First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1274 - The Cursed Blood Crows

Meng Changyun deliberately shattered a piece of stone beneath his feet.

Crunch!

The sound of shattering stone made Lu Yun’s eyelids jump, and his cheeks twitched imperceptibly.

There was no doubt about it; the sound made him recall Su Yi crushing his clone beneath his feet.

Meng Changyun burst into sputtering laughter.

Lu Yun turned to look at Su Yi. “Your Excellency the Temple Master, I’ve come on orders to provide you with information.”

Su Yi gazed at the distant Crow Ridge and said distractedly, “Speak.”

“Experts of numerous factions entered Crow Ridge three days ago,” said Lu Yun. “They too are after the good fortune inside.”

Su Yi was stunned. “The Heavenly Prayer Star Realm is the Nine Heavens Pavilion’s territory. Are you really willing to let them seize good fortune from under your nose? Or is the Nine Heavens Pavilion planning to let us fight amongst ourselves, only to snatch the prize in the end?”

Lu Yun shook his head and sighed deeply. “That absolutely isn’t the case. Of the factions who’ve come here, there are three the Nine Heavens Pavilion would hate to offend.”

Su Yi didn’t even have to ask for details; Lu Yun volunteered them of his own accord.

The three factions in question were the Feng Family of the Blue Luan Spirit Race, the Church of the River of Stars, and the ancient Yu Family.

Of them, the Blue Luan were the strongest. They were among the Six Ancient Guardian Clans of the Dao, and their foundations were so deep and ancient that even some of the stars’ top sects couldn’t compare.

The Church of the River of Stars was a top powerhouse. They needed no further introductions.

As for the ancient Yu Family? They weren’t simple either. They were one of the Eight Great World King Clans of the starry skies, and their foundations were extremely firm.

All three factions had dispatched groups of World Kings, and they’d all come prepared with numerous secret treasures and trump cards.

Aside from these three mighty factions, there were experts of various other factions too. None of their origins were simple.

According to Lu Yun, some long-vanished old-timers had made an appearance. All of them were rushing toward the Crow Ridge.

“Given the circumstances, even if we wanted to let you fight amongst yourselves and snatch the reward, doing so would only bring trouble. The rewards wouldn’t be worth it,” said Lu Yun.

After learning all this, Su Yi couldn’t help but be surprised.

All six of the Ancient Guardian Clans of the Dao had extraordinary origins and foundations. It was extremely rare for their experts to wander the outside world, too.

Take the Blue Luan Race, the Feng Family. Rumor had it that their roots could be traced back to antiquity. They were one of the few Xiantian Spirit Races of the stars!

That aside, the ancient Yu Family wasn’t simple either. They called themself a family of immortal cultivators. Rumor had it, their ancestors included true immortals!

And the Church of the River of Stars was one of the greatest sects of the modern era.

These powerhouses had all come rushing to Crow Ridge. Who wouldn’t have found this strange?

Su Yi asked, “Is the immortal fortune in Crow Ridge special?”

“It doesn’t qualify as special, but it’s unquestionably quite rare,” said Lu Yun, seeming quite cooperative as he patiently explained, “Ruins relating to immortality have continuously cropped up over the past few years, but only six such ruins are particularly noteworthy.

“Of the six, the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone is the most perilous. It’s also drawn the most attention.

“Although the ruins in Crow Ridge are inferior to those in the Flying Immortal Forbidden Zone, it’s also one of the six immortal ruins that have attracted the most attention.” Lu Yun paused, then continued, “Several years ago, numerous factions of cultivators extended their greetings to the Nine Heavens Pavilion, expressing their desire to seek out good fortune in Crow Ridge, only for our Supreme Leader to block their path.

“To tell the truth, our Supreme Leader is under enormous pressure. After all, the fortune in Crow Ridge pertains to immortality, and several peak factions have already set their sights on it. Who’d be willing to let the Nine Heavens Pavilion monopolize it?”

Here, Lu Yun’s gaze turned a bit strange. “Fortunately, you’re here, Your Excellency. Perhaps none of this will be a problem.”

Meng Changyun couldn’t help but sort coldly. That sounded like a compliment, but the thought that their leader schemed to make sure His Excellency had no choice but to come here is infuriating.

How is this any different from letting him use His Excellency as a weapon?

“No wonder ol’ Yan Daolin insisted on seeing me within the year. So... he can’t bear the pressure,” jeered Su Yi.

Lu Yun was silent. The Temple Master could have openly insulted eighteen generations of their leader’s ancestors, and he still would have pretended not to have heard anything.

“But why isn’t Yan Daolin getting involved?” asked Su Yi.

Lu Yun said in a low voice, “I swear I’m not just trying to keep you guessing. The Supreme Leader never discussed it. If you want to know, you can ask him when you see him.”

This Heavenly Libationer’s attitude had obviously changed since their first meeting. There was no doubt about it; after Su Yi crushed his clone beneath his feet, his behavior improved, and he no longer dared put on airs.

Su Yi fell briefly silent. “Then do you know Wei Shan’s current situation?”

Lu Yun said hurriedly, “Your Excellency the Temple Master, please rest assured. Wei Shan came to the Heavenly Prayer Star Realm nine years ago. At the time, he was in the mid-stage Cosmic Enlightenment Realm. Furthermore, before he left for Crow Ridge, he left a Soul Lamp behind.

“The lamp remains lit. That proves that although he’s been trapped in Crow Ridge for nine years, he’s yet to meet with disaster.”

Su Yi inwardly sighed in relief.

“Ol’ Meng, you and this old-timer should wait here,” said Su Yi.

