First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1456 - Arriving in the Epoch of Demonism

Boom!

The two-foot bamboo pawnshop rumbled, boomed, and shrank until it was just nine inches tall. The miniature pawnshop then landed in Su Yi’s hand.

He’d promised to take the old pawnbroker and the Pawnshop of the Heavens with him to the Epoch of Demonism.

......

Universal Emptiness Temple.

When Su Yi returned, he immediately sought out the Antique Dealer and asked, “Do you have any treasures with power over space?”

“I do!” said the Antique Dealer. With a wave of his sleeves, dozens of treasures floated into the air, each with an air of antiquity. All of them undulated with the power of spatial Laws.

“These are all antiques I gathered a long time ago. Prior to the world’s changes, they would have been mere trinkets, little more than scrap metal. But now, they’ve recovered their divinity and are bursting with new vitality. Some are unique treasures that have survived since antiquity. Choose whichever you like,” the Antique Dealer said with a magnanimous wave.

Illuminating Emptiness’s eyes were red with envy. He spat, “Why is it that I’ve never been able to squeeze so much as a coin out of you, yet you’re so generous with the Temple Master, you old skinflint!?”

“Can’t you tell that our brother the Temple Master has run into trouble?” asked the Antique Dealer. “If I didn’t help him, how could I call myself his brother?”

“Have you... really run into trouble?” Illuminating Emptiness glanced at Su Yi.

Su Yi disregarded him, instead examining the treasures before selecting a blue jade scepter. A hint of surprise appeared on his brow.

The scepter was a Void-level immortal treasure.

Furthermore, it was refined out of rare Spatial Realm Immortal Crystals. It was a first-rate immortal spatial treasure.

“This will work,” said Su Yi. He then put the treasure, the Spatial Spirit Scepter, away.

Daoist Master Red Cloud walked over and asked, “Do you need assistance, Fellow Daoist?”

Su Yi shook his head, then gave her a concise explanation of what he was going to the Epoch of Demonism to do.

“I’ll take care of it on my own,” said Su Yi.

Daoist Master Red Cloud was obviously upset that Su Yi had refused her help, but she nonetheless nodded. “Fellow Daoist, please rest assured. I’ll watch over Mount Clearmoon until you return.”

Su Yi smiled. “If possible, how about you help me set up an altar?”

Daoist Master Red Cloud’s eyes lit up. “I’d be delighted.”

......

Late at night.

Under Su Yi’s instructions, Daoist Master Red Cloud placed an altar. It was covered with strange and inscrutable formation markings, and the aura emanating from it stirred up spatial ripples.

The Great Void Boundaryless Formation!

This was an ancient formation of the Immortal Dao that involved the Laws of Space. It could easily open a doorway through time and space, letting one arrive in the River of Spacetime!

Su Yi had only just stepped onto the altar when Daoist Master Red Cloud said, “Fellow Daoist, crossing the River of Spacetime is extremely perilous. You must be careful.”

Su Yi nodded.

Strictly speaking, the so-called “River of Time” was a current of connecting the various worlds and planes. It involved the most obscure and supreme of spatial and temporal Laws.

During the battle in the Abandoned Monument, Su Yi was taken into the River of Time.

But that was then, and this was now.

The River of Spacetime flowed without end, connecting different worlds, and it had innumerable branches.

That meant that when someone tried to cross the River of Spacetime without a specific spatial node to guide them, they would inevitably get lost, unable to find an exit, or even to return home!

This was true regardless of their cultivation. Even powerhouses of the Immortal Dao needed to make ample preparations before crossing the River of Spacetime. None dared traverse it recklessly, as a moment’s incaution could lead them to an entirely unfamiliar plane. Even worse, spacetime windstorms might well rip them apart!

But Su Yi had no need to worry about any of that. Because his sixth incarnation, Wang Ye, had crossed the River of Spacetime before, visiting numerous epochs.

Including the Epoch of Demonism!

Furthermore, Shen Mu’s memories were full of information about it.

“I’ll be back again within a month at most,” said Su Yi. He then ordered Daoist Master Red Cloud to activate the altar.

Rumbling and booming ensued. Countless motes of spatial light surged forth and fell like rain, enveloping Su Yi. A moment later, he vanished completely.

“A month? That’s not too long,” murmured Daoist Master Red Cloud.

......

Boom!

The River of Spacetime surged past, its waters churning and rumbling like thunder.

Su Yi appeared out of nowhere and raised a blue jade scepter aloft.

The Spatial Spirit Scepter!

The treasure unleashed a curtain of light, which wrapped around Su Yi, preventing the River of Spacetime from harming him.

I wonder how much the Epoch of Demonism has changed... Su Yi thought to himself.

His sixth lifetime, Wang Ye, reached the pinnacle of the Immortal Dao, and he lived for 190,000 years.

His seventh lifetime, Shen Mu, lived to the ripe old age of 23.

His eighth lifetime, the Temple Master, cultivated for 160,000 years.

And as Su Xuanjun, the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force, he underwent reincarnation at 108,000 years of age.

The Epoch of Demonism Wang Ye explored was already quite different from the Epoch of Demonism Shen Mu remembered.

