First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1720 - Gong Yuxun

The two experts of the Church of the Pure One were in a hurry.

They’d already made contact with the experts of the Church of SuprOneness and learned that they, the Endless Swords Immortal Sect, and Jade Firmament Immortal Palace were already gathered in Coiled God Ridge.

The two of them were on their way to meet up with the other three camps.

“Caution leads to longevity, but we were plenty cautious, and we still fell into Shen Mu’s trap,” said the woman in the plain dress, Gong Yuxun. Her voice was bitter.

By now, both of them understood. The Abyss of Dark Fog was a trap Shen Mu had set for his pursuers. His goal was to take all of them out in one fell swoop!

She continued somberly, “Over the past few days, the Immortal Kings of the Church of Divine Flame, the Church of All Spirits, Qianyuan Sword House, and the Profound Blue Daoist Sect have all perished at Shen Mu’s hands. I can’t even imagine how he pulled it off.”

She was now completely aware of their predicament and how dire the situation was.

Her companion, Mo Tianjun, said gravely, “Zhang Qiandu of the Church of SuprOneness said that it seems Shen Mu can control the strange life forms of the Abyss of Dark Fog. That’s why he’s so unstoppable. But I don’t know if that’s true or not.”

“Shen Mu deliberately let his pursuers into the Abyss of Dark Fog. I’m sure he knows the place like the back of his hand,” said Gong Yuxun. “In other words, this place is effectively his territory, and he’s using the location to his advantage. It wouldn’t be at all strange if he really could control the abyss’s inhabitants.”

Here, she paused, then let out a deep sigh. “I finally understand. As Immortal Kings, we might have an enormous advantage when it comes to our cultivation, but when it comes to strategy and courage, we’re far inferior to Shen Mu.”

An indescribable sense of frustration settled over her, and she spoke straight from the heart.

In the present-day Immortal Realm, Great Realm experts couldn’t leave seclusion, so Immortal Kings like them were suprexperts. They could intimidate everyone around them, and gaze down upon the world from on high.

Who’d have thought that over the course of just a few short days, more than twenty Immortal Kings would die? Much less that they’d die at the hands of an Immortal Lord?

It was just too terrifying!

Gong Yuxun couldn’t even imagine how such an Immortal Lord could exist in this world. There had never been anyone else comparable!

“Don’t worry too much. So long as we make it to Coiled God Ridge and meet up with the others, we’ll be able to figure out a way to turn this situation around,” said Mo Tianjun.

He’d only just said this when——

Boom!

Heaven and earth shook, and the mountains and rivers trembled.

An enormous, terrifying figure, like a primordial demon god, was headed their way. He was hundreds of thousands of feet tall and thoroughly bound in black chains the size of mountain ranges. His eyes were blood red and the size of lakes.

With every step he took, he left a massive chasm in the ground. The ferocious aura emanating from made the sky crumble as he passed!

Gong Yuxun and Mo Tianjun’s hair stood on end. What kind of terrifying creature is this?

Even just gazing upon it from afar put enormous pressure on them. They could barely breathe!

The two of them exchanged glances and instinctively decided to flee.

But then, a calm voice rang out. “No need to panic. I’ve just chere for a chat.”

The giant devil instantly stopped in his tracks, no longer moving a muscle.

A figure leaped from his shoulders, drifted to the ground, and walked toward them.

“Shen Mu!?” Gong Yuxun exclaimed and prepared for battle.

Mo Tianjun looked stricken too.

Even by himself, Shen Mu was an incomparably troublesopponent. Add that enormous, terrifying creature, and the thought of fighting him sent chills coursing through him. He sensed an impending crisis.

“What do you want to talk about?” Gong Yuxun took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

Off in the distance, Su Yi stopped, took out a wicker chair, and sat down before saying, “Find a place to sit down first.”

“....” Gong Yuxun glanced at Mo Tianjun.

Mo Tianjun said, “Shen Mu, as I’m sure you know, the two of us never attacked you. Even now, we have no intention of doing battle with you.”

He paused, then said gravely, “But if you insist on fighting us, we have nothing to fear. We’ll fight you to the bitter end!”

Su Yi glanced at him. “You’d best shut your mouth, and keep it shut. I’m talking to her now.”

With that, he turned his attention to Gong Yuxun.

Mo Tianjun’s gaze was unsightly, but in the end, he endured.

Gong Yuxun’s brow furrowed. “Are you sure you just want to talk?”

Su Yi nodded. “Answer a few of my questions, and I won’t trouble you any further today.”

Gong Yuxun fell briefly silent, then nodded.

“I met Gong Nanfeng, and asked him the squestion: ‘Why did the Gong Family seek refuge with the Church of the Pure One?’” Su Yi asked directly. “I wasn’t satisfied with his answer. Perhaps he didn’t understand the real reasons himself. Now, I’d like you to answer me.”

Gong Yuxun was stunned. It seemed she hadn’t anticipated that Su Yi would ask about that.

