First Immortal of the Sword - Chapter 2612 - Strumming the Zither to Bid You Farewell
Chapter 2612 – Strumming the Zither to Bid You Farewell
The peak of Returning Dragon Mountain.
Su Yi stood alone on the north side of the meeting, his fluttering blue robes lending him an additional extraordinary quality.
The attendees were mostly prominent experts of the River of Destiny, but there was no disguising the astonishment on their faces. None of them had guessed that Su Yi had been right under their noses this entire time!
Most ridiculous of all, not one of them had seen through his disguise. They would never have known he was here if he hadn’t deliberately revealed himself.
“Wang Zhiwu! You old bastard. How dare you collude with Su Yi and sneak him into our meeting like this? You deserve to die for your treachery!!” Suddenly, the old man in imperial robes rose, white hair and beard bristling, and pointed at Wang Zhiwu.
Wang Zhiwu had cursed this very old man out earlier, telling him to scram. The old man had, in turn, told Wang Zhiwu not to leave after the meeting if he had the balls.
Now, he was the first to point the finger at Wang Zhiwu. His shouts immediately alerted the others.
It was true. If not for Wang Zhiwu, how could Su Yi possibly have snuck into their meeting?
All eyes were instantly on Wang Zhiwu, and none of them looked friendly.
Who could have anticipated that there was a traitor in their midst?
Wang Zhiwu’s face twitched. He rose, then sighed. “You’ve misunderstood. I had no idea that he was Su Yi. Moreover, I promise not to get involved in whatever happens here today!”
He glared at Su Yi resentfully, then decisively moved further away, distancingi himself from Su Yi.
Su Yi understood how he was feeling, so he said, “That’s right. We don’t know each other. I tricked him. If you’re angry, just take it out on me.”
Who the hell does he think he’s fooling? The crowd sneered. Not one of them believed it.
Wang Zhiwu’s expression darkened, and he inwardly gnashed his teeth. He deeply regretted bringing Su Yi along.
“I really won’t get involved! I swear it!” He raised his hand and said, “Furthermore, if you manage to kill Su Yi, I promise not to seize the chance to claim the Epoch Spark and power of reincarnation!”
He spoke slowly and clearly, with staunch conviction.
“Cut the crap. Your promises aren’t even worth a fart,” said the old man in imperial robes. “Listen up: there’s no way in hell you’re talking your way out of the blame for this!”
There was already a grudge between him and Wang Zhiwu, so he naturally wouldn’t let Wang Zhiwu off so easily.
Wang Zhiwu silently clenched his fists and glared at Su Yi with even deeper resentment. How could he reveal himself at a time like this? Did he even pause to consider how it’d affect me?
Suddenly, a short, old man said, “Everyone, don’t you think this is wonderful news?”
The speaker was Tie Youlei. He was from the Court of the Southern Heavens, just like Yu Chiyang.
Good news? The crowd’s gazes silently shifted, and the way they looked at Su Yi changed. Some of them looked eager, others cold, others murderous. Others still looked greedy.
Someone clapped and applauded, “Perhaps this is what they mean when they say that the heavens have eyes, and everything is decided by fate. The heavens themselves have granted us this opportunity to slay Su Yi atop Returning Dragon Mountain!”
His voice boomed like a gong, resounding throughout the surrounding area.
“Perhaps this is what they call ‘refusing the road to heaven and throwing oneself into the pits of hell!’” someone said with a smile and eyes flashing with undisguised murderous intent.
Earlier, they’d been astonished to discover that Su Yi was hiding in their midst without them knowing it.
However, now that they’d calmed down, all of them realized that this was the perfect opportunity to kill Su Yi!
“Don’t underestimate Fellow Daoist Su,” Dao Venerate Lu Shi said calmly. “As I said earlier, you can’t judge him by his cultivation base, and he has countless cards up his sleeves. Don’t look down on him.”
He just stood there, his gaze calm and steady as he thought back to their battle in the Tianxiu Sword Shrine.
At the time, he’d borrowed Master God Yun He’s body, as well as the powers of Supreme Simplicity, Supreme Obscurity, Supreme Metamorphosis, and Supreme Emptiness, four of the Five Great Sources. He’d used his Nine Extremes Sword Dao to clash with Su Yi in a pure competition of the Dao of the Sword.
But in the end… he still lost to Su Yi.
That battle had left an extremely deep impression on him. He now understood Su Yi’s strength on a visceral level.
Deep within his heart, he saw Su Yi as a powerful foe, not just a junior yet to step into Eternity.
Thus, when he saw Su Yi here now, his words and conduct didn’t contain even the barest hint of disdain.
Respecting his opponent was respecting himself!
That was how Dao Venerate Lu Shi had always conducted his affairs.
“Fellow Daoist Lu is absolutely right.” Over in the western seats, Yu Chiyang rose and said, “But I have a question. Su Yi is just one person, yet there’s so many of us old-timers in attendance today. It would naturally be best if we could join forces to kill him, but what if some of us try to stand back and watch tigers fight from a safe distance? It would be just terrible if we let those opportunities run off with the benefits.”
His voice boomed throughout the clearing.
In other words, he wanted to make certain that no one tried to get the rest of them to do their dirty work.
He paused, then said, “Furthermore, if our hearts aren’t aligned, we’ll only hold each other back and get in each other’s way. That will give Su Yi opportunities to exploit. It would be far too easy for something to go wrong. We… have to be careful.”
The crowd’s gazes silently shifted.
