First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2433 – Three Thousand Floating Worlds, a Sword Cleaves Through Them All

The sound of the flute was as gentle as a spring breeze or a burbling stream, light and melodious, with a soothing tune.

Yet when it reached the group’s ears, it felt like a hammer swung ruthlessly into their souls.

Bang——!!

How mighty were Luo Yao and the others’ souls? Yet this sudden impact made everything go black before their eyes, and they felt a rending pain in their souls.

Some of them let out muffled grunts, then staggered backward and almost fell out of the sky.

The sound of the flute continued, as joyous as a breeze blowing over the sunlit surface of a lake. It was utterly soothing, yet to Luo Yao and the others, it was like the roaring of a devil. It was trying to tear their souls apart!

All of their souls were affected, and all of them were plunged into realistic illusory realms.

It was much like when Su Yi found Demon Emperor Huan Ting. The impact to his soul had affected his memories, distorting and transforming his perceptions, leaving him struggling to extricate himself!

But Luo Yao and the others were long accustomed to fighting Emperor-Level Thousand Transformation Soul Demons year-round, and they naturally had a wealth of experience. In the face of this sudden attack, they realized what kind of ambush they were up against, and immediately resisted.

Su Yi, meanwhile, launched straight into an attack.

Clang!

The humming of the sword swept out like the tide, full of unsurpassed sword force. It resounded throughout the nine heavens and the ten earths.

And as that impassioned sword hum spread, it cleaved through the flute music resounding throughout the cloudy dome of heaven.

Heaven and earth were instantly full of sword force as austere as the will of the heavens.

Luo Yao and the others instantly came back to their senses, then discovered that an indistinct, ethereal figure stood in the distance.

She was just one person, but when they saw her, Luo Yao and the others all looked stricken. Progenitor Huan Yan! The progenitor of the Thousand Transformations Soul Demons, and one of the most terrifying experts among the Outsider Celestial Demons!

Historically, the presence of the Boundless Barrier had prevented the Outsider Celestial Demon Progenitors from descending into the Boundless Battlefield.

They could only send their clones.

However, even their clones were strong enough to take the lives of Nine-Tribulation Master Gods! It was thus obvious how terrifying the Outsider Celestial Demon Progenitors were.

Now, Progenitor Huan Yan was here to block their path. She was alone, yet she was far more terrifying than the vast army they’d faced moments prior!

“Li Fuyou, you and your friends won’t escape this time.” Progenitor Huan Yan stood in the air, holding a blue-green jade flute. Her indistinct figure emanated a mysterious and imposing aura.

Even her voice was ethereal and indistinct.

“We guessed you’d set course for the Thousand Deaths Mountains. How could we possibly let you achieve your goals?” Progenitor Huan Yan walked through the air and approached. “That said, I can give you an opportunity. Give up the Epoch Spark and the power of reincarnation, and I can swear by my soul that you…”

But before she could finish her offer, the hum of a sword interrupted her. Su Yi swung his sleeves and swung at her.

How could he possibly have failed to realize that she was deliberately stalling for time?

Boom!

Sword qi erupted, as radiant and resplendent as the sun. It brought with it the power to illuminate heaven and earth. Its momentum was terrifying beyond measure.

This was sword qi condensed from the power of his soul. It was specifically designed to counter Thousand Transformation Soul Demon experts.

“You insist on remaining stubborn? You really don’t know what’s good for you,” Progenitor Huan Yan said with a sigh. She put her jade flute to her lips and played. A sound like a burbling spring swept outward.

But as gentle as it sounded, it blocked Su Yi’s strike!

As the flute music rose in pitch and intensity, everything changed before the group’s very eyes. Their surroundings transformed into an endless purgatory.

Rain fell like blood. Heaven and earth caved in, and everything was plunged into destruction.

Luo Yao and the others watched in astonishment as tribulation light washed over Su Yi, shattering him with a bang.

A moment later, that same tribulation light whooshed toward them, too.

Most terrifying of all, their souls and awareness were completely befuddled. In their terror, they felt as if they’d transformed into paltry and insignificant little ants. In the face of that tribulation light, they couldn’t even work up the desire to fight back.

Boom!

Suddenly, a streak of resplendent sword qi rose into the air, and it just barely managed to shatter that streak of tribulation light.

Then, the sword qi swept outward, and that blood-red vision of purgatory exploded. Luo Yao and the others’ severely impacted souls and awareness suddenly regained clarity.

Their faces paled.

Soul arts like these weren’t exactly novel, but it was only when you experienced them firsthand that you could understand how terrifying they really were.

Especially since Demon Progenitor Huan Yan’s soul attacks were far more terrifying than those of the Demon Emperors!

Before the flute music had finished echoing through the air, an indomitable sword force spread outward, blocking the music’s invasive power.

Su Yi had attacked.

His robes billowed around him, and light shone between his eyes as the power of his soul transformed into sword force and swept outward.

“What a powerful soul!” Off in the distance, Progenitor Huan Yan exclaimed, “I’m actually quite curious. After reincarnating so many times, has your soul fused with those of your past lives?”

Su Yi disregarded her. It might have seemed like she was just curious or making idle conversation, but in truth, her goal was to stall for time!

Su Yi naturally wouldn’t give her the chance.

“Go ahead and try my sword soul for yourself!” said Su Yi. His hands suddenly formed seals, guiding the power of his soul as it transformed into a sword and slashed downward!

