First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1292 - The Impermeable Demon Ocean

What about Qing Wan? How did she wind up by my side?

That, the jade slip didn’t explain.

But Su Yi dared say with certainty that it wasn’t a coincidence.

After all, when he reawakened the memories of his past life on the Azure Continent, he was in Guangling City, a backwater even by the standards of a remote mundane nation like the Great Zhou.

And Qing Wan, Lady Snowjade’s closed-door disciple, somehow appeared by his side just after he reawakened memories of his past life.

How could that possibly be a coincidence?

When Su Yi faced the possessed Heavenly Prayer in Crow Ridge, he asked Lady Snowjade about it, but alas. He got no answers.

“That so-called ‘Lady Snowjade’ surely has some secret art that lets her sense Shen Mu’s situation. I’m certain she could even sense that I’m his reincarnation. That’s the only explanation that makes sense,” thought Su Yi.

This was mere conjecture.

Su Yi knew that fusing with Shen Mu’s memories would bring him one step closer to the truth, but alas, his opportunity had yet to arrive. He still couldn’t fuse with the Dao Imprint Shen Mu had left behind.

“Perhaps I can learn the truth when I get my hands on that old schemer, the Tailor.”

Su Yi silently pondered his battle in Crow Ridge. Lady Snowjade’s scheme had failed, and Yan Daolin’s clone had already fallen.

He could picture it already. The Tailor was sure to learn of this and contact Lady Snowjade immediately.

That in turn made it highly likely that the Tailor would plot against him once more!

Given the Tailor’s way of doing things, he wouldn’t attack until he was confident he could strike with unstoppable force and deal a lethal blow. Furthermore, Su Yi knew that unless he was pushed into a corner, there was no way the Tailor would make a personal appearance.

The Temple Master said that someone like the Tailor, someone long accustomed to walking amongst the shadows and being the man behind the curtain, lost the sharpest, most threatening weapon at his disposal the moment he revealed himself.

And it was true.

Little was more frightful than a sword hovering over one’s head.

Were the sword to fall, it would actually give its target an opportunity to fight back.

When the opportunity arises, I’ll have to visit the Divine Capital Star Realm. If I want to find the Tailor, the old self-proclaimed Monastic Guardian of the Dao can surely give me some leads, thought Su Yi.

Universal Emptiness Temple was an otherworldly pure land in the heart of Buddhist cultivators, a rare, unknown, and mysterious place.

One of its old monks went by the Buddhist title “Illuminating Emptiness.” He proclaimed himself the Monastic Guardian, and he was one of the stars’ top secluded powerhouses.

Old Monk Illuminating Emptiness was also one of the few experts capable of instilling fear in the Tailor’s heart.

And the Temple Master was one of the few people the old monk was helpless against.

......

Shortly after Su Yi left the Heavenly Prayer Star Realm, news swept across the various star realms, causing an enormous commotion.

The news was simple——

The Temple Master’s reincarnation had returned!

Sometimes, a single stone could stir up a thousand ripples. This development shook every cultivator throughout the stars.

Were the Temple Master anyone else, his return couldn’t possibly have had such an enormous impact.

But the Temple Master was different. A long time ago, his sword suppressed the star realms, and he’d achieved countless legendary feats. In the eyes of the populace, he was like an undefeatable legend!

Even top older-generation World Kings paled before him.

A year ago, when word spread that the Temple Master’s reincarnation had appeared in the Dark and Gold Star Realm, that was astonishing enough. It drew attention across the stars.

But now, the Temple Master’s reincarnation had returned!

Who wouldn’t have been astonished?

“Reincarnation! Its mysteries are a taboo, yet the Temple Master uncovered them, and now, he’s returned! He’s sure to continue his dazzling legend!”

Countless people’s hearts filled with excitement.

Especially the world’s sword cultivators. Their reverence for the Temple Master was bone deep.

When they learned of the Temple Master’s return, they were like pious devotees awaiting the return of their god!

“The rumors were actually true! The Temple Master really has returned through the cycle of reincarnation. It’s just, how strong is he now? A year ago, the top factions of the stars proclaimed with confidence that he was only in the Imperial Realm.”

This question was debated throughout the stars, becoming a popular topic. Everyone, from the lowest rungs of the cultivation world to experts of top factions, was arguing about it.

“The Imperial Realm? No way! The Temple Master has long since returned to the World King Realm, and his combat prowess is heaven-defying!”

Before long, more details came to light and started circulating throughout the stars.

“In the Thousand Opportunities Star Realm, the Temple Master’s reincarnation, Su Yi, suppressed the Primordial Unity Daoist Sect, one of the stars’ top factions, so badly that they had to pay a fortune to avert disaster!”

“In the Heavenly Prayer Star Realm, there was a battle in Crow Ridge. The Temple Master single-handedly defeated the Cosmic Enlightenment experts of the Blue Luan Spirit Race, Church of the River of Stars, and the ancient Yu Family. Heads rolled and blood flowed like a river!”

“Rumor has it that the Temple Master fought his way to the Nine Heavens Pavilion’s gates. It’s just that no one knows what happened after that. Clearly, the Nine Heavens Pavilion is suppressing word of what went down.”

....As these details spread, they took the stars by storm. The entire cultivation world was like a pot blowing off its lid; uproar arose on all sides.

