First Immortal of the Sword

The Wen Family estate, the clan hall.

“Elder Brother, I just received word that the Huang Family guards took Su Yi, that wretch, to the Immortal Gathering House." Wen Changqing hurried into the great hall, a broad smile on his face. “Unless something unexpected happens, by the time they’re done with that pipsqueak, he’ll be a hair’s breadth from death!”

He was white-haired and whiskerless, with a sharp, sinister gaze. This was Wen Lingxue’s second uncle.

“A few days ago, he openly spouted utter nonsense, infuriating Young Master Wei Zhengyang. Someone’s needed to teach him a lesson for a long time.”

Family Head Wen Changjing said indifferently, “Who’d have guessed that before we even got the chance to discipline him, the brat would go out and offend a silkpants like Huang Qianjun? I’ve never seen someone so intent on seeking death!”

Suddenly, Wen Changqing scrunched up his brow. “There’s just one thing I don’t understand. Wasn’t Su Yi supposed to have lost his entire cultivation a year ago? So how is that he defeated Huang Qianjun and his thugs yesterday?”

Wen Changjing shook his head. “It happened at the Immortal Gathering House, and none of us were present. We only have Lingxue’s one-sided account; that can’t prove anything.”

He paused, then laughed coldly, “No matter what, I certainly don’t believe a waste like him can stir up any waves!”

Wen Changqing laughed along. “I agree completely.”

He first rose to prominence back when he was still a disciple of Blueriver Sword Manor and his cultivation was at the third level of the Blood Circulation Realm, the “Refining Sinew” stage. His sword arts were superb and transcendent, earning him his title as the outer sect’s Sword Chief.

But then, some time later, an accident robbed him of his entire cultivation. This left his blood and qi weakened, and his foundations were shattered. At the time, several major powers of the Blueriver Sword Manor tried to help him, but to no avail.

The Blueriver Sword Manor cast him away, and Su Yi had been relegated to the role of “cripple” and “waste” ever since.

It wasn’t just Wen Changjing and Wen Changqing that knew of this; in Guangling City, this was common knowledge.

Given these circumstances, Wen Changjing refused to believe that Su Yi had any hope of cultivating the Martial Dao anew.

“There’s no need to discuss the boy any further,” Wen Changjing said casually. “Tomorrow is the matriarch’s birthday banquet. Huang Yunchong of the Huang Family will be in attendance. You can ask him about this then. He’ll tell you what really happened at the Immortal Gathering House.”

Su Yi was just an insignificant live-in son-in-law. He was in no way worthy of their notice.

“Changqing, speaking of tomorrow’s banquet, are all your preparations in order?” asked Wen Changjing.

Wen Changqing nodded. “The clans and factions on good terms with our Wen Family have all confirmed that they’ll be at the banquet to help celebrate the matriarch’s birthday. It’s just….”

He hesitated briefly, then whispered, “Elder Brother, as you know, our Wen Family’s situation isn’t what it used to be. We now occupy the lowest position of Guangling City’s Three Great Clans. Given our current situation, convincing true VIPs to attend the birthday banquet won’t be easy….”

Wen Changjing furrowed his brow. “Where did you run into problems?”

Wen Changqing grimaced. “Over at the City Lord’s Estate.”

The City Lord’s Estate!

Wen Changjing’s heart sank as he realized how serious the problem was.

Over the past few years, the Wen Family’s influence sank like a setting sun; they simply weren’t what they used to be.

By comparison, the other two members of the Three Great Clans, the Huang and Li Families, prospered more with each passing day, their forces flourishing.

Their success only highlighted the Wen Family’s predicament.

Recently, numerous rumors had spread throughout the city. They said that within ten years, the Wen Family was sure to lose their position among “the Three Great Clans of Guangling City”!

This had already become a sore point for the Wen Family’s higher-ups.

As such, the family matriarch’s eightieth birthday had become an affair of the utmost importance.

Their goal was to use this birthday banquet to show off before the outside world. They wanted to tell everyone in Guangling City that the Wen Family’s foundations were still in place, and that they wouldn’t tolerate slander!

