First Immortal of the Sword

In the end, Su Yi didn’t even have to do anything.
The Prohibition of Ancient Darkness chopped Thunder Monarch Oblivion to ruins!

In the last moments before his death, he stared at Su Yi.
His eyes were full of bitterness and hatred. 

Su Yi naturally wouldn’t concern himself with that.
When swatting a fly, who stopped to consider how it felt before it died?

“Another one died…” The woman on the shoulders of the great ape had a complicated look on her face: three parts shock, three parts confusion, and an indescribable, wordless dread.

She naturally could tell that Su Yi’s apparent invincibility wasn’t because of his terrifying cultivation post-break-through, but rather, because he wasn’t the least bit afraid of the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness.

Admittedly, Su Yi could only kill those terrifying existences by taking advantage of the situation. 

But she asked herself, even if she searched the entire world, who else was even capable of taking advantage of this situation? 

“Hahaha, this feels great~!” Hua Xinfeng smiled so brightly, her beautiful eyes narrowed into crescent moons.
She felt as if she’d drunk a bowl of chilled lotus seed soup on a blazing hot summer day; all of her pores opened, and she felt thoroughly refreshed. 

’

“Why didn’t you run?” When he returned from the Mountain of Funerals, Su Yi glanced at the Starlight Vessel in mild surprise. 

He’d just killed Old Yao Bone Eater and Fire Demon Lihuo in rapid succession.
Although he’d done so extremely quickly, it was more than enough time for an expert to run away.

But Star Girdle of the Starlight Vessel didn’t do so.

“I wanted to gamble,” said the gaunt, ethereal silhouette standing on the Starlight Vessel.
“Earlier, I offered you and that girl a chance to leave with your lives, so I trust you’ll leave me a path to survival as well, Fellow Daoist.”

“Oh?” said Su Yi, striding toward the Starlight Vessel.

When he saw this, Star Girdle visibly tensed, and the starlight emanating from the ship stirred.

When he was just one hundred feet away from the Starlight Vessel, Su Yi stopped in place and nodded.
“You’re right.
Although your attitude was proud and condescending, you have lines you won’t cross and a degree of character.”

During his earlier battles, Star Girdle never once intervened.

Perhaps he was just awaiting an opportune moment, or perhaps he had other plans.
Still, his attitude was unquestionably more reserved than the other three Perils.

This was why Su Yi left him for last.

Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, “How about this? Give me a reason not to kill you.
If you can convince me, I’ll spare your life today.”

Star Girdle instantly fell silent.

The atmosphere was still and so suppressive, they could barely breathe.
Everyone there knew that what Star Girdle said next would determine his life or death!

Time slipped by. 

A while later, Star Girdle suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with sharp, imposing light.

“Later, when I escape captivity, should I have the opportunity to kill you, I’ll leave you a path to survival too.
How is that for a reason?” said Daoist Star Girdle, his voice calm yet forceful.

The woman on the shoulders of the great ape stared. Giving a reason like that… How is that any different from seeking death?

The circumstances were not in his favor.
At a time like this, shouldn’t he lower his head in exchange for a path to survival?

However, Su Yi laughed.
“I can tell that you’re not at all convinced.
You most likely think I unfairly exploited my advantage, and that that’s the only reason I now possess power over your life and death.”

Daoist Star Girdle said calmly, “Fellow Daoist, your accumulations and talent are sufficient to startle both antiquity and the present day.
Tens of thousands of years might pass without encountering your equal.
However, it’s just as you say: you did not achieve victory here today through your own strength or cultivation.”

Su Yi smiled faintly.
“That’s a rather juvenile way of looking at it.
You’ve lived all these years.
You ought to understand that in battles between cultivators, there’s never been any fairness to speak of.

’

“If I lacked means of neutralizing the power of the Prohibition of Ancient Darkness, would you have refrained from using it? You’re trapped.
Without its power, you could never have tried to kill me in the first place.

“Besides, my cultivation is only in the Grain Avoidance Realm,” said Su Yi, then asked in complete seriousness, “Are you still dissatisfied? Do you still think it’s unfair? Are you still unconvinced?”

Star Girdle fell silent. 

The truth was right in front of him, and he couldn’t argue.

In the end, he whispered, “Just do it.”

Su Yi shook his head, “Out of consideration for the fact that you never once attacked me, I can give you an opportunity to challenge me in the future.
When the time comes, I imagine that even if I kill you, you’ll die convinced of your defeat.”

He waved.
“Go on.”

Star Girdle was stunned.
It was true that he was unwilling, but he’d long since prepared himself to face death.

Who would have thought that a young man like Su Yi would let him go despite having the advantage? This was completely beyond his expectations.

“If we meet again, when I have the power to kill you, I shall naturally do as I said earlier and leave you a path to life,” said Star Girdle.
With that, the Starlight Vessel shook, scattering starlight, and shot through the air.
Soon, it disappeared into the vast ocean.

Su Yi only smiled, took out a gourd of wine, threw back his head, and took a big swig.

The woman on the ape’s shoulder and Hua Xinfeng both witnessed this entire exchange, and it caught them both off guard.
Neither of them understood why Su Yi would let Star Girdle go.

However, to Su Yi, it was rather simple.
It hadn’t been easy to encounter a sword cultivator worthy of his notice.
It would have been a waste to just kill him.

 ……

Today was the three hundred and ninety-ninth year of the Great Zhou’s history, the first day of the sixth lunar month.

It was on this day that Su Yi stood above the Sea of Chaotic Spirits, underwent a strange and grand tribulation, and entered the Grain Avoidance Realm, becoming a true cultivator.

He stood in the sky, surrounded by thousands of blooming flowers, drinking in the solitary winds!

Sword in hand, he took to the skies, talking and laughing as he cut down Old Yao Bone Eater, Fire Demon Lihuo, and Thunder Monarch Oblivion.

He maneuvered deftly and struck unimpeded.
Nothing could stand in his way!