No one would have guessed that the Temple Master’s “Imperial Realm” reincarnation would achieve such dazzling feats so shortly after returning to the stars!

The Blue Luan Spirit Race.

When Feng Tianjia heard the news, he was ashen with fury and overcome with murderous rage. “Investigate and find out just who is spreading this information! Dammit! They’re deliberately rubbing salt in our wounds. Whoever they are, they deserve execution!”

The ancient Yu Family.

Gu Xingyang, one of their most ancient elders, said gravely, “Word got out far too quickly. It’s only been a few days, yet this incident has already swept across every star realm. Someone is obviously stirring up waves from behind the scenes. They’re deliberately revealing the Temple Master’s whereabouts and actions to the public, effectively pushing him into the storm. It’s vile and insidious!”

The Church of the River of Stars.

“What son of a bitch is spreading this information? Are they trying to make a fool out of the Church of the River of Stars?” said one of their experts, someone of terrifyingly high seniority.

They said not to air one’s dirty laundry outside.

The Church of the River of Stars had suffered massive casualties in Crow Ridge. They longed for nothing more than to hide this shameful incident completely; there was no way any of them would have spread it.

Yet now, just a few days later, everyone knew about it!

The Primordial Unity Daoist Sect.

“Someone has revealed the Temple Master’s whereabouts. Whoever they are, they’re surely an enemy from his past life. Who knows how many waves will follow?”

Deng Zuo’s clone said softly, “Given my understanding of the Temple Master, he’d disdain to spread word of this incident. That means someone else is behind this. They’re trying to muddy the waters, most likely to make trouble for the Temple Master.”

Here, Deng Zuo couldn’t help but sigh. “These truly are troubled times.”

The Nine Heavens Pavilion.

When Heavenly Libationer Lu Yun heard the news, he inwardly celebrated that they’d immediately locked down all word of the Temple Master’s battle with their Supreme Leader. If the general populace found out that their leader’s clone had been cut down, who knew how much criticism it would invite?

“No, something’s not right here,” mused Lu Yun. After calming down, he quickly sensed something strange afoot. “Why would someone spread this information so deliberately? Aren’t they afraid of reprisal?”

His eyes narrowed. “By spreading this, they’re trying to push the Temple Master into the storm. It’s only natural that this would draw the attention of the Temple Master’s enemies!”

Some of the stars’ peak factions sensed that something was amiss. Word of the Temple Master’s return had spread far too quickly. Something strange was going on here.

Indeed, it wasn’t long before more breaking news followed in rapid succession.

The Zhong Family, one of the Ancient Guardian Clans of the Dao, announced that “the Temple Master’s era has long ended. The future belongs to the experts of the Path of Transcendence!”

Immediately after, word spread that one of the Zhong Family’s old-timers had seemingly broken through in an immortal ruin, stepping onto the Path of Transcendence.

Every star realm was instantly in uproar.

Had the long-severed Path of Transcendence truly re-entered this world?

It was earth-shattering news. None of the stars’ top orthodoxies could remain seated.

“Just wait. Over the past few years, many of the stars’ top factions have already started competing to reach the path of Transcendence. It won’t be long before the stars welcome an all-new era. When the time comes, the Temple Master, a legend of the past, is doomed to fade into obscurity!”

Similar tidings brewed throughout the star realms, taking the populace by storm.

It was only then that the experts of the top factions had a sudden revelation. Whoever spread this information was targeting the Temple Master! It's likely that someone has really stepped onto the Path of Transcendence, something the Temple Master never managed to achieve!

I can see it already. In the years to come, more and more Transcendent experts will enter this world. One of them is sure to step forward and crush the Temple Master beneath his feet!

As this news took the world by storm....

Su Yi and his companions crossed the stars and arrived on the shore of the Impermeable Demon Ocean.

This was one of the stars’ seven great forbidden zones. It was a boundless ocean that covered a barren world enveloped in churning, baleful fog. The corpses of countless stars rose and fell within the ocean’s waters.

The ocean was extraordinarily vast. Throughout the ages, these taboo waters had remained a mystery. No one knew how many secrets they still hid. And since this was one of the stars’ seven great forbidden zones, even World Kings didn’t dare enter lightly.

This place was full of forbidden power, and it was vicious and unpredictable. Who knew how many World Kings had been buried here over the years?

Yet against Su Yi’s expectations, when he and his companions neared the shore of the Impermeable Demon Ocean, he discovered it was shockingly lively. Whole groups of cultivators rode beams of radiant light and soared into the Impermeable Demon Ocean.

Unbelievably, most of these cultivators were beneath the World King Realm!

“Since when could just anyone come to the Impermeable Demon Ocean whenever they pleased?”

Su Yi was quite surprised. In the Temple Master’s experience, throughout the ages, practically no one ever visited the Impermeable Demon Ocean. It was rare to see any trace of cultivators here.

Yet now, the situation was completely different.

When they truly arrived on the shore, they saw a beach that stretched as far as the eye could see. Everywhere he looked was jam-packed with cultivators!

Including even quite a few World Kings!

Just as Su Yi planned to send Meng Changyun to investigate, he heard the sounds of combat in the distance.

World Kings were fighting!