First Immortal of the Sword - Chapter 2797 - Will You Give Me Face or Not?

Chapter 2797 – Will You Give Me Face or Not?

Beneath the distant dome of heaven stood a uniquely shaped, massive Star Grave. It was like a semicircle, except it was massively tall, majestic, and grand, and its surface was pitted with caves.

From a distance, it almost resembled a giant hornet nest.

A group stood beside it, hovering in midair. Their leader, a gray-haired, barefoot man in white, gripped a jade fan swathed in misty radiance. He was tall and thin, and his robes swayed around him as he gazed down at the mountains and rivers from on high.

This was none other than Wu Xun!

The most dazzling, heaven-defying monster among all of the Unfettered Realm cultivators in Limitless Palace.

He was accompanied by a dozen other disciples of Limitless Palace, each accompanied by a Dao Protector.

Wu Xun was no exception.

His Dao Protector wasn’t the old Kun Peng, but rather, a proud-looking, mature beauty. She wore a plain green skirt, and her skin was as fair as snow. Her eyes were bright, and she had a natural charm about her.

This was Madam Rong Ye, the grand elder of Spirit Pool Grotto, a faction of the Five Great Continents. She was a Heavenly Monarch of the Yao Path.

Her sect, Spirit Pool Grotto, had served Limitless Palace for a long time.

Now, she’d personally come to the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone to serve as Wu Xun’s Dao Protector.

Actually, it wasn’t just Wu Xun, nor was it just the disciples of Limitless Palace. Practically every expert of the Five Great Continents was accompanied by a Dao Protector from their sect’s subordinate factions.

After all, Dao Protectors were going to their deaths. They were destined never to leave the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.

What faction could bear to send its own Heavenly Monarchs to their deaths?

That was the cruelest aspect of the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone. If you wanted its good fortune, someone had to pay the corresponding price.

And it was the doomed Dao Protectors who had to foot the bill!

Thus, Dao Protectors were typically from a sect’s subordinate factions, and thus obligated to obey, like Madam Rong Ye.

Other times, they were sinners who couldn’t make amends for their crimes any other way, like Mo Lanhe.

Other times, Dao Protectors already felt their days drawing to a close, and they knew they had little time left to live either way.

No matter what, anyone who became a Dao Protector knew that they had little time left in this world. Whether they volunteered or were coerced into it, by now, they’d already prepared themselves to accept their fate.

When Wu Xun heard that strange cry, Wu Xun’s lips curled into a mocking grin. “The cultivators of the Literati Continent really aren’t worth looking at. That goes for both the Unfettered Realm cultivators and the Heavenly Monarchs.”

He frowned at the distant Star Grave. It was utterly strange and perilous, and an air of calamity enveloped its countless caves, preventing anyone from sensing what lay in their depths.

However, Wu Xun had used a secret treasure to examine it, and he could say with certainty that good fortune was hidden within the Star Grave!

He had spent three days here already. During that time, he’d ordered the Dao Protectors to attack the Star Grave and destroy it.

Strangely, every time they tried, it vanished into thin air.

Wu Xun had tried other things as well, but all his attempts ended in failure.

In the end, Wu Xun decided to send someone in to investigate the Star Grave personally.

Over the past three days, every cultivator of the Literati Continent who passed by was “warmly welcomed” to join them in this endeavor.

At first, he’d request a spar and promise opportunities to cultivate in the Limitless Palace if they won.

If they lost, they’d have to explore the Star Grave on Wu Xun’s behalf. Moreover, their Dao Protectors had to go, too!

Much to Wu Xun’s regret, none of the eight cultivators of the Literati Continent he’d sparred with thus far could put up a fight.

Worse, all eight of them had met with lethal danger not long after entering the Star Grave. All of them had activated their Nine Luminaries Medallions to flee the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.

Their Dao Protectors were even more unfortunate. All of them died in the massive Star Grave!

That desperate scream came from one of the Literati Continent’s Heavenly Monarchs.

In the outside world, Heavenly Monarchs were top experts, but to Wu Xun, those chosen to be Dao Protectors were already doomed, so whether they died now or later was immaterial. They might as well die exploring the Star Grave.

“There isn’t much time left. What do we do? Don’t tell me we really have to give up when we’re this close to the treasure?” Wu Xun furrowed his brow.

A Tide of Calamity would sweep across the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone in just two days. The experts of Limitless Palace had to reach the Ancient Nine Luminaries City before it arrived.

“Young Master, when a treasure isn’t fated for you, you cannot force it. There’s plenty of other good fortune to be had here; we needn’t spend all of our time here,” Madam Rong Ye said softly.

Wu Xun’s gaze was instantly cold and stern. “What the hell do you mean, you cannot force it? If I want it, I’ll make it mine!”

Madam Rong Ye stiffened, then lowered her head in silence. She was just a Heavenly Monarch chosen to die; compared to an unparalleled monster of the Limitless Palace, she had no status to speak of.

Wu Xuan laughed coldly. “You might feel incomparably aggrieved, or consider Limitless Palace overly tyrannical. We did, after all, demand that Spirit Pool Grotto send one of its Heavenly Monarchs to their death.

“But Spirit Pool Grotto has plenty of Heavenly Monarchs. Have you considered why they chose to send you, specifically?”

Madam Rong Ye’s eyes dimmed.

