First Immortal of the Sword

Just two punches, and he defeated Nie Weirui?

The experts of Blue Cliff Academy were completely dazed.

Earlier, twenty-three Immortal Lords were defeated at Nie Weirui’s hands. Who could have failed to realize how terrifying this peak Immortal Lady of Pine Hut College was?

Yet now, she’d failed to endure just two of the Universe Realm Su Yi’s punches!

Meng Xinguan was rooted to the spot, and he watched in a daze. So, when Fellow Daoist Su defeated the Formless Demon Li Fenghan over the Mirror Lake, he didn’t even use his full strength.

“How… How did he do that?” The experts of Pine Hut College were completely stunned. They found this difficult to believe.

When had such a heaven-defying Universe Realm Immortal ever appeared in this world?

The dust and smoke dissipated.

As the crowd watched in astonishment, Nie Weirui picked herself off the ground. Her hair was disheveled, her beautiful face was pallid, and blood flowed from the corners of her lips. Her hibiscus crown had split, and she looked utterly wretched.

Nie Weirui took a deep breath and stared intently at Su Yi. “Why did you stop? You said three strikes.”

“There’s no need,” said Su Yi.

“But I want to test it!” said Nie Weirui. Her face was full of determination.

Su Yi mulled it over, then inclined his head. “Very well. I’ll give you what you want.”

As he spoke, his sleeves billowed through the air, and he silently closed his hand.

Boom!

The Haoran Qi filling the air gathered explosively around Su Yi’s fist. The surrounding skies collapsed with a bang, seemingly unable to withstand its power.

From a distance, Su Yi looked like a god wielding the river of stars. Dense, overflowing Haoran Qi circulated around his fingers, like a cycle of countless stars.

That terrifying power made the Immortal Lords of both institutions hold their breath. They were overcome with horror!

Su Yi hadn’t even thrown this third punch yet, but it was already far more terrifying than his first two attacks.

Even the Immortal Lords felt their hearts and minds palpitating with fright, and they almost felt suffocated.

With his lower cultivation, Meng Xinguan couldn’t even keep his eyes open. His entire body was drenched in cold sweat.

Is it… really possible for a Universe Realm Immortal to control such power? Nie Weirui’s pupils constricted, and her heart palpitated. Uncontrollably unease arose in her heart. Her instincts told her that this was no longer a matter of mere victory and defeat; her life was on the line!

But in the end, she gnashed her teeth. Her eyes shone with conviction, and she circulated the full extent of her cultivation base.

Boom!

Her imposing aura soared into the firmament, and she showed no fear of death.

She leaped through the air, her fair, jade-like hands slashing the air like sabers.

Indomitable Immortal Lord Laws condensed, dazzlingly bright, like a divine saber sweeping through the air!

This secret art was called ‘the Sage’s Heart as a Saber!”

Her mentality and spirit are actually rather extraordinary, thought Su Yi. His eyes flashed with a hint of surprise.

Without the slightest hesitation, he swung his fist.

It was like the river of stars bursting through a dam. The power of Su Yi’s fist swept explosively forth.

Nie Weirui instantly felt its terrifying impact. She felt as if she stood amidst an endless sea of stars, battered by its fierce waves.

That terrifying destructive power struck relentlessly. In just a few blinks of an eye, her defenses shattered.

She was swept helplessly into that tidal wave of fist force. Countless stars slammed into her.

I would never have anticipated this. I rarely lose to others at my level, yet now, I’m about to die at the hands of a young Universe Realm Immortal…

Nie Weirui’s heart filled with despair, and a self-deprecating smile tugged at her lips.

But a moment later, her smile froze in place, and her expression filled with astonishment.

The rain of stars abruptly dissipated, and the celestial river sweeping across heaven and earth disappeared.

Su Yi’s voice emanated from afar.

“Should the day arise that Pine Hut College attains military merit beyond that of Blue Cliff Academy in the war against the demons of the Beyond, I swear to personally deliver the Haoran Ruler and Just Heart Bell to your door.”

Nie Weirui was stunned.

Everyone present was flabbergasted, then thoughtful.

A little while later, Zhao Yunfeng said with deep shame, “Here we are, fighting amongst ourselves over treasures, while our young friend is more concerned with the fate of the masses and peace in the Immortal Realm. His breadth of spirit makes me ashamed of myself. I, Zhao Yunfeng, will learn from his example!”

Zhao Yunfeng then faced Su Yi and bowed deeply.

He was completely sincere, and extraordinarily solemn.

The other experts of Blue Cliff Academy were moved, and they quickly followed suit.

“We’ll learn from your example!”

They called out in unison, and their voices echoed throughout the sky over Blue Cliff Academy.

When Nie Weirui and the other members of Pine Hut College saw this, waves of emotion coursed through them, and they were visibly conflicted.

A Universe Realm Immortal had defeated them, yet his heart was focused on bringing peace to the Immortal Realm, and the struggle against the demons of the Beyond. The scope of his vision made them feel ashamed by comparison.

“I’ll carve your three punches and your guidance into my heart. Farewell.” After a moment’s silence, Nie Weirui clasped her fist, then led the experts of Pine Hut College away.

But before she’d gotten far, something occurred to her. “If I’m not mistaken, those three punches didn’t represent the full extent of your power. Is that correct?”

