient buildings stood to the far east of the Black Dragon Market. If you proceeded further east, you’d reach a towering mountain shrouded in black fog.

The mountain was known as the Dragon’s Retreat. It was a forbidden ground in the Black Dragon Market, and the Red Dragon Dao Monarch resided in one of its grottos.

The famous Cave of Trials and Forest of Steles were located here, too!

The Church of All Spirits had chosen to convene their assembly in one of the buildings clustered at the foot of the Dragon’s Retreat.

This grand, ancient building was known as Auspicious Cloud Palace. It had been built prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals.

The experts of the Church of All Spirits had already sealed off the area around Auspicious Cloud Palace.

Many figures currently stood inside.

The Church of All Spirits’ assembly had long since drawn the attention of everyone in the Black Dragon Market. Countless people were waiting to see what happened.

It was to the point that numerous experts had come to the Black Dragon Market on account of this assembly. They wanted to investigate and see what the Church of All Spirits was convening it for.

Thus, starting early this morning, the area around Auspicious Cloud Palace was packed, a bobbing sea of heads.

“Immortal Lord Nine Cranes is here!” someone whispered. The crowd was instantly in uproar.

They then watched as an elder with snow-white hair and ink-black robes approached from afar. He’d brought two youths with him.

After they disappeared into Auspicious Cloud Palace, the crowd boiled over, like a pot blowing off its lid. The sound of discussion filled the air.

“I wouldn’t have thought Immortal Lord Nine Cranes would come too.”

“He’s one of the greatest Immortal Lords of the Yao Path in the Luo Province! What’s he here for?”

“As soon as the curtains fell on the Age of Fallen Immortals, the Church of All Spirits started recruiting experts and expanding their forces. By now, no one knows just how many Immortal Lords they have under their banner or just how powerful they’ve become.”

“Immortal Lord Nine Cranes has come to participate in the assembly. He might well intend to join them too!”

Before long, yet another prominent expert arrived, drawing countless gazes. He wore a feather headdress and red robes. He had a prominent, pointed mustache, and his eyes flashed like cold lightning. He was accompanied by a group of Void Realm yao immortals.

Immortal Lord Talisman Flame!

A high elder of the Hua Province’s Cloud Pine Temple!

His arrival made countless hearts shake with astonishment.

Immortal Lord Talisman Flame was even more famous than Immortal Lord Nine Cranes. He’d become one of the top five Immortal Lords in the Hua Province a long time ago!

In the time that followed, several other Saint Realm Immortal Lords arrived, each drawing widespread discussion.

When Su Yi, Fang Han, and Qing Wei arrived, they too attracted the crowd’s attention.

After they disappeared into Auspicious Cloud Palace, the sound of discussion filled the air.

“Who was that Immortal Lady? Why haven’t I seen her before?”

“If it’s as I suspect, that’s Immortal Lady Qing Wei of the Jing Province’s House of Little Joys!”

“So that’s her!”

Numerous onlookers felt enlightened.

Immortal Lady Qing Wei was a lofty and mysterious existence among yao cultivators. They said she was an unparalleled beauty of extraordinary talent, and that her strength was unfathomable!

But Qing Wei seldom appeared in public, so the crowd knew less about her than the other Immortal Lords.

As for Su Yi and Fang Han? They drew a little attention too, but for the most part, the crowd subconsciously took them for juniors accompanying Qing Wei...

...

Inside Auspicious Cloud Palace.

The meeting hall was enormous. It could accommodate over a thousand attendees!

The palace walls were covered in ancient formations of the Immortal Dao. They said that long ago, the former master of the Black Dragon Market, the Black Dragon Dao Monarch, placed them there personally. They were all but indestructible and capable of blocking the full-force attack of an Immortal Lord.

The assembly had yet to begin, but the atmosphere was lively.

The Immortal Lords were laughing and chatting amongst themselves. The Void Realm True Immortals had split into groups, and they too were exchanging pleasantries. Even the juniors these experts had brought with them were getting to know each other.

Elder Xiao Ju and Holy Son Zhong Qi of the Church of All Spirits were here too.

Here, experts really were as numerous as the clouds!

When Su Yi and his company entered the meeting hall, they instantly drew the crowd’s attention.

Many of them were stunned by Qing Wei’s sheer beauty. Her ravishing looks were absolutely unparalleled, enough to bewitch the masses. Even the Immortal Lords forgot themselves; they couldn’t look away.

“Your Excellency Qing Wei, long time no see.” Xiao Ju led Holy Son Zhong Qi over to greet them with a smile.

After briefly exchanging pleasantries, Xiao Ju ordered an attendant to lead Su Yi and Qing Wei to their seats.

Qing Wei’s seat was right in the center, and near the front, next to Immortal Lord Nine Cranes and the other Immortal Lords. As for Su Yi and Fang Han? They were placed in the remotest corner of the hall, with only juniors yet to step into the Immortal Dao for company.

Su Yi thought nothing of this. He just sat down, picked up a jug of wine, and started drinking.

Fang Han sat across from him. The youth was obviously nervous, and he looked dazed. He couldn’t figure out why Su Yi had brought him to participate in such an assembly. But in the end, he gnashed his teeth and set those thoughts aside. He, too, picked up a jug of wine and started drinking.

