First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2548 – The Five Lightning Temple Forbidden Zone

The Barren Mountains of Divine Calamity were shrouded in dense layers of cloud. The air surged with waves of the power of the Grand Dao. The further in you went, the denser this power got.

The old man in gray, Hu Taizhong, obediently led the way. He seemed as cooperative as could be.

There was no denying that he was quite experienced. He’d obviously been to the Barren Mountains of Divine Calamity several times already, as he took Su Yi along a seldom-walked roundabout route. In doing so, they managed to avoid numerous places where experts gathered.

Su Yi put his hands behind his back and tagged along, leisurely and at ease. He was in no hurry

Along the way, he discovered that the Barren Mountains of Divine Calamity really had changed a lot. It was as if the aura of the Grand Dao had nourished them. Immortal grasses and divine medicines grew like mad all over the place.

Although these treasures didn’t interest Su Yi, these changes helped him understand a few things.

During the Dark Days of Legend, the natural order collapsed, and the world descended into chaos. It was a period of true bloodshed and upheaval.

But these dark, chaotic times brought with them countless opportunities and endless good fortune!

Naturally, the Fragments of Heaven’s Will were the most eye-catching of these, but they weren’t the full extent of it. Them aside, countless wondrous treasures had surged forth throughout the world!

The Barren Mountains of Divine Calamity had originally been devoid of life, desolate and bleak, as perilous as could be, but now, they were permeated with the aura of the Grand Dao, and countless immortal grasses and divine medicines had sprouted all over the place, so precious that most cultivators would have drooled over them and gone red-eyed with greed!

As for the Fragments of Heaven’s Will? Those beneath the Undying Realm dared not even dream of possessing them.

“Please stop, you two!” A cold, clear voice rang out. One figure after another appeared alongside this voice, surrounding them on all sides. There were over a dozen of them, and all of them looked at Su Yi and Hu Taizhong playfully.

As if they were looking at prey!

Hu Taizhong looked stricken. “Your Excellency, this is bad! They’re subordinates of Blood Cloud Mountain’s Eight Harmonies Demon Monarch. Over the past few days, they’ve trapped and killed countless experts who came here in search of good fortune.”

“Mm,” said Su Yi. “Pay them no heed. Let’s continue.”

He’s ignoring them? He plans to just keep walking? Hu Taizhong gulped with great difficulty, a bitter look on his face. We’re surrounded, dammit! Where exactly are we supposed to walk?

“You’re leaving? I’d like to see just where you think you can run!” A pallid middle-aged man narrowed his eyes and laughed.

The others laughed coldly, too.

Chills coursed through Hu Taizhong’s entire body. He said frantically, “Your Excellency, it seems to me that we’d best cut our losses and offer up our treasures. If we do, we might well…”

But then, his voice came to an abrupt halt.

Because when Su Yi waved his sleeves, all of the would-be bandits exploded, popping like soap bubbles. Their ashes crumbled to the ground.

“This…” Hu Taizhong’s eyes bulged, and his hands and feet quivered uncontrollably, as if he’d been struck by lightning. He just cut down gods as if they were grass! Just where did this guy come from?

Su Yi took a sip of wine. “Boring, right? Let’s go.”

Hu Taizhong shook from head to toe, set aside his scattered thoughts, and obediently led the way.

But inwardly, even after a long time passed, he struggled to calm himself.

On the road ahead, others occasionally tried to intercept them. Some tried to ambush them, while others openly blocked their path.

But all of them died brutally.

Rather, they died without ever realizing what had hit them!

Su Yi couldn’t be bothered to waste time talking to them. The moment he encountered these attempts at interception, he just killed everyone involved. He didn’t even blink.

The most ridiculous part was that one of his would-be assailants had just enough time to cry out before he died, “If you’re so terrifyingly strong, what the hell are you doing with a shameless old devil like Hu Taizhong?”

Su Yi was briefly stunned, but he quickly understood what was going on. He dared to intercept and attack me because he figured someone traveling with Hu Taizhong couldn’t possibly be a threat. He figured we were the same sort of person.

Simply put, Hu Taizhong’s presence has made them complacent!

Hu Taizhong realized this too. He found it embarrassing and frustrating, to the point that he was ashamed to show his face.

After a while, Hu Taizhong abruptly came to a halt. “Your Excellency, if we proceed any further, we’ll enter Five Lightning Temple’s territory. With my meager cultivation, I truly dare not proceed any further.

“Just a few days ago, they commanded that if any of the experts exploring the Barren Mountains of Divine Calamity dared to enter their territory, they’d be executed without mercy! If we want to go to the hidden realm at the bottom of the pit, we’ll have to go around.”

Su Yi’s eyebrows rose. “Five Lightning Temple is that tyrannical?”

Hu Taizhong laughed bitterly. “It’s not just Five Lightning Temple. Heavenly Yao Tower and the Everlasting Palace have divided the mountains’ most valuable territories already. No one else is permitted to enter.

“Over the past few days, numerous experts have died brutal deaths after inadvertently entering the three factions’ territories. They say that the dead include even several Master gods!