“During the Age of Fallen Immortals, the Misty God Mountain Gong Family met with disaster. It was the Church of the Pure One who saved us, and they’ve served us ever since. Everyone in the Immortal Realm knows that,” Mo Tianjun said gravely. “Why even ask?”

Su Yi glanced coolly at him. “One more word out of turn, and I promise you it'll be your last.”

Mo Tianjun’s expression contorted with fury.

Whoosh!

That ten-thousand-foot giant devil’s lake-sized red eyes locked onto him from afar. Mo Tianjun shuddered and fell silent.

Gong Yuxun took a moment to calm herself, then said coolly, “The facts are just as Elder Mo said. During the Age of Fallen Immortals, the Church of the Pure One cto our aid, helping us avoid destruction. We’ve served them to repay their benevolence ever since.”

“So why did I hear that the Church of the Pure One tried to force the Gong Family to submit, and that the Gong Family fought back with all their might?” asked Su Yi. “Apparently, the church sent in a massive force, surrounding the Gong Family thoroughly on all sides and killing until the ground ran red with rivers of blood. After that brutal, bloody massacre, the few remaining members of the Gong Family gave in to avoid annihilation, finally submitting to the Church of the Pure One. The Gong Family has been an auxiliary faction of the Church of the Pure One ever since.”

Mo Tianjun’s expression shifted. He opened his mouth to argue, only to recall Su Yi’s warning. In the end, he forced the words back down and looked at Gong Yuxun.

Gong Yuxun fell silent for a while before saying, “All of that happened a long, long tago. I don’t know the truth either, but I’ve heard similar rumors, and I’ve tried to ask my seniors to confirm or deny them.”

“Oh?” said Su Yi. “And what did they have to say?”

“They said the rumors were false!” said Gong Yuxun.

Su Yi’s brow furrowed. He’d learned the inside scoop from Tang Lingqi of the ancient Tang Family. How could an ancient, powerful faction like the Tang Family lie about such a thing?

There had to be more to this!

Gong Yuxun suddenly asked, “Why ask about that?”

She didn’t get it. Why was a mysterious person like Shen Mu so interested in the Gong Family’s affairs?

Su Yi rubbed his forehead but didn’t answer. The Gong Family had once worked under Wang Ye. Just like the Bi’an Spirit Race, they’d been among his most trusted subordinates.

Prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals, everyone knew that Wang Ye and the founder of the Church of the Pure One were bitter enemies!

Yet after the Age of Fallen Immortals, the Gong Family, Wang Ye’s former subordinates, had joined up with the Church of the Pure One. How could Su Yi not suspect them of betrayal?

Of course, at the time, Wang Ye had already reincarnated, and a long thad passed. As the saying goes, “Just as a bird chooses a suitable perch, capable subordinates choose capable leaders.” As long as they hadn’t done anything unforgivable to Wang Ye, Su Yi wouldn’t hold a grudge over their choice to join the Church of the Pure One.

But he needed to know why!

Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, “The day will cwhen I get even with the Church of the Pure One. I asked you that question to helpdecide what to do with the Gong Family.”

Getting even with the Church of the Pure One!? Gong Yuxun and Mo Tianjun were unwittingly dumbstruck. What a braggart!

The Church of the Pure One was one of the biggest sects in the Immortal realm, and it was backed by a Great Realm expert!

Furthermore, as the Immortal Realm welcomed a new golden age, many of the church’s peak Immortal Kings, experts who’d survived the Age of Fallen Immortals, were preparing to break into the Great Realm.

There was no doubt about it. It wouldn’t be long before the church welcomed new Great Realm experts.

Given the circumstances, how could a mere Immortal Lord speak of getting even with them? How brazen was that? And how frenzied?

Su Yi didn’t care what the two of them thought. He just continued, “Feel free to tell your sect’s old-timers everything I said.”

Gong Yuxun was stunned. She probed, “You mean you’ll let us leave the Abyss of Dark Fog?”

After all, if they never made it out alive, how could they possibly go back to tell the sect's old-timers?

Instead of answering, Su Yi asked, “Did you cafteron Blood Firmament’s orders, or on his disciple’s orders?”

Gong Yuxun didn’t hide it. “Sect Leader Qi Nie sent us.”

“And what about Blood Firmament?” asked Su Yi.

The disrespectful title made Gong Yuxun uncomfortable, but she nevertheless answered honestly. “The founder went into seclusion a long tago.”

Su Yi asked, “Did Qi Nie have any special orders for you?”

Gong Yuxun shook her head. He’d just told them to chase Shen Mu, and ideally, kill him! But it wouldn’t do to say that out loud now.

Su Yi was a bit surprised. “When he sent you, he... didn’t tell you who I am? Huh...”

Gong Yuxun and Mo Tianjun were both stunned. Is Shen Mu saying that Sect Leader Qi Nie knows who he is?