First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1657 - The Dark Hand Behind the Curtain of Divine Tribulation

Wen Zhiqiu was tall and stalwart, with a tall hat and a broad belt.

He was a high elder of the Divine Jade Pure Lands, one of the three pure lands of Mount Buzhou, and an Immortal King who’d proven his Dao and risen to prominence after the Age of Fallen Immortals.

He was leaving the Seventh Gate of Heaven because he had business he needed to resolve in his sect. Since he and Su Yi just so happened to be headed in the same direction, they decided to travel together.

“Fellow Daoist Su, do you know anything about the Church of All Spirits?” Wen Zhiqiu approached and asked after exchanging greetings.

Su Yi nodded. “I know a little.”

In the Black Dragon Market’s Auspicious Cloud Palace, he slew a group of the church’s experts, including Libationer Yun Qiong, Elder Xiao Ju, and Holy Son Zhong Qi.

It was also then that Su Yi learned that the Church of All Spirits was a faction that had risen to prominence after the Age of Fallen Immortals. They too were on Mount Buzhou, and they were backed by a god known as Divine Venerate Tian Wu!

Over the long years following their establishment, they’d continuously expanded their territories and recruited experts of the yao path from all across the Immortal Realm. They were now one of the greatest factions of yao cultivators in the Immortal Realm. They claimed to have eighty thousand yao cultivators under their banner!

“Then did you know that next year, on the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the Church of All Spirits plans to host an Immortal King Night Banquet?” asked Wen Zhiqiu.

Su Yi froze, stunned, then said thoughtfully, “I heard about that. Is that perhaps why you’re returning to the Divine Jade Pure Lands?”

Not long ago, Su Yi met the Jadelight Pure Lands’ chosen daughter of heaven, Ying Xiu. She’d told him about this.

According to Ying Xiu, the Church of All Spirits was fiercely ambitious. They were continuously expanding their territories, and by now, they already occupied a full third of Mount Buzhou.

The Jadelight, Divine Jade, and Divine Fulcrum Pure Lands were also based on Mount Buzhou!

The Church of All Spirits’ expansion had long since started encroaching on the Jadelight Pure Lands’ territory, leading to numerous conflicts over the years. The two factions were like fire and water!

But under these circumstances, the church’s leader announced that they were going to hold an Immortal King Night Banquet on the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month.

When the time came, the Church of All Spirits would invite Immortal Kings from the three pure lands of Mount Buzhou, as well as numerous prominent Immortal Kings from the outside world.

According to Ying Xiu’s analysis, although the church had yet to announce its purpose for hosting this Immortal King Night Banquet, it was quite obvious to anyone that they wanted to shift the balance of power and redivide the territories of Mount Buzhou! It was even entirely possible that... they wanted to use the Immortal King Night Banquet as an opportunity to force the other factions of Mount Buzhou to submit!

In the past, the Jadelight Pure Lands wouldn’t have needed to fear such a threat, but they’d suffered heavy losses during the Age of Fallen Immortals, and their vitality was badly damaged.

Right now, they only had three Immortal Kings. One had left the sect a long time ago to explore the outside world, and there’d been no word of him since.

Ying Xiu’s master, Immortal King Kong Ye, and the other Immortal King had suffered a strange divine tribulation a long time ago. It was corroding their life force, and their situation worsened with each passing day. They had no choice but to go into seclusion to cling to life.

Thus, Ying Xiu left to find Su Yi on her master’s orders, taking the Bodhi Bell with her. Ying Xiu hoped that if Su Yi got involved, he’d be able to resolve Immortal King Kong Ye’s divine tribulation.

Out of consideration for Ying Xiu’s clan ancestor, Ying Shanxue, Su Yi agreed to help her.

“That’s right,” Wen Zhiqiu said with deep concern. “Not long ago, I received word from the sect that not long after Immortal King Tao Meng returned from his travels and went into seclusion, he descended into obsession and met with a strange divine tribulation, almost dying in the process.”

A divine tribulation! Su Yi’s eyebrows rose as he recalled the other similar incidents.

Wen Zhiqiu continued, “Although Immortal King Tao Meng clung to life in the end, his vitality is badly damaged, and his very foundations in the Grand Dao have been corroded. His situation worsens with each passing day.

“The entire sect was startled into action, and after a stringent investigation, we uncovered some clues. We suspect that the Church of All Spirits was involved!

“Immortal King Tao Meng said that he encountered one of their chief libationers, Jiang Shan, and that the two of them fought.

“But their battle was brief, as Jiang Shan quickly realized he was no match for Immortal King Tao Meng and retreated immediately.

“But Immortal King Tao Meng said that, looking back on it now, a lot seems fishy. Jiang Shan’s strange behavior makes him suspect the Church of All Spirits’ involvement in his tribulation.