Su Yi realized this after comparing their memories. It was easy to infer that the current Epoch of Demonism would be completely different from either of his past lives’ memories!

After all, hundreds of thousands of years had passed since Shen Mu’s death. That was enough time for a lot to change!

“I just hope that the people Shen Mu cared about are still around,” thought Su Yi. His hands formed a seal, and...

Weng!

A strange and inscrutable spatial node floated into the air.

This wasn’t the one Lady Snowjade had carved on her message. Rather, it was one that Wang Ye had carved during his trip to the Epoch of Demonism!

It too led to the Epoch of Demonism, but every spatial node led to a different location.

Su Yi didn’t even need to think to know that Lady Snowjade had to have chosen the most advantageous possible location for the spatial node she’d given him. Advantageous for her, of course. It was most likely completely surrounded in layers of traps!

Going there would likely put him in the most passive, precarious state possible.

Su Yi wasn’t stupid enough to throw himself into the net.

Without any further delays, Su Yi sensed his spatial node’s aura and began traversing the River of Spacetime.

“I found it!”

Shortly after, Su Yi’s eyes lit up, and he shot ahead, deep into the churning waters of spacetime. A blink of an eye later, and he’d disappeared completely.

......

The Epoch of Demonism.

An ancient cultivation civilization distributed across an alternate spacetime.

The Profound Eternity Realm, the Six Desires Demonist Sect.

The cold, aloof, and beautiful Lady Snowjade was dressed in white. She sat in the highest seat of a grand hall, her gaze icy and majestic.

“Have you carried out my orders?” she asked, her voice booming throughout the hall.

A group of Six Desires Demonist Sect higher-ups stood in the hall.

The leader of the group, a white-haired old man, said solemnly, “Sect Leader, we’ve completely sealed off all of Star Origin Mountain. Thirty-nine of our Cloud Soaring Realm elders and over a hundred Xiantian Demon Spirits are standing guard around the mountain, as per your orders!”

Star Origin Mountain!

A divine mountain just three hundred miles from the Six Desires Demonist Sect!

According to Lady Snowjade’s arrangements, when Su Yi arrived at the location marked on the spatial node she’d given him, he’d appear near the mountain! “Not bad. Tonight, Ancestor Ming Xiao will go to Star Origin Mountain to oversee things personally.” Lady Starjade inclined her head.

Ancestor Ming Xiao!

A veritable living fossil of the Six Desires Demonist Sect, a Heavenly Demon who’d stepped into the Immortal Dao a long, long time ago!

It was then that a purple-robed man stepped forth and bowed. “Reporting in, Sect Leader. The entire Shen Family has been confined in the Abyssal Prison. All you need to do is give the word, and every last one of them will die!”

Immediately afterward, another stepped forward and inclined his head in greeting. “Sect Leader, the other Seven Great Demonist Sects have already agreed to each send nine Cloud Soaring Transcendents to follow our high elder’s orders!”

Lady Snowjade nodded. “All of you can leave.”

“Understood!”

The gathered higher-ups solemnly bade farewell, then turned to leave.

Soon, the hall was entirely empty, save for the woman in white in the centermost seat.

Countless years had passed, and the Six Desires Demonist Sect was already the unquestioned greatest faction in the Profound Eternity Realm, a sovereign-like existence.

And Lady Snowjade had gone from being just another disciple to its current leader and highest authority!

“It’s lonely at the top. Shen Mu, although no one else knows it, your continued existence has resulted in a flaw in my Dao Heart. If not for you, wouldn’t I have stepped into the Immortal Dao a long time ago?”

Lady Snowjade’s eyes flashed with entirely unconcealed hatred.

“No matter how mighty your Shen Family was once then, I can now crush them beneath my feet. Your master, Mu Jianchi, was stubborn, and he’s long since perished at my martial uncle’s hands. As for your junior apprentice sister, Mu Zijin... She’s now my prisoner!

“Now, only you remain. Once I’ve killed you, I can attain a flawless Dao Heart and free myself of emotion. Then, I’ll be ready to break into immortality!”

Then, Lady Snowjade rose from her throne. The lamps illuminated her slender, prideworthy figure, making her seem as imposing as a sovereign gazing down upon the nine heavens and the ten earths.

“Shen Mu... No, Su Yi. I’m eager for your arrival!”

Outside the hall, beneath the cover of darkness.

A thin old man in a round black cap stood there in silence, the depths of his gaze shining with profound, inscrutable light.

This was none other than the Tailor!

Murderous intent surged within his heart. “Temple Master, if you dare show up, I’ll make sure you die without a proper burial!”

......

The Epoch of Demonism was a cultivation civilization, and it encompassed tens of thousands of worlds. However, only a few stood at the pinnacle. For instance, the Profound Eternity Realm.

Late at night, the Ancient Wilds Demon Mountains at the southern border of the Profound Eternity Realm.

The stars shone overhead, and ethereal mists hung in the air.

Boom!

The sky suddenly split, and a rain of spatial light fell as a tall, upright figure staggered out of a spatial rift. He looked utterly haggard.

A moment later, the rift vanished, and all was as before.

That tall, upright figure steadied himself, then shook his head bitterly. “My cultivation base is still too weak....”

This was none other than Su Yi!