The more important people in attendance, the better they could prove this point!

In short, they’d invited several important figures to help the Wen Family keep up appearances!

The way the Wen Family had it planned, if they successfully invited City Lord Fu Shan to tomorrow’s birthday dinner, it was equivalent to inviting a pillar of support. That way, they’d be able to keep up appearances with ease!

When word spread to the populace, who would dare say the Wen Family had declined?

“If City Lord Fu doesn’t show up, I’m afraid the other VIP guests will think that the current Wen Family…. Isn’t enough to move a ‘godly’ figure like the city lord….”

Wen Changjing’s expression gradually darkened. Then, he took a deep breath. His eyes bore into Wen Changqing, and when he spoke, he paused for emphasis between each word. “Go back to the City Lord’s Estate. No matter what you do, you must convince City Lord Fu to attend the birthday banquet!”

Wen Changqing froze, and he muttered, “Elder Brother, I’ve already visited them in person three times. Each time, they refused me at the door. I didn’t even get an audience with the city lord….”

Wen Changjing gnashed his teeth. “Visit them once more. If City Lord Fu doesn’t agree, just wait at his estate. I refuse to believe that, after all the years he’s known our Wen Family, he’ll refuse us forever.”

Wen Changqing’s heart sank, but he nodded and sighed with emotion, “Back when the matriarch was still in Yujing City, who in Guangling City would have dared look down on us?”

Wen Changjing was silent, but inwardly, his heart churned.

Suddenly, a retainer rushed inside to deliver his report—Su Yi had returned home!

“You’re certain he doesn’t have any injuries at all?” Wen Changqing couldn’t help but ask. He was visibly astonished.

The retainer thought about it seriously, then said, “From the outside, he looks perfectly fine.”

Wen Changqing was immediately stunned. How is this possible!?

Huang Qianjun endured such embarrassment. How could the Huang Family let Su Yi off so easily?

Something’s fishy about this!

“Elder Brother, how do you see this?” Wen Changqing couldn’t help but glance at Wen Changjing.

“Compared to the birthday banquet tomorrow, what difference does it make whether Su Yi lives or dies?” said Wen Changjing impatiently.

Wen Changqing immediately fell silent.

…..

The evening sunlight streamed through the window lattice, casting flecks of light onto the floor.

Su Yi was soaking in a wooden bathtub, his eyes shut, breathing in and out. His handsome face was utterly tranquil.

A long time passed before Su Yi let out a deep breath. It shot through forth like an arrow, firm yet lasting, with a faint boom vaguely reminiscent of thunder.

Starting tomorrow, I’ll have to switch to a new body-refining medicinal bath recipe.

His cultivation had just reached the pinnacle of the first stage of the Body Refining Realm, the “Refining Skin” stage.

The next stage was “Refining Muscle”!

Refining muscle meant tempering the flesh, excavating and stimulating a body’s latent potential. This elevated a cultivator’s physique to yet another level.

At the peak of this stage, the muscles were soft as jade when relaxed, and as firm as steel when tensed. Ordinary weapons could no longer penetrate the skin!

When tempering the skin, the ingredients in my daily medicinal bath cost about five hundred taels. But when I start tempering my muscles, my daily medicinal expenditures will soar to fifteen hundred taels. That’s the only way to achieve harmony with the Pine and Crane Body Refining Technique, and it’s necessary to achieve the strongest possible physique….

Su Yi rose from his bath, got dressed, and sat beside the window, lost in thought.

Only six days had passed since he began his cultivation anew. Although he’d already reached the peak of the Refining Skin stage, he’d also burned through a full three thousand taels of silver!

Of the ten thousand silver Zi Jin first gave him, only seven thousand remained. Based on Su Yi’s initial estimates, if he started his Refining Muscle stage cultivation, that seven thousand would only last him four or five days!

Were he any ordinary man, he couldn’t possibly have sustained such shocking expenditures.

I’ll need to find some time to take a look around the Azurecloud Mountains. It’d be wonderful if I could find some spiritual medicines.

