First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1444 - A Sage Inside, a King Outside

It wasn’t at all like the others thought. Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows hadn’t wimped out earlier. Sure, he’d lowered his head, offered up his treasures, and left, but that was all due to some careful considerations.

First, he hadn’t figured out Su Yi’s true strength yet, and he didn’t want to serve as another’s shield.

Second, by enduring and taking himself out of the picture, he could watch tigers fight from a safe distance, then swoop in to gather the benefits.

In light of these considerations, what did losing face before a junior matter?

But now.... Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows really wimped out. All his hopes had been extinguished!

Bai Lichuan’s death startled him, but it wasn’t enough to scare him. On the other hand, the annihilation of the Gale Master and a whole group of old monsters made his blood run cold. A chill coursed through his entire body. Regrouping and coming back even stronger than before? Reaping the benefits of others’ struggles? He no longer dared to even entertain such thoughts.

Inwardly, he was celebrating. Celebrating that he’d made the wisest choice of his entire life!

“See that?” Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows glanced at his companions. “If you hadn’t listened to me earlier and offered up your treasures, you would have died unsightly deaths!”

Both of his companions’ hearts were full of lingering terror. They nodded repeatedly.

One of them whispered, “Daoist Brother, that Su Yi... it looks like he’s really out of steam. Isn’t this a rare opportunity?”

Whap!

As soon as the words left his lips, he took a firm blow to the back of the head.

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows immediately cursed him out. “Do you really think you have a shot, you fucking nitwit? You couldn’t be any more of a blithering idiot if you tried! Why do you think Su Yi dares sit and meditate in front of everyone? Why do you think no one has dared act recklessly? Do you think you’re the only smart person here? Fine, go right ahead and die! I won’t stop you.”

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows was practically frothing at the mouth with fury.

The man he’d slapped was instantly as silent as a cicada in winter. He dared not say anything else.

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrow’s other companion said bleakly, “We’re all Void Realm True Immortals, but we can only swallow our anger and endure. It’s truly... tragic...”

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows laughed coldly. “Tragic? Nonsense! A real man knows how to adapt to his circumstances. Just follow my orders!”

“What do you want to do, Daoist Brother?” Both his companions were confused.

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows took a deep breath. “I’m going to go try my luck!”

With that, he led his companions back toward the battlefield.

......

“Hm? That old monster’s come back!”

Yun Huaqing and Yu Ning immediately noticed Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows’ return. Both of them were visibly on guard.

The distant Void Realm True Immortals had strange looks on their faces. Earlier, Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows held his nose, admitted defeat, and left. Does he plan to retaliate now?

Su Yi remained cross-legged, entirely unmoving. He didn’t even seem to notice.

“Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows, what are you planning to do?” Yun Huaqing said coldly.

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows stopped at a distance, his eyes shining with determination. A moment later, he faced Su Yi, and his knees thudded to the ground.

“???” The crowd didn’t know what to make of that.

He’d knelt with such force as to startle heaven and earth and make even gods and ghosts weep!

The crowd’s eyes widened. They were so startled that their minds went blank. What’s the old monster up to now?

“Holy shit!” Yun Huaqing couldn’t help but cry out in surprise.

A hegemon among Void Realm True Immortals had knelt before Su Yi of his own accord! If word got out, no one would believe it.

The two Void Realm True Immortals accompanying Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows were stunned too. And here they’d thought he wasn’t willing to accept this and that he planned to fight.

Who’d have thought he’d fall directly to his knees?

Amidst the deathly silence, Old Monster Yellow Eyebrow’s expression was solemn. His hands pressed against the ground, followed by his head.

His head and all four limbs were touching the ground!

Like a pious devotee kowtowing before a sage.

“This old man, Huang Yin, has come to repent for his transgressions!” Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows said in a quavering voice. “As an expression of my sincerity, I’m willing to become your servant and work like a dog or horse. I won’t refuse any orders, not even if I have to die ten thousand deaths!”

The crowd’s expressions turned strange. The old man sure knows how to lay it on thick!

Su Yi’s eyes silently opened. “Tell me what you’re really after.”

His voice was calm, but full of a power that touched the heart directly.

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows kowtowed, then said in a quavering voice, “Your Excellency Su, I won’t lie to you. I truly wish to repent, and I long to work on your behalf to make up for what I’ve done. I also hope that I might one day earn your appreciation and have my curse broken!”

The crowd instantly understood.

The old man was kneeling and repenting, but it was obvious that all he wanted was a chance at having his curse broken!

Thud! Thud!

Old Monster Yellow Eyes’ companions knelt and kowtowed too. “We too are willing to serve you loyally, Your Excellency!”

“....”

Su Yi couldn’t help but laugh. “You might have selfish intentions, but at least you’re honest. Alas, you aren’t worthy of becoming my subordinates.”

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows stiffened, then said bitterly, “Fellow Daoist Su, we’re now no more than revenants. All we want is a chance to live on in degradation. Please, be benevolent and give us a chance. No matter what you want, so long as it’s within our power, we absolutely won’t so much as furrow our brows!”

His words touched the hearts of numerous other old monsters. Their expressions were conflicted, and it wasn’t a good feeling.

Yun Huaqing and Yu Ning sympathized too. After all, they’d only recently been revenants too. They’d experienced the bitterness and frustration of being neither fully alive nor fully dead.

