First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1061 - The Profundities of Dark and Gold Essence

Profound Sky Academy.

When Yu Changming saw Su Yi return, he rushed up to greet him. “Your Excellency Su, has the Abstruse Force Alliance already launched a counterattack?”

“The only one who came this time was a small fry. No need to be nervous,” Su Yi said casually.

Yu Changming inwardly sighed in relief.

“Right, you’d best start making preparations. Get in touch with the Yue Family. When I leave the Profound Sky Realm, Profound Sky Academy should depart Phoenix Perch Mountain and temporarily seek refuge with the Yue Family,” ordered Su Yi.

He couldn’t wait for his enemies on Phoenix Perch Mountain forever, but before he left, he naturally had to arrange a place for Profound Sky Academy to weather the coming storm.

The Yue Family was unquestionably a good choice.

“Understood!” Yu Changming agreed, then said, “Your Excellency Su, a few days ago, I activated the secret treasure the founder left behind. I tried to get in touch with him; it seems to me that if he knew what had happened, he’d surely rush right back.”

Su Yi nodded. “It would naturally be better if the old glutton returned.”

Amongst the Wilds’ Confucianists, the old glutton was unquestionably an ancestor-level figure. His cultivation base was deep and unfathomable, and throughout the Wilds, only a tiny handful could contend with him.

Were he to return, Profound Sky Academy would no longer have anything to fear.

Furthermore, based on Su Yi’s understanding of the old glutton, the old-timer was sure to be furious. Both the Levitating Sword Hall and the Abstruse Force Alliance were sure to suffer his wrath.

……

In the days that followed, Su Yi remained in seclusion on Phoenix Perch Mountain.

A few days ago, he grasped some of the secrets of Dark and Gold Essence, and he’d benefited quite substantially.

This was the most primordial, chaotic power of the Dark and Gold Star Realm’s source, and it contained the purest power of the Laws. It was nothing like the ambient power of the Laws in the modern Wilds.

They called it “essence” precisely because this chaotic power was the ancestral origin of all Daos!

If the Laws of the modern Wilds were like the trunk, branches, and leaves of a tree, then Dark and Gold Essence was that tree’s roots.

Absorbing and refining Dark and Gold Essence had two wondrous applications.

First, it could rapidly transform a cultivator’s power of the Grand Dao, bringing it closer to its roots and to perfection!

Second, controlling Dark and Gold Essence was like controlling the origin of the Daos of the Dark and Gold Star Realm. If he kept at it, as his cultivation increased and his mastery of the Laws of the Grand Dao improved, he’d be able to derive the complete Celestial Law of this Star Realm!

It was this second application that shook Su Yi’s heart.

After all, the Dark and Gold Star Realm had long since withered and fallen into disrepair, becoming a “Celestial Ruin.” The history of the days prior to the ancient era had been erased due to a mysterious catastrophe.

That meant that this long-withered star realm no longer had a complete Celestial Law, and it hadn’t for a long, long time.

But if he mastered Dark and Gold Essence, he’d have an opportunity to master the complete Celestial Law of the Dark and Gold Star Realm nonetheless!

How could Su Yi not be astonished?

Thinking back to the beginning, the Dark and Gold Star Realm was seen as the ancestral origin of the countless Daos of the starry sky. It had once been utterly glorious, and it had given rise to a whole ground of legendary experts whose glory shook the stars!

This was because back then, the Dark and Gold Star Realm had a complete Celestial Law!

This was further proof of the Temple Master’s reminder: if he could find the source power of this run-down Celestial Ruin, he could derive the Dark and Gold Star Realm’s complete Celestial Law!

Then, so long as he resonated with this complete Celestial Law in the Profound Unity Realm, he could realize a supreme metamorphosis as he stepped into the Path of Heaven’s Ascension!

Back then, the Temple Master had failed to accomplish this!

……

Time slipped by.

Three days later on Martial Heaven Peak, the base of the Abstruse Force Alliance.

“My lord, according to our agents in Parasol Tree City, there was a disturbance on Phoenix Perch Mountain three days prior, as if a grand battle had broken out. However, it was over in a flash.”

Within a grand hall, an elderly servant solemnly reported, “There were no casualties in Profound Sky Academy, but… His Excellency Fei Yun still hasn’t returned.”

Pi Mo’s eyelids twitched. “You can leave.”

“Yes, sir!” The old servant accepted his orders and left.

Pi Mo let out a breath of turbid air and muttered, “Not long ago, Elder Feng and the forces of the Levitating Sword Hall were wiped out completely. Now, even Fei Yun has fallen… There really is unforeseen danger lurking in Profound Sky Academy!

“Fortunately, the dead weren’t my subordinates…” Pi Mo’s lips curved into a smile, and his eyes flashed with cold light.

A moment later, he got his emotions under control, solemnly removed a scroll painting from his sleeves, and unfurled it in midair.

Instantly, a mountain of corpses and river of blood floated into view, like a vision of hell.

The Primordial Hellscape Painting!

But there was a patch of mist in the corner of the painting, and it contained what looked like an otherworldly pure land. Inside was an immortal cave, and a Three-Eyed Golden Toad sat outside it.

“Did everything go smoothly?” the Three-Eyed Golden Toad asked in a low, muffled voice.

Pi Mo lowered his head and averted its gaze. He sighed, “Emissary, to tell the truth… I’m afraid His Excellency Fei Yun has suffered the same fate as Elder Feng.”