Su Yi took all of this in. He chuckled, but said nothing.

Suddenly, Holy Son Zhong Qi walked over holding a cup of wine.

He smiled at the remote corner Su Yi was seated in, and said in a hushed whisper, “I know your status isn’t simple, yet I’ve placed you here with only a bunch of juniors for company.”

A moment later, his tone shifted. “Of course, I’m not doing this to humiliate you. Rather, I’d like to warn you that if you dare act wantonly here, you’ll only bring about your own demise.”

With that, Zhong Qi drained his cup, took a deep, hard look at Su Yi, and turned to leave.

Su Yi just sat there, as if he hadn’t even noticed. His expression was as calm as ever.

Fang Han seemed to have realized something, and he said with sadistic glee, “It seems you aren’t at all welcome here! If someone had given me the cold shoulder like that, I’d have left by now, yet here you are, sticking around where you’re obviously unwanted. Truly spineless!”

Su Yi smiled, not at all bothered. “Tell me, why do you think a holy son like him would go out of his way to target me?”

Fang Han froze, then fell silent.

Su Yi said warmly, “You’re still young, and you can of course take pride in your fearlessness, but you can’t just look at the surface of things. Just now, it looked like he was warning me not to try anything, but in truth, he’d love nothing more than if I caused trouble.”

Fang Han furrowed his brow. “Why is that?”

“Simple,” said Su Yi. “He considers this his territory, but out of consideration for Qing Wei’s status, he dares not touch me. However, if I started it, he’d have an excuse to ruthlessly trample me in front of the crowd!”

Fang Han was stunned. “Is there a grudge between you two?”

Su Yi said, “I made a fool out of him in public.”

“It makes sense then,” said Fang Han, seemingly enlightened. “I’d want to reclaim my lost pride too!”

Su Yi drained another cup of wine and said nothing.

But Fang Han couldn’t hold back any longer. He snorted coldly and said, “You might very well be right, even so, in your position, I’d never just endure like this!”

Su Yi smiled faintly. “You’re trying to provoke me, but your methods are far too coarse. You just want the two of us to fight so you have a chance to escape. Am I right?”

Fang Han looked a bit uncomfortable, but he nonetheless stubbornly raised his head. “That’s right!”

Su Yi said softly, “The show has yet to begin. Don’t be in such a rush.”

The show?

Fang Han furrowed his brow, but said no more.

In the time that followed, more and more prominent experts arrived, including Feng Yeyun of the Generalists’ Tower. He was placed among the Immortal Lords.

By now, there were already twelve Immortal Lords in Auspicious Cloud Palace!

Them aside, there were almost fifty Void Realm True Immortals. Add the Universe Realm Immortals and the juniors, and there were close to three hundred people gathered here. It was a full house!

When one of the four commanders of the Black Dragon Guards arrived, the clamor of voices instantly died down.

His name was Immortal Lord Xing Yu, and even the other Immortal Lords rose to greet him with a smile.

Xiao Ju beamed and went up to greet him personally, then led this high-ranking authority figure of the Black Dragon Market directly into a seat reserved for him up front.

“Ol’ Xiao, we’ve known each other for years. No need to be so polite,” Immortal Lord Xing Yu said flatly.

He was tall, thin, and dressed in Confucian robes. His face was clean-shaven, and he had an elegant bearing. Even among Immortal Lords, he was like a crane among chickens.

Xiao Ju burst into laughter. “Daoist Brother, we couldn’t have convened this assembly without your help. Mere words of gratitude are insufficient in the face of great benevolence; we’ll be sure to repay you generously!”

Numerous others’ gazes shifted inscrutably as they realized the Church of All Spirits had just invited Immortal Lord Xing Yu here to keep up appearances.

“That guy sure is impressive,” muttered Fang Han. “If I had his status and position, how could...”

Before he finished that thought, the youth clamped his jaw shut. His eyes dimmed.

Su Yi drained a cup of wine. “Your horizons are too narrow. The ancestors of your Bi’an Spirit Race included an abundance of Immortal Lords and Immortal Kings. If you fail to step to become an Immortal King, you’ll bring shame to the blood flowing through your veins.”

Fang Han was stunned. “Are you telling me what to do?”

Su Yi nodded. “Of course.”

“....”

The hall suddenly quieted down. All eyes turned toward the same place.

At the far end of the hall, there stood a jade platform. Someone was slowly walking onto it.

He was an old man in long black robes. His hair and beard were white as snow, and his gaze was as deep as an ocean. His entire body emanated formless pressure.

When they saw him, the Immortal Lords ceased their conversation, and their expressions filled with surprise.

Elder Xiao Ju of the Church of All Spirits hurried up and said with a smile, “Everyone, this is Libationer Yun Qiong of our Church of All Spirits!”

The crowd was in uproar. All of them looked enlightened.

Even the weakest of the Church of All Spirits’ libationers was a first-rate Immortal Lord, while the strongest reportedly were Immortal Kings. Although Libationer Yun Qiong wasn’t an Immortal King, his Immortal Lord aura was as deep as an abyss and vast as an ocean!

When Su Yi saw Libationer Yun Qiong, he seemed to sense something. His brow furrowed, and he slowly set the cup he’d picked up back down.