Su Yi swept his gaze across the area, then looked at the three kneeling revenants. “Get up, both of you. I’ll break your curses once I’m done meditating.”

Then, he closed his eyes, calmed his heart, and resumed meditating.

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows and his companions froze, stunned and in disbelief. Some time passed before it hit them. They were so excited that they trembled from head to toe, and their expressions filled with mad delight.

“Many thanks, Your Excellency Su! Many thanks!”

They repeatedly kowtowed, with no trace of their usual comportment.

The distant revenants were in uproar. They were surprised, but more than that, they couldn’t help but be envious.

Some of them even regretted not having taken action earlier. Had they known, they would have cast all thoughts of their dignity aside, knelt, and begged for a similar opportunity!

Others sighed and thought that, no matter how envious they were, they couldn’t have brought themselves to kowtow and beg like that.

“Ol’ Yellow Eyes, Fellow Daoist Su told you to stand up. Don’t dilly-dally!” said Yun Huaqing.

“Yes, of course!” Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows and the others hurried to their feet and looked at each other. Waves of emotion coursed through their hearts, and delight was written all over their faces.

Time slipped by.

Eventually, Su Yi rose, then casually broke Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows’ and his companions' curses.

He then glanced at the others in the distance. “All of you refrained from becoming my enemies earlier, so I wouldn’t mind helping you too.”

This offer came out of nowhere, and it left the crowd briefly stunned. They almost couldn’t believe it.

Someone couldn’t help but probe, “Fellow Daoist Su, you mean... you’re willing to help us break our curses?”

His voice was frantic and tinged with eagerness.

Su Yi nodded.

Boom!

The entire area practically boiled over; none of the Void Realm True Immortals could stay calm. Their faces filled with delight, and they practically danced with excitement.

Yu Huaqing and Yu Ning looked at each other. They couldn’t help but chuckle. They weren’t at all opposed to this. On the contrary, they were happy to see Su Yi doing this.

Earlier, Su Yi had been too cold, indifferent, tyrannical, and aloof, like a heartless, unrivaled sovereign. They could only view him with awe, and merely being in his presence was stifling.

Now, they suddenly realized that Su Yi wasn’t really cold-blooded or heartless. He had a bit of humanity about him too!

For some reason, this discovery put them both at ease.

“See? That’s what you call breadth of spirit! That’s what you call magnanimity! This old man... is ashamed of his own inferiority!” sighed Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows.

“You knelt, and they didn’t, but they’re still receiving Fellow Daoist Su’s aid. Aren’t you... angry?” Yun Huaqing couldn’t help but ask.

Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows shook his head. “I knelt of my own volition, not because His Excellency threatened me. Even rarer and more precious, His Excellency didn’t pursue past offenses, and he was willing to help me despite them. I’m as grateful as could be. How could I be upset?”

Before long, Su Yi had broken the curse of every Void Realm True Immortal present.

“Fellow Daoist Su, this is a humble token of my appreciation. Please accept it!”

An old man stepped forth, bowed, and presented a storage bracelet with both hands. His voice was full of gratitude.

The others then approached one by one, offering their storage treasures, their voices and expressions brimming with gratitude.

Su Yi’s brow furrowed slightly. “To me, helping you took no more effort than turning over my hand. I didn’t do it for your treasures.”

The first old-timer to offer his treasures said, “Fellow Daoist Su, please don’t misunderstand. To you, it might have been no more difficult than turning over your hand, but to us, it was akin to a rebirth. Please, accept our gifts. We won’t be able to live with ourselves otherwise.”

“That’s right. Please accept our gifts, Fellow Daoist Su!”

The others spoke up too. They weren’t just being polite, either.

After witnessing Su Yi’s tyrannical methods, they gave up. None dared harbor thoughts of capturing him.

Yet Su Yi had offered to break their curses of his own volition. They were surprised, excited, and more than that, deeply touched.

Their view of Su Yi changed completely. Their expressions of gratitude now came straight from the heart!

When Su Yi saw this, he couldn’t help but whisper to himself, “When we conduct our affairs, we ought to be like a sage on the inside and a king on the outside, employing both kindness and severity. Only then can you nurture a heart simultaneously as smooth as jade and as sharp as the edge of a sword.”

These words were intended for Wang Ye’s ears.

But they were also for his own benefit.

His gaze was clear and increasingly calm and ethereal as he nodded to the crowd. “In that case, I won’t refuse.”

He then accepted their offerings.

When the crowd saw this, they couldn’t help but relax. Smiles bloomed on their faces.

Yu Ning felt a bit dazed. Su Yi seemed completely different from his earlier cold, cruel, aloof self.

She found the difference difficult to understand.

Yu Ning would rather be his friend than his enemy, but even so, earlier... Su Yi had seemed too domineering. Just being near him put her under enormous pressure.

After all, as the old saying went, accompanying a ruler was like accompanying a tiger!

“Does anyone know where the Abandoned Monument is?” asked Su Yi.

The Abandoned Monument? The crowd furrowed their brows, then shook their heads.

Except for Old Monster Yellow Eyebrows, who seemed to have recalled something. “Your Excellency Su, this old man recently acquired some intelligence. It seems that deep in the Endless Treasure Grounds, there stands a cursed stone stele. There appears to be a path to a mysterious world hidden beneath it. I suspect that that mysterious world might well be the Abandoned Monument you’re looking for!”