Ultimately, Yu Chiyang had two concerns. First, that others would stand back, then swoop in to reap the benefits. Second, that the two camps would fight over Su Yi’s power of reincarnation and the Epoch Spark, inadvertently giving Su Yi opportunities.
After all, when the snipe and the clam fought, it was the fisherman who benefited.
These old-timers… really see Su Yi as a fish on the chopping block, huh? Wang Zhwu’s gaze was strange. They haven’t even fought yet, but they’re already talking about how they’ll divvy him up.
Su Yi saw this, too. He’d planned to attack directly, but now, he was no longer in a hurry.
“Your concerns are easily resolved, Fellow Daoist Yu,” Dao Venerate Lu Shi said calmly. “How about you and I swear on our honor that none will shrink back when the fighting begins, much less flee? That will solve the problem.”
Flee? Many of the gathered experts looked dismissive of the possibility. Our victory is assured. We’ve got Su Yi in the bag. We have nothing to fear but failing to seize our share of the spoils. Who’d voluntarily flee and give them up?
Dao Venerate Lu Shi said, “So long as no one leaves, once we’ve captured Su Yi, we’ll be able to tell whether anyone just sat back hoping to reap the benefits of our labor, or if anyone tries to exploit the chaos toward their own illicit ends. Then, should the need arise, we can punish every last one of the culprits!”
The crowd’s hearts clenched. They instantly understood why Dao Venerate Lu Shi had made a point of forbidding them from fleeing.
This was to prevent anyone from seizing good fortune and escaping. If none of them could leave, they’d have no need to worry about this problem.
That aside, If anyone refused to help, or worse, took advantage of the chaos to attack their allies, they’d be punished once the fighting was over.
Under the circumstances, who’d dare to hold back? Who’d dare to attack their allies instead of Su Yi in a bid to seize good fortune?
“Well said, Fellow Daoist Lu!” Yu Chiyang applauded. “But I have an additional suggestion.”
He scanned the crowd, then said, “If anyone holds back or attempts to flee, they’ll be punished severely later! It’ll be treated as a capital offense!”
He spoke with seething murderous intent and staunch determination.
Several of the onlookers’ expressions shifted. Who could have failed to realize that Yu Chiwang was saying that if anyone slipped off, he’d settle the score later?
They were, admittedly, old-timers from the River of Destiny, and thus, only here as soul clones or avatars of will. Their true bodies weren’t in the God Domain.
But so what? If they broke the rules, their true bodies would be punished in the end!
“Very well.” Dao Venerate Lu Shi inclined his head.
He knew that Yu Chiyang’s proposal targeted him and his allies. He feared they’d seize the good fortune, then run.
But weren’t they worried that Yu Chiyang and the others would do the same thing?
Thus, Lu Shi didn’t hesitate to agree.
When they saw this, the crowd felt reassured. There was nothing worse than fighting while guarding against your “allies” stabbing you in the back.
Now, it seemed highly unlikely that any such thing would happen.
Su Yi had listened in silence all this time, but now, he stepped in to warn them. “But I’m still worried that some of you will flee. Why not swear oaths on your fates?”
The crowd was stunned. Without exception, they were flabbergasted. What on earth is he thinking?
Is he making fun of us for our lack of unity and for being so on guard against each other?
Wang Zhiwu said, “Actually, it seems to me that it doesn’t matter whether Fellow Daoist Su is making fun of you or not. His suggestion is quite decent. Swear an oath, and you’ll guarantee that no one dares to try anything!”
Dao Venerate Lu Shi furrowed his brow. “What need is there for oaths? Let me make myself perfectly clear. If anyone violates the rules we laid out anywhere, they’ll become my personal enemies, and I’ll punish them without mercy!”
Yu Chiyang said coldly, “I feel the same way!”
“Is that so?” Su Yi swept his gaze across the crowd. “Either I die today, or all of you die. There is no way I’ll escape. I just hope that you so-called ‘prominent experts’ can do the same. Don’t disappoint me.”
His voice echoed throughout the mountains and rivers.
From beginning to end, the Angler just watched Su Yi from a distance, not saying a word.
But this time, he couldn’t help but sigh to himself. We’re old enemies, but now, compared to Su Yi, I’m not even worth looking at!
He’d been here this entire time, but he was just another face in the crowd. No one paid any attention to him.
In stark contrast, Su Yi was the center of attention. A whole group of Eternals had joined forces just to target him!
It was obvious which of them was superior!!
“Tie Youlei, play the zither. Send Su Yi off with a funeral dirge!” Yu Chiyang shouted.
“Very well!” Tie Youlei walked over to a cliffside and placed a zither in his lap.
No one found it strange. Tie Youlei’s Grand Dao involved music. On the River of Destiny, he was known as the Zither Devil of Upheaval.
“Hey, not bad!” Su Yi pointed to Tie Youlei. “If you play to the very end, I promise to kill you last.”
Everyone was stunned. They couldn’t help but laugh. Su Yi really is as arrogant as the rumors say!
Wang Zhiwu’s gaze was strange. Is this arrogance? He just wants to listen to the whole funeral dirge…
Clang!
Tie Youlei’s fingertips shifted, and the strings trembled. The sound of the zither seemed capable of piercing both metal and stone. It echoed throughout Returning Dragon Mountain.
Murderous intent erupted, and heaven and earth dimmed.
The sound of the zither had fully ignited the crowd’s long-accumulated murderous intent.