Spiritual medicines were different from typical medicinal herbs, as they were born of and nourished in spiritual energy.

Back in the Nine Provinces of the Wilds, with the exception of medicines on the level of “treasures of heaven and earth”, spiritual medicines of all grades were easily purchasable.

But within the Great Zhou’s borders, nevermind “heavenly materials” and “earthly treasures”; even ordinary spiritual medicines were rare, and all of them were incomparably precious, difficult to purchase even with a mountain of gold.

But to Su Yi, this wasn’t actually much of a problem.

Within the Blood Circulation Realm, he didn’t need spiritual medicines, or at least, he could substitute ordinary herbal medicines. At most, it would drag the process out and cost a little extra silver.

Shortly after getting dressed, Su Yi got up and entered the courtyard, then started drilling the Pine and Crane Body Refining Technique as he always did.

The path of cultivation had always been incomparably arduous and dull. Those capable of persisting all had immense will and powerful spirits.

That was the only way to make something of oneself!

Especially since he wanted to transcend his past self. He naturally couldn’t afford the slightest negligence!

…..

Morning the next day.

The skies had yet to brighten, but the entire Wen Family estate was bustling with activity.

Today was the matriarch’s eightieth birthday, and numerous VIP guests would soon grace their walls. News of tonight’s event had long spread throughout Guangling City, and many were paying close attention. No one dared slack off.

But all this commotion had nothing to do with Su Yi. After all, in their eyes, he was nothing but an insignificant little live-in son-in-law.

As everyone else scurried about, he carried out his usual routine, stepping through the gates and strolling leisurely outside of the city along the banks of the Great Azure.

After a while, Su Yi saw the mulberry grove. There were two figures waiting there already.

They were none other than Xiao Tianque and Zi Jin.

“This old man greets you, Master Su.” When he saw Su Yi, Xiao Tianque perked up. He smiled broadly, then stepped up to greet him.

His complexion was obviously much better than when they’d first met.

“Greetings, Master Su!” Zi Jin stepped forward and greeted him respectfully.

Today, she wore a blue-green dress. Her skin was fair as snow, with willowy eyebrows, almond-shaped eyes, a graceful beauty with an outstanding figure.

“The two of you surely know my identity by now. Don’t you doubt me at all?” Su Yi asked with great interest.

Xiao Tianran said solemnly, “Worldly men have always judged others by their appearance and status. Little do they know, those like you are the true experts!”

Su Yi laughed and shook his head. “No need to be so polite.”

Zi Jin hesitated, then said apologetically, “Master Su, earlier, I was the one who arranged for people to investigate your background, as well as to monitor your movements in secret. However, I swear by the heavens themselves that I had no other intentions. If I’ve displeased you, I humbly request your forgiveness.”

As she spoke, she lowered her beautiful head and bowed.

“Just don’t do it again.” Su Yi nodded, and Zi Jin inwardly sighed in relief. Only then did she dare straighten her back.

“Master Su, about my injuries….” Xiao Tianque couldn’t help but ask.

“Wait just a moment. I’ll attend to your wounds as soon as I’ve completed my cultivation.”

As Su Yi spoke, he stopped in a clearing amidst the mulberry trees. He held his breath, focused, and emptied his mind. Then, he gradually began practicing the Pine and Crane Body Refining Technique.

He completely disregarded the two pairs of eyes still watching him from not far away.

Jaspaaar's Thoughts

Not sure if I clarified this yet, but the word "master" here? It's not an expression of submission or anything like that; it's basically "sensei" in Japanese.

In an ordinary modern Chinese conversation, it's more like "mister", ie a generic but polite honorific used to address men. I considered translating it that way; it sounds natural, and in most contexts, that would be an accurate translation.

But in more classical Chinese texts, genre fiction with a classical (or pseudo-classical) feel, and in modern Japanese and Korean, the term is reserved for teachers, doctors, and masters of their craft. That's how they're using it here, so I decided that "mister" was a bit misleading. Basically, they're being polite, but in a way that acknowledges Su Yi's abilities, not his status or background.