Luo Yao and the others were all affected. It was indistinct, but they felt as if a streak of sword qi were rising amidst the boundlessness of heaven and earth.

It stretched from the blue dome of heaven, shaking the firmament, all the way down to the nine abysses beneath the surface of the earth.

Time and space were thrown into chaos. The myriad Daos of the heavens collapsed, and the flow of the ages and the shifting of the natural order were thrown into upheaval!

Everything was being destroyed.

Only the sword intent remained, unshakable and ever-lasting.

Everything marched toward its end, save for that perpetual sword intent!

In that moment, everyone felt the impulse to prostrate themselves before that sword intent and worship it!

When Progenitor Luo Yan saw this, she looked stricken. What a terrifying sword soul! What shocking force of will!

She was the progenitor of the Thousand Transformation Soul Demons. How could she fail to realize that sword intent’s terrifying power?

Without the slightest hesitation, she unleashed the strongest secret soul art at her disposal.

Boom!

The music of her flute was suddenly a thunderous roar. A rain of flower petals fell, manifesting three thousand worlds in all their wondrous manifestations. The worlds linked and intertwined, outlining a self-sustaining, realistic world of illusions.

Everyone felt their souls palpitate in terror. Their memories were in disarray. It was as if they’d been plunged into three thousand worlds, where they floated aimlessly, unable to differentiate between truth and fiction.

They… couldn’t even tell which memories were really theirs.

Their perception was completely befuddled, and chaotic visions arose within their minds. They were completely lost within them.

This was unquestionably terrifying.

In the face of this strike, Su Yi’s all-encompassing sword qi was completely enveloped.

Three thousand worlds floated around them. Truth and fiction were impossible to differentiate, as each gave rise to the other!

Even Nine-Tribulation Master Gods’ souls would find themselves bewildered, lost, and helpless here, let alone ordinary people! Those trapped inside were as helpless as fish on the chopping block.

“That strike was powerful but… no more than that,” whispered Progenitor Huan Yan. She obviously sounded much more relaxed.

“Oh,” said Su Yi. It was a clearly perfunctory response.

But a moment later, that towering streak of sword intent suddenly transformed, expanding rapidly with the force of a tidal wave!

The three thousand worlds floating around it shattered, offering no more resistance than paper window paneling. All of them fell apart like a rain of light.

The self-perpetuating cycle of truth and fiction was reduced to nothingness.

Splurt!

Progenitor Huan Yan coughed up blood, her expression shifting dramatically.

Before she could respond, that all-encompassing sword intent descended, cleaving directly into her soul.

“No——!” A shrill shriek rang out, and Progenitor Huan Yan’s indistinct figure suddenly split into pieces and scattered into a rain of light.

Only her final, desperate scream still echoed throughout heaven and earth.

Luo Yao and the others exchanged glances. Without exception, they were astonished.

In a clash of the soul, they couldn’t even fight back against Progenitor Huan Yan, yet Su Yi had just cut her down!

Who wouldn’t have been astonished?

But Su Yi just sighed. “What a pity. That was just her clone. Destroying it might have hurt her true body, but not enough to be lethal.”

Only then did everyone realize that that was actually just Demon Progenitor Huan Yan’s clone!

“How… how terrifying would it have been if her true body had come instead?” someone gasped.

No one answered, but the mere thought of it was enough to send chills down their spines.

“Let’s go,” said Su Yi. He wasn’t at all moved, so he just wanted to keep moving.

Given his current strength, he could at most duke it out with Progenitor Huan Yan’s clone. He couldn’t hurt her.

He’d managed to destroy her clone earlier for one simple reason: he’d employed the Sword of the Nine Hells!

Both in his past lives and in his current incarnation, the Sword of the Nine Hells had always protected its soul. Even now, it had yet to reveal its true power.

But there was no denying that so long as he had the Sword of the Nine Hells, Su Yi had nothing to fear in a clash of the soul!

“We should reach the Thousand Deaths Mountains within an hour, but… as Progenitor Huan Yan’s clone said, they already know that we plan to seek refuge in the mountains,” said Luo Yao. “Daoist Brother, do you think we ought to change our plans?”

“No need for that,” said Su Yi. “I can say with certainty that we caught them off guard. They might know our intentions, but that doesn’t mean they’ll have prepared adequately to stop us!”

“At the very least, they’ll need time to arrange their troops and get everything in place if they want to intercept us en route to the Thousand Deaths Mountains.

“And they’ve obviously yet to complete their preparations. Had they been prepared, we wouldn’t have faced just Progenitor Huan Yan’s clone earlier.”

The others nodded. He was right. Had they prepared adequately, why would they have sent a mere clone?

Ultimately, when Su Yi prepared to leave Dao-Seeking City, his enemies weren’t fully prepared.

Su Yi led his allies out of the city, and they fought with all their might. They were determined to reach the Thousand Deaths Mountains. Their timing had caught their enemies off guard!

“Next, they’re sure to attack like mad in a bid to surround and intercept us,” said Su Yi. “That means that we’ll be in for true danger on the road ahead!

“But we’ve already seized a certain degree of initiative. So long as we make it to the mountains as quickly as possible, we’ll be able to resolve this crisis with ease.”

Su Yi spoke calmly, sounding calm and composed the entire time.

And it was this very composure that his companions found so reassuring.