First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2005: The Hard Way!

The Fire Crow Watershed.

Here, the waters stilled. When the River of Epochs reached this place, its currents mellowed, and it didn’t produce even the barest hint of a wave.

A massive continent floated over the water. An ancient city was built atop it.

Fire Crow City.

The city was extremely boisterous, with endless human traffic flowing through criss-crossing ancient streets covered in buildings.

Most of the city’s inhabitants were native to the place, but there were also numerous cultivators who’d come here while exploring the River of Epochs.

For a moment, new arrivals almost felt as if they’d returned to the red dust of mundanity.

But the moment someone left the city, they were greeted by the sight of the boundless River of Epochs.

Ultimately, this was just a city built on one of the numerous outposts of the River of Epochs.

The woman in purple, Shan Ruoqin, was snuggled up against a man in golden robes. Her beautiful figure was only half covered, revealing snowy curves. Her charming face was no longer as cold as ice. Rather, it was flushed red, almost as if she were intoxicated.

A large hand was freely exploring her body. The hand belonged to the man in golden robes.

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch!

He was tall and thin, with youthful features and a head of fiery hair. His eyes were golden and glowed fiercely.

He was the unquestioned king of the Fire Crow Watershed!

It wasn’t just because of his powerful cultivation base. It was, in part, because he hailed from Longevity Palace and was backed by the White Flame Heavenly God. Moreover, he had numerous experts under his command.

Fire Crow City was home to over a hundred factions both great and small, but all of them had to lower their heads in submission before the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch!

The atmosphere in the hall was increasingly hot and heavy. Shan Ruoqin was using every means at her disposal to tease the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch, and she got an increasingly strong reaction.

The depths of those glowing golden eyes blazed with heat.

He was eager to take the enchantress in his arms to bed, but Shan Ruoqin stopped him.

“I’ll happily accompany you in dual cultivation after Commander Yuchi has vented my frustrations,” Shan Ruoqin said tenderly, her fingertips firmly clamping down on the hand the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch had slipped into her skirt.

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch frowned and was about to say something when someone outside the hall said, “Esteemed Demon Monarch, Commander Yuchi has returned with something urgent to report.”

“Commander Yuchi is back?” Shan Ruoqin struggled free of the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch’s arms and said eagerly, “Hurry up and let him in.”

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch said, “Once I’ve sent Yuchi Jia away, I’ll be sure to teach you a lesson, you minx!”

Shan Ruoqin gently bit down on her lower lip and laughed. It was an endlessly amorous sight, and it left the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch transfixed.

The higher someone’s cultivation, the harder it was for a woman to sway his heart.

But when a natural enchantress of a Great Profound Stage expert became your dual cultivation partner, that feeling… was enough to shake the heart of even a Buddha!

Ultimately, cultivating did not involve severing one’s capacity for love—or lust.

The higher one’s cultivation, the more one could follow their heart without fear of overstepping. There was simply no need to suppress one’s emotions or desires!

That was true in battle, too. You could kill whoever you wanted, heedless of right and wrong. Might made right!

It was then that Yuchi Jia scurried into the grand hall. His knees thudded to the ground, and he called out in a quavering voice, “Your subordinate failed to complete his mission. Please punish me, Your Excellency!”

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch’s brow furrowed, and his lust instantly receded. “Don’t tell me something happened?”

Yuchi Jia laid the whole tale out in the open, start to finish, including the deaths of his four subordinates. He held nothing back.

After hearing the full story, the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch’s expression filled with uncertainty. Shan Ruoqin, meanwhile, was startled and angry.

The atmosphere was stifled and tense.

After a while, the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch murmured, “They say it takes a fierce dragon to brave a coursing river. It seems a truly ferocious dragon has arrived in Fire Crow City this time.”

Yuchi Jia said in a low voice, “Your Excellency, that man’s strength is terrifying. He can easily crush Great Profound Stage experts. We shouldn’t fight him if it’s at all avoidable!”

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch snorted coldly. “I’m not stupid. I naturally won’t attack recklessly without first learning the man’s limits.”

He glared coldly at Shan Ruoqin. “You invited this disaster!”

Shan Ruoqin’s heart trembled. She hurriedly prostrated on the ground and said in a quavering voice, “I... I've done you wrong.”

“Relax. We’ve been together for years, and our bond is more precious than gold. How could I possibly bear to kill you?” the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch said expressionlessly. “Besides, if I killed my concubine to resolve this enmity, what face would I have left? Who in the Fire Crow Watershed would willingly serve me?”

He turned to look at Yuchi Jia. “Men cannot die for nothing, but according to you, this ‘dauntless dragon’ is too strong to underestimate. In that case, we’d best prepare thoroughly.”

Yuchi Jia’s heart shook. “What do you plan to do, Your Excellency?”

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch said simply, “Let’s try resolving this peacefully first!”

……

Four hours later, the Epoch Whirlpool vanished.

Su Yi had acquired around a dozen or so pieces of Undying Material. All of them looked like unassuming hunks of scrap metal, but they were actually extremey precious!

Su Yi put away his wicker chair, then decided to set course for the Fire Crow Watershed.

Wu Lingchong couldn’t help but say, “Sir, if you go to the Fire Crow Watershed now, how will that be any different from suicide?”