The crowd was startled. All of them looked at Su Yi.

“That’s right,” said Su Yi. “I’m a sword cultivator.”

“...”

An indescribable emotion spread through the crowd’s hearts.

He hadn’t used his Dao of the Sword, yet he’d solidly defeated Nie Weirui in just three punches. How terrifyingly strong, then, was he when he unsheathed his sword?

“Fellow Daoist, you’re far beyond most so-called ‘unrivaled monsters.’ I can already say with certainty that you’re sure to reach the very pinnacle of the Immortal Dao. I’m looking forward to that day!”

As her voice echoed through the air, Nie Weirui and her companions gradually faded into the distance.

……

That night, Zhao Yunfeng and the other old monsters of Blue Cliff Academy hosted a banquet to warmly welcome Su Yi. Everyone clinked glasses, laughed, and chatted over dinner.

The old monsters had watched as this Universe Realm Immortal overcame the trials of the Blue Cliff Twelve Towers, making the bells ring an unprecedented twenty-four times. He was the greatest challenger in history, and he’d set all new records at every stage of the process!

This feat was sure to be both unprecedented and irreplaceable! It was utterly unique!

The same young man had gone on to defeat the greatest Saint Realm expert in Pine Hut College, Nie Weirui, in just three punches. In doing so, he helped Blue Cliff Academy retain the Haoran Ruler, a treasure of extraordinary significance!

Thus, everyone in attendance, from the old monsters to the other attendees, viewed Su Yi with the utmost importance. He was their most distinguished and most admired guest.

Over the course of the banquet, Su Yi learned a fair bit of the truth behind the academy’s decline.

Simply put, the demons of the Beyond were behind the former greatest Confucian orthodoxy’s decline!

Prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals, Blue Cliff Academy had a rule that all of its disciples were to temper themselves at the Nine Gates of Heaven after becoming immortals and wage war against the demons.

This was an ironclad rule, and it had held to the present day.

Even when the cataclysm of the Age of Fallen Immortals broke out, Blue Cliff Academy had steadfastly upheld this rule.

As a result, they were one of the factions the demons of the Beyond detested most.

During the Age of Fallen Immortals, the Immortal Realm was in chaos, and the demons of the Beyond seized the opportunity to invade. They didn’t just flatten Wang Ye’s Academy of Eternal Night. They did massive damage to Blue Cliff Academy, too.

Although Blue Cliff Academy just barely managed to avoid complete destruction, many of their ancient legacies were lost.

Like the Classic of Endless Stars.

As a result, the academy’s vitality was badly damaged, and its strength was far inferior to Pine Hut College and Clear Plain Academy.

What moved Su Yi was that despite all their losses, Blue Cliff Academy still regularly sent its experts to shore up the Nine Gates of Heaven. They’d never once shrunk back!

For instance, the dean of the academy, Pei Hongjing, had been protecting the Seventh Gate of Heaven at the border of the White Reed Province for quite some time now!

Su Yi couldn’t help but recall Wang Ye’s master, Li Nandu. He was a thin old Confucian, but he protected the Sixth Gate of Heaven until the day he died.

After learning all this, Su Yi raised his cup and said, “A toast to every fellow Daoist in Blue Cliff Academy!”

The crowd raised their cups and drained them in unison.

How did Blue Cliff Academy become the leader of the Immortal Realm’s Confucianists?

It wasn’t because of the Haoran Ruler and the Just Heart Bell, and it wasn’t because their reserves were deep and ancient or because their forces were vast and powerful.

It was because Blue Cliff Academy had made it their mission to protect the populace, pass on the teachings of the sages, and bring peace to the Immortal Realm!

This was why Su Yi had said all that after defeating Nie Weirui.

Pine Hut College wanted to become the leader of the world’s Confucianists?

Very well! First, they had to accumulate military merit at the Nine Gates of Heaven and surpass Blue Cliff Academy’s glorious accomplishments!

Otherwise, there was no need to even discuss it.

…

Just as the banquet was about to end, someone rushed to deliver a message from the dean of the academy, Pei Hongjing.

When the crowd finished reading the letter’s contents, the banquet’s atmosphere instantly grew stifled and somber.

“The Immortal-Demon Deathmatches have begun again,” said Zhao Yunfeng. His expression was overcast. “Who knows how many capable Immortal Lords the Seventh Gate of Heaven will lose this time? And we received a letter from the dean telling us to select an Immortal Lord to proceed to the Seventh Gate of Heaven and participate in the deathmatch.”

The crowd’s hearts were heavy, and their expressions were overcast.

Someone couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. “Over the past three thousand years, we’ve held eight Immortal-Demon Deathmatches, but our side has only one once. The other seven deathmatches ended in our abject defeat. Blue Cliff Academy has already lost seven Immortal Lords to these deathmatches!”

In just three thousand years, seven Immortal Lords had died!

To an Immortal King faction, that was an absolutely devastating loss!

Someone said with fury, “But no matter what, we have to attend. We can’t let that demon scum think Blue Cliff Academy has run out of experts!”

The crowd nodded their agreement.

But then, Su Yi couldn’t help but interject. “Excuse me, everyone, might you tell me what exactly this Immortal-Demon Deathmatch is?”