The Three-Eyed Golden Toad was flabbergasted. “Fei Yun is dead too!?”

Pi Mo lowered his head and clasped his fist. “My condolences, Emissary.”

The Three-Eyed Golden Toad was beside itself with fury. “A paltry little Confucianist orthodoxy, that’s all. How could they possibly kill Fei Yun? Dammit! This doesn’t make any sense!”

It launched into a long series of expletives before finally calming back down.

Pi Mo seized the opportunity to say, “Esteemed Emissary, it seems to me that Profound Sky Academy’s depths are unfathomable, and we cannot recklessly send anyone else to investigate. We’d best report this matter to the young mistress.”

The Three-Eyed Golden Toad laughed coldly. “Pi Mo, do you really think I don’t know what you’re up to? You just want an audience with her so you can squeeze more benefits out of her!”

Pi Mo’s expression shifted, and his eyes shone with hatred.

However, his head was lowered, and the Three-Eyed Golden Toad didn’t notice his changing expression.

“You wait here. I’ll go see the young mistress.” The Three-Eyed Golden Toad spat out a black writing brush and waved it through the air.

The tightly sealed door to the immortal cave rippled.

“Esteemed Emissary, when you report to the young mistress, might I trouble you to tell her that the reincarnation of the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force will likely soon return to the Wilds,” said Pi Mo, solemnly clasping his fists.

“The reincarnation of the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force?” The Three-Eyed Golden Toad was stunned. A moment later, it said with displeasure, “Why didn’t you tell me this earlier? You ought to know full well that the young mistress has been waiting for word of him!”

Pi Mo explained solemnly, “Emissary, I only just learned of this too, and it’s still mere conjecture; I still can’t confirm that my guess is accurate. Thus, I dared not brazenly disrupt the young mistress. But since you’re going to see her anyway, you can tell her while you’re there…”

Before he could finish, the Three-Eyed Golden Toad coldly cut him off. “Enough. I understand.”

It then turned and entered the immortal cave.

Its brusque attitude made Pi Mo silently clench his fists, and a nigh imperceptible hint of hatred appeared in his expression.

A moment later, he shook his head. A dirty beast, that’s all. Sooner or later, I’ll have it look upon me like a god!

Then, Pi Mo looked up and gazed intently at the entrance to the cave.

The entrance was shrouded in misty light, obscuring the scenery inside.

Even so, anticipation arose within Pi Mo’s heart. Junior Apprentice Sister Song Chai, before long, Master will return. Given his disposition, there’s no way he’ll forgive me, so I have no choice but to take precautions. I dare not be the slightest bit negligent. You know how mighty Master was back in the day.

But so long as you’re here, I have nothing to be afraid of! Here, Pi Mo’s expression softened.

Shortly after, the Three-Eyed Golden Toad emerged from the immortal cave. Pi Mo’s heart sank, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Esteemed Emissary, the young mistress?”

The toad glanced at him coolly. “She said that she understands the situation, and she told me to tell you her view of the matter.”

Pi Mo instantly felt lost.action

It had been years since he last saw his “Junior Apprentice Sister Song Chai.”

And here he’d thought this was his opportunity to see her again. Who’d have thought he still wasn’t fated to lay eyes on her?

He sighed to himself, took a moment to suppress his emotions, and said solemnly, “Please enlighten me, Emissary.”

The toad said in a muffled voice, “She said that she’d leave seclusion within a year, and that until then, she hopes you can gather as many leads regarding the reincarnation of the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force as possible. Furthermore, you are not to do anything rash.”

Pi Mo didn’t even pause to think. “I’ll naturally give my utmost!”

But a moment later, he hesitated. “But if Master… No, if the reincarnation of the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force comes calling, how should I respond?”

The Three-Eyed Golden Toad said, “The young mistress said that given his disposition, he won’t rush to act until he’s learned the truth of what happened after he reincarnated.”

The toad paused, then continued, “She also said that, just in case, you can toss out some of those secrets as bait to see if you can capture his attention. That way, we can see how he responds and get a feel for his abilities.”

Pi Mo’s eyes flashed, and he nodded. “I understand.”

“As for Profound Sky Academy…” said the toad, “Let’s leave them be for now.”

Pi Mo didn’t understand. “Leave them be?”

The Three-Eyed Golden Toad continued, “A year will pass in the blink of an eye. When the young mistress leaves seclusion, she’ll investigate the matter personally.”

Pi Mo’s heart shook.

He suddenly realized that Profound Sky Academy’s Dark and Gold Ruler was far more important to “Junior Apprentice Sister Song Chai” than their master’s return to the Wilds!

Otherwise, how could she announce that she’d investigate personally upon leaving seclusion?

It seems the power of Dark and Gold Essence is far more unbelievable than I realized! It's absolutely no less important than the secrets of reincarnation! Pi Mo thought to himself.

He’d known for a long time that the Studio of the Heart, this faction of the distant stars, had come to the Wilds with two goals: learning the secrets of reincarnation and gathering Dark and Gold Essence!

But he still didn’t know just what secrets were hidden within the Dark and Gold Essence, or why the Studio of the Heart attached such importance to it.

There was no doubt about it; when it came to Dark and Gold Essence, there was a lot that the Studio of the Heart wasn’t telling him!

Even just thinking this turned Pi Mo’s expression dark and overcast.