This was no well-intentioned warning; he was afraid Su Yi would implicate him, too!

Su Yi said casually, “I’ll give you a choice. Be nice and accompany me to the Fire Crow Watershed, or die immediately. Take your pick.”

Wu Lingchong was instantly overcome with fury. “I, Wu Lingchong, am no craven! I’m not afraid to die!”

But then, he shook his head and sighed. “Fine. I won’t try to dissuade you any further. If you want to throw your life away, go right ahead!”

Su Yi turned and left. He couldn’t be bothered to pay this drama queen any further heed.

I’ll be curious to see just how unsightly his death is after the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch finds him. Wu Lingchong gnashed his teeth and caught up to Su Yi.

Four hours later, the outline of Fire Crow City appeared in the distance, a landmass floating on the River of Epochs.

“This place really is just as I remember. It’s barely changed at all,” whispered Su Yi.

Wang Ye had visited the Fire Crow Watershed before. The main difference was that then, it had no Longevity Palace, and it wasn’t under the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch’s leadership.

But after just a few moments’ thought, Su Yi accepted this. An enormous amount of time had passed. Even though Fire Crow City remained, the people he remembered were long gone.

“Hahaha, welcome to Fire Crow City, Fellow Daoist! Forgive me for not welcoming you earlier.”

Hearty laughter resounded from afar as the golden-robed Blazing Sun Demon Monarch arrived, leading a group of experts in a grand procession. They poured out of the city and flew toward Su Yi.

Yuchi Jia was there too.

What an enormous lineup! Wu Lingchong’s heart shook, and his expression shifted.

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch had brought all four of his commanders and over one hundred Great Realm experts, but that wasn’t all. He’d brought the leaders of the city’s top factions, too!

This was in no way “emerging to greet a guest.” He was obviously showing off his military might!

He seemed to be saying that if anyone dared act up here, they’d make enemies out of the entire city!

But Su Yi disregarded this completely. He glanced coolly at the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch and said, “Did you bring Shan Ruoqin’s head?”

The atmosphere was instantly oppressive. Many of those in the crowd were furious, and their eyes glinted with murderous intent.

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch’s smile froze in place.

Wu Lingchong was gobsmacked. How… how could he possibly be so rude?

Yuchi Wei hurriedly tried to play peacemaker. “Senior, let’s talk this out. His Excellency has come with a token of his sincerity. If you have a problem, let’s resolve it peacefully.”

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch nodded and clasped his fist. “I’ve already grasped the situation, and I know that Shan Ruoqin was in the wrong. Thus, when I learned of your imminent arrival, I led a group of my fellows to greet you and express my sincerest apologies.”

Many of those in the crowd were startled. They would never have guessed that the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch would be so tolerant! He was, after all, the hegemon of Fire Crow City. Over the years, what visiting expert wasn’t meek and respectful before him? None would dare to cause trouble!

Yet now, the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch seemed extraordinarily tolerant of this unfamiliar young man in blue and his domineering behavior. Who wouldn’t have been surprised?

The way the crowd looked at Su Yi shifted.

The leaders of the city’s various factions had come here alongside the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch, but they didn’t understand the situation. They were simply here to back the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch up.

Now, they suddenly sensed that the situation wasn’t as simple as it appeared!

Someone immediately stepped forth, smiled, and tried to dissuade him. “Fellow Daoist, it’s better to make friends than enemies. No matter what happened, His Excellency the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch has welcomed you personally in hopes of resolving your differences. I hope you can be magnanimous as well and let this all end with smiles on all sides.”

Others chimed in, one after another.

But Su Yi was entirely unmoved. He said calmly, “That woman owes me her life. Now, I have come to collect it. This is a matter of principle. So long as she dies, everything is on the table. So long as she lives, it won’t matter who tries to dissuade me. Anyone who tries must first consult with my sword.”

The atmosphere changed dramatically in response. The air was so stifled that it was difficult to breathe.

The crowd was flabbergasted. They couldn’t even imagine how his bold stranger could be this domineering and tyrannical!

Wu Lingchong’s mind practically went blank. He’d seen his share of waves over the years, and he’d overcome his share of storms. It wasn’t like he’d never seen the world before.

But this was his first time encountering someone as unbridled as Su Yi.

Tyrannical. Just too tyrannical! It seemed he didn’t take any kind of threat the least bit seriously, nor was he at all afraid of any kind of consequences.

The Blazing Sun Demon Monarch’s expression gradually darkened, and his subordinates’ expressions filled with murderous intent.

The leaders of Fire Crow City’s various factions were displeased too. They made no further attempts to dissuade Su Yi, and they even felt the urge to teach him how to behave.

Su Yi’s domineering attitude left them with no face at all!

“Sir, are you planning on doing this the hard way?” a mountainous man in heavy armor said coldly. He was Xue Shan, one of the generals working under the Blazing Sun Demon Monarch.

The atmosphere was increasingly stern and murderous.

Su Yi raised his hand and tapped the air.

Bang!!

Xue Shan’s armor split, and his tall, stalwart frame was torn to shreds. Soon, all that remained of him was a puddle of flesh and blood.

Su Yi shook his head. “You call this doing this the hard way? Then why are you so suqishy?”