“Given the circumstances, who’d dare to act recklessly? We’d best play it safe and go around.”

Su Yi pondered briefly. “How long will it take to get there if we go around?”

“Two days minimum,” said Hu Taizhong.

“Two days?” Su Yi frowned. “And if we don’t go around?”

“Uh… I haven’t tried it.” Hu Taizhong hurriedly shook his head.

“Let’s try it, then,” said Su Yi. “Keep leading the way.”

Hu Taizhong panicked and stammered, “Your Excellency, if we do that, Five Lightning Temple will kill us! We…”

Su Yi glanced at him. “Refuse, and you’ll die immediately.”

Hu Taizhong stiffened, but in the end, he gnashed his teeth and continued.

Five Lightning Temple’s territory really had changed. The aura of the Grand Dao was so boundless and dense that it had formed radiant, auspicious clouds that blanketed the sky.

Spiritual energy rose throughout heaven and earth, overflowing with vitality. All manner of spirit grasses and divine medicines grew all over the place.

It almost felt as if they’d arrived in a natural treasury.

Had Su Yi discovered a place like this shortly after achieving divinity, he’d have been tempted to clean the whole place out.

But now, he merely scanned it, then looked away.

Hu Taizhong, however, was transfixed. He wanted to seize this opportunity to pick medicine, but in the end, he held back for fear of Five Lightning Temple’s reprisal.

Suddenly, a crisp, clear, female voice rang out in the distance. “Ee? Who are you? Everything in this three-thousand-mile area is Five Lightning Temple territory.”

Hu Taizhong stiffened, and his expression shifted dramatically.

Su Yi looked over and discovered a young woman in a yellow skirt picking medicine on the slope of a nearby mountain. She was a moving beauty with skin fairer than snow. She looked young, but her whole body emanated a shocking air of divinity. She was obviously an expert of the Divine Dao.

A beast reminiscent of a Xiezhi accompanied her. It raised its head and looked at Su Yi and Hu Taizhong. Its blood-red eyes shone with utterly cold, utterly indifferent light.

Hu Taizhong shuddered beneath its gaze, his scalp going numb with fright. His heart filled with indescribable terror as his knees turned to jelly, and he almost fell to the ground.

Su Yi, however, completely disregarded it and said calmly, “We’re just passing through. We’re on our way to the pit.”

With that, he continued on his way.

When Hu Taizhong saw this, he practically broke down. Sir, how can you disregard them even now? Do you seriously think Five Lightning Temple will believe that you’re just passing through?

The girl in the yellow skirt seemed to find Su Yi’s behavior quite intriguing. She batted her eyes and laughed, “You really aren’t afraid to die, huh?”

“Would I have come here if I were afraid?” Su Yi said casually. “Right, I met a member of your sect a while back. He called himself Hong Taiyu. In light of our acquaintanceship, I won’t kill you unless you provoke me.”

The young woman was stunned. “You… you’ve met our high elder?”

“Young Mistress Min, don’t listen to that kid’s nonsense. Seems to me that he’s lying. How could someone like God Emperor Taiyu possibly know a kid like him?” said the beast reminiscent of a Xiezhi, its voice low and seething with murderous intent.

Then, it threw back its head and roared. “To us, hurry! Kill these two outsiders!”

Its voice boomed far and wide.

Hu Taizhong looked stricken. “Run, Your Excellency! Hurry!”

With that, he turned to flee, only to discover that Su Yi was just standing there. He had no choice but to stop in place. He said bitterly, “Your Excellency, you… why aren’t you reacting at all?”

The Xiezhi-like beast grinned, baring its fangs. “Young Mistress Min, look! If they really knew God Emperor Taiyu, why would they have freaked out and fled like that?”

Its voice was dripping with disdain.

The girl in yellow furrowed her brow. “Goldy, it seems to me that we’d best figure out the situation first. Otherwise, if we’re wrong, we’ll have made a huge mistake.”

The beast wasn’t the least bit concerned. “Young Mistress Min, don’t forget that the sect leader commanded that outsiders were not permitted to enter our territory, period! Anyone who dares to trespass must die!”

Both girl and beast were flabbergasted to discover that Su Yi was still just walking along, entirely unperturbed. It was as if he’d gone deaf; he wasn’t reacting to what had happened earlier in the slightest.

“This…” The girl was a bit baffled. This guy seriously just does whatever he wants! What gives?

“Aiyo, it seems he really won’t weep until he’s seen the coffin,” the beast said with a cold laugh. Its blood-red eyes shone with murderous light.

Hu Taizhong stood in place, completely freaked out. He had no idea what to do. His mind was blank, and he seemed utterly helpless.

“Don’t just stand there. We’re leaving.” Su Yi’s voice emanated from afar, urging Hu Taizhong on.

Hu Taizhong’s heart clenched, and he gave chase. He might die either way, so he might as well stick with Su Yi!

But it was then that space suddenly rippled, and one figure after another shot over from afar.

Every last one of them was swathed in murderous intent as they worked together to block Su Yi’s path.