“Ah?” Meng Changyun was stunned.

“Relax. My enmity with Yan Daolin absolutely won’t implicate you.” Su Yi patted him on the shoulder. “On the contrary. If anything happens to you, I guarantee that the Nine Heavens Pavilion won’t be able to bear the consequences.”

Meng Changyun straightforwardly agreed. “As you say, Young Lord!”

Lu Yun stood to the side, his expression complicated. What kind of guts must the Temple Master have to entrust his companions to the Nine Heavens Pavilion’s care? He’s simply insane!

Isn’t he at all afraid we’ll use his companion as a hostage?

“Would you dare let anything happen to him?” Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, Su Yi fixed his gaze on Lu Yun.

Lu Yun held his breath, then hurriedly shook his head. “Please rest assured, Your Excellency. Our leader also said that your enmity wouldn’t extend to anyone else. I can guarantee that nothing will happen to his fellow Daoist in the Heavenly Prayer Star Realm.”

Su Yi nodded, and without any further delays, he proceeded into Crow Ridge alone.

Before he left, Lu Yun took out a black jade pendant and gave it to Su Yi. He said it was a token Wei Shan had left with them. With it, he might perhaps be able to sense Wei Shan’s presence.

......

Crack! Boom!

As soon as he entered Crow Ridge, thunder raged and boomed. Heaven and earth were shrouded in darkness; it was as if he’d entered a world shrouded in an eternal night.

An oppressive aura of destruction made even Su Yi's expression turn solemn.

He gripped the Dark and Gold Fortune Vine and circulated his cultivation base, using the Laws of Restricting the Profound to protect himself.

The Laws of Restricting the Profound could seal the surrounding space, suppressing the ambient power of the Grand Dao.

This way, even if someone ambushed him, these Laws would restrict and slow their movements.

Only then did Su Yi continue further into Crow Ridge.

Everything was silent and oppressive on all sides. Thunder occasionally rumbled overhead, shaking the mountains. The ground swayed, and even the sky distorted.

The destructive aura permeating the air alone was enough to terrify most World Kings into retreating!

Su Yi had the experiences of his two past lives, and an extreme abundance of combat experience. He’d explored too many perilous forbidden zones to count.

But this only made him less willing to lower his guard.

About fifteen minutes later.

A barren plain appeared between the mountains. Su Yi suddenly stopped in place; he’d just discovered a mangled corpse.

The corpse had been dismembered, as if ripped apart by countless sharp claws, and its flesh had been devoured. All that remained were dry bones.

Su Yi’s gaze focused.

This corpse had belonged to an early-stage Cosmic Enlightenment World King. In life, they were an expert who struck terror into an entire star realm, and they stood at the pinnacle of the world.

Yet now, they’d died brutally here!

This guy obviously died quickly, surrounded on all sides by enemies. It happened two days ago at most, too.

That aside, traces of their battle remain throughout the surrounding area, including scattered fragments of secret treasures. It seems this fallen Cosmic Enlightenment World King wasn’t the only one to meet with danger recently.

Su Yi had only just thought this when eye-catching, stinging red lightning flashed beneath the distant dark dome of heaven, ripping apart the darkness.

A terrifying scene appeared before him.

Suddenly, countless blood-colored figures shot out of the river of blood-red lightning traversing the dome of heaven. They blanketed the barren landscape like floodwaters breaking through a dam.

Upon closer inspections, the streaks of crimson were actually blood-colored crows.

Each was a few feet in size. Their entire bodies dripped blood, and their eyes were bright red. Strange, bloody electric light revolved around them, as well as dense, inexpungible aura of resentment!

The dense flock of crows blanketed the sky, obscuring the sun. They were like countless streaks of crimson lightning. They cleaved through the air and charged at Su Yi.

They were astonishingly quick, to the point that just looking at them was enough to make one give in to despair.

Su Yi’s eyebrows rose. Without the slightest hesitation, he fused the mysteries of Flying Light into his movement technique, making himself so quick that it seemed as if he were teleporting. Then, he charged into the distance.

But there were far too many Blood Crows, and they were extraordinarily quick. There was no escaping them.

Before Su Yi got far, a whole flock of Blood Crows attacked.

Like a pack of crimson lightning bolts.

Clang!

The Dark and Gold Fortune Vine transformed into a sword, then turned in midair.

An unstoppably dazzling and tyrannical streak of sword qi swept forth, creating a perfectly round sword curtain.

A battle broke out.

Deafening booms reverberated throughout the surrounding area. The skies caved in with a series of ear-piercing shrieks.

A hundred feet away, a Blood Crow shattered into pieces, transforming into turbid black light.

Unbelievably, this turbid black light seemed intelligent. It swept toward Su Yi.

A cursed power full of resentment? Su Yi’s gaze focused. He swung his sword and attacked.

It was as the Sea of Bitterness were floating around the sword’s edge, enormous beyond measure.

The mysteries of Oblivion!

Kcch! Kcch!

Sword qi swept through the air. The Sea of Bitterness floated into view, and the turbid black light instantly exploded into oblivion.

Although Su Yi was entirely unharmed, his expression was considerably more solemn.

The Blood Crows’ power was extremely strange and sinister. Each had strength comparable to a late-stage Oneness Realm expert, and their bodies were bathed in blood-colored electric light full of a terrifying, cursed aura.

Were these strange and terrifying creatures to surround them, even a Cosmic Enlightenment World King might well meet their end!

There was no doubt about it. The dead Cosmic Enlightenment expert he passed earlier had been ripped apart by Blood Crows!

Without the slightest hesitation, Su Yi soared into the distance with all his might, like a beam of flowing light.