“It’s simple,” said Wu Xun. “You’re the lowliest Heavenly Monarch in your sect. Your cultivation is weakest, and your connections are the flimsiest. If they had to sacrifice someone, you were the obvious choice!”

His words were cutting, and his eyes flashed with disdain. “Resent me all you’d like, but keep it to yourself. Otherwise, I can make you live a life worse than death!”

Madam Rong Ye’s beautiful face was bleak. She lowered her head, not daring to respond.

Heavenly Monarchs were not created equal.

In most places, all Heavenly Monarchs were incomparably glorious figures, but in the face of Heavenly Sovereign factions, most weren’t even worth looking at.

So what if they had high cultivation bases? Offend a Heavenly Sovereign faction, and they’d still die unsightly deaths!

Worse, they’d bring disaster upon their sects of origin, too.

If Madam Rong Ye dared to offend Wu Xun, there’d be no need for Limitless Palace to hold her accountable. Her very own Spirit Pool Grotto would be first in line to punish her!

In other words, Heavenly Sovereigns’ prestige was as vast as the heavens themselves, and their factions stood above all others.

Most Heavenly Monarchs wouldn’t dare so much as offend the dogs watching their gates!

“Senior Apprentice Brother, there are people approaching from afar!” a delicate young beauty called out. Her eyes lit up. “That means another chance for you to spar!”

Wu Xun and the others looked over, and indeed, there was a group headed their way.

When he recognized them, Wu Xun perked up. I’ve sure gotten lucky this time! Those are the top four Unfettered Realm cultivators of the Literati Continent, all in one place!

Wu Xun had a faint impression of everyone in the top ten of the Literati Continent’s Nine Luminaries Dao Assembly, but he directly disregarded Su Yi and Fu Lingyun.

They were, at most, good for probing the Star Grave; that’s all.

“I, Wu Xun, have been waiting for you!” Wu Xun said with a laugh. He gently waved his fan and issued a warm invitation. “Please, come here for a chat!”

He was so warm and enthusiastic that those who didn’t know better would have assumed Wu Xun, Yu Qiaojun, and the others were old friends.

But Yun Qiaojun and his companions knew that Wu Xun wasn’t someone they could afford to provoke. More than that, he was tyrannical, and he acted without scruples!

They’d learned this before even entering the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.

“Are we going or not, Senior Apprentice Brother?” Liu Tianchen and the others looked at Yun Qiaojun.

Their Dao Protectors’ expressions were solemn.

That’s Wu Xun! Limitless Palace stands behind him!

Furthermore, all of them had heard that desperate cry emanating from the massive Star Grave. They naturally knew that Wu Xun wasn’t inviting them for anything good.

Su Yi said nothing. He just raised his jug of wine and drank.

After a moment’s silence, Yun Qiaojun waved from afar. “We’re in a hurry to reach our destination, and we’d hate to disturb you. We’ll make it up to you when we reach the Ancient Nine Luminaries City, Fellow Daoist!”

Wu Xun’s smile vanished. “Will you give me face or not?”

Yun Qiaojun said calmly, “Are you going to coerce us?”

Su Yi couldn’t help but take another look at Yun Qiaojun. There was no denying that he seemed calm and composed.

Xiao Chi and Wen Xiuran were clearly nervous by comparison, and there was no hiding the grim looks on their faces.

Wu Xun grinned. “How about this? Spar with me, and if you win, I’ll give you a chance to continue your cultivation in Limitless Palace. Lose, and you’ll just have to do me a favor. I’d like you to take your Dao Protector and explore that Star Grave to see what kind of treasure is hidden inside.”

He scanned Yun Qiaojun and the others, then laughed. “How about it? That’s plenty fair, isn’t it? But if you refuse again, well, don’t say I didn’t try to give you face!”

He spoke with seething murderous intent.

Yun Qiaojun and the others’ hearts sank. This really is trouble, and big trouble at that!

Their Dao Protectors were fraught with worry, too.

Wu Xun was ranked sixteenth in Divine Reverence Pavilion’s Unfettered Ranking, while Yun Qiaojun was thirty-ninth.

How could they possibly spar? Wu Xuan’s “suggestion” was really just blatant bullying!

But none of them dared to object.

Fu Lingyun transmitted, “Daoist Brother Li, this doesn’t bode well.”

Su Yi sloshed his jug of wine and said casually, “Relax. I’m here.”

Fu Lingyun instantly felt calmer.

When no one responded, Wu Xun furrowed his brow. “What? Not even the strongest Unfettered Realm cultivators in the continent dare to spar with me? Or is it that you don’t want me to give you face?”

The depths of Wu Xun’s gaze glinted with ferocity.

The other experts of Limitless Palace leered.

The atmosphere was instantly incomparably stifled.

Yun Qiaojun seemed to have reached a decision. He turned to face Su Yi and said, “Fellow Daoist Li, we invited you to accompany us. I wouldn’t have guessed that something like this would happen. When we leave the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone, I’ll make it up to you personally.”

Su Yi froze, a bit stunned, then waved the offer away. “No need for that.”

But something shifted in his mind. He looked at the distant Wu Xun and said calmly, “If you agree to explore the Star Grave personally if you lose, I wouldn’t mind sparring with you.”

Silence descended over the area. Everyone was flabbergasted.