Wen Zhiqiu let out a deep sigh. “Immortal King Tao Meng is my martial uncle, and he’s in the late-stage Miracle Realm. With him to oversee things, our Divine Jade Pure Lands should have had nothing to fear at next year’s Immortal King Night Banquet.

“But now... Now that Immortal King Tao Meng is afflicted with a divine tribulation, the whole sect is worried. I had no choice but to leave the Seventh Gate of Heaven early to oversee things.”

After learning the full story, Su Yi whispered, “It seems it’s just as I suspected.”

Wen Zhiqiu was stunned. “What do you mean, Fellow Daoist?”

Su Yi said casually, “Immortal Queen Liu Yun of the House of Little Joys and Immortal King Kong Ye of the Jadelight Pure Lands have met with similar tribulations.”

He went on to concisely explain the situation. Both experts had met with similar problems, leaving them with no choice but to go into seclusion and devote their full attention to neutralizing their effects.

In the Black Dragon Market’s Auspicious Cloud Palace, Holy Son Zhong Qi of the Church of All Spirits tried to use this as leverage. He said he’d resolve Immortal Queen Liu Yun’s difficulties so long as Qing Wei agreed to become his Dao Partner!

Similarly, the Jadelight Pure Lands had been at odds with the Church of All Spirits of late. They’d come into conflict numerous times, and Immortal King Kong Ye had met with similarly strange tribulations.

There was simply no way the Church of All Spirits was not connected to all this. After all, a deity, Divine Venerate Tian Wu, stood behind them!

The Church of All Spirits had obviously targeted both Immortal Queen Liu Yun and Immortal King Kong Ye of the Jadelight Pure Lands. And after learning what Immortal King Tao Meng of the Divine Jade Pure Lands had experienced, Su Yi was certain that the Church of All Spirits was hatching some sort of master plan.

“So, the Church of All Spirits has plotted against numerous Immortal Kings already!” Murderous intent surged in the depths of Wen Zhiqiu’s gaze.

Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, “Seems to me that you’d best be careful when you return to the sect and avoid open conflict with the Church of All Spirits. Otherwise, it’s highly likely that you’ll be afflicted by a similar divine tribulation before you know it.”

Wen Zhiqiu's eyes narrowed as he realized how serious this problem was.

It was true. Three Miracle Realm experts that he knew of, Tao Meng, Liu Yun, and Kong Ye, had met with divine tribulations. This was more than sufficient proof of how strange and calamitous the Church of All Spirits’ power was.

If Wen Zhiqiu wasn’t on guard, he could fall prey to it too!

Something suddenly occurred to him, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Fellow Daoist, since you understand all of this so well, do you perhaps have means of resolving these strange divine tribulations?”

“I’m on my way to Blazing Firmament Immortal City to investigate the true nature of these divine tribulations as we speak,” said Su Yi.

Wen Zhiqiu’s spirits soared, and he said eagerly, “In that case, might this old man accompany you?”

After witnessing Su Yi’s unbelievable abilities at the Seventh Gate of Heaven, he’d long since ceased to take Su Yi for an ordinary Universe Realm Immortal.

Now that he’d happened upon such an ideal opportunity, he naturally didn’t want to miss it.

Su Yi realized what Wen Zhiqiu was after in an instant, but he didn’t refuse. He just nodded. “Very well.”

That day at nightfall, the outline of an ancient city appeared in the distance. The fiery light of dusk enveloped the entire city in an austere and holy luster.

Blazing Firmament Immortal City!

When Su Yi first left for the Luo River Forbidden Zone, he arranged for Fang Yourong, Fang Han, and Liang Wenyu to stay in the city’s House of Little Joys.

Not long ago, the manager of the local branch of the House of Little Joys, Xie Hengqiu, transmitted a message to Su Yi. He said that Immortal Queen Liu Yun and Qing Wei had arrived in Blazing Firmament Immortal City, and that they hoped to meet with Su Yi.

“Why has the Church of All Spirits sealed off Blazing Firmament Immortal City?”

“Hurry up and leave! Blazing Firmament Immortal City is at the heart of the storm. I’m afraid it’s in for catastrophe. People like us can’t afford to get mixed up in this!”

...A group of cultivators shot over from afar.

The sound of their conversation wasn’t at all loud, but it couldn’t elude Su Yi and Wen Zhiqiu’s ears.

The Church of All Spirits has sealed off Blazing Firmament Immortal City!? Wen Zhiqiu’s gaze focused.

Su Yi, meanwhile, disappeared, then reappeared in the fleeing cultivators’ path and clasped his fist. “Everyone, I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

The cultivators frowned in obvious displeasure, but when Wen Zhiqiu joined Su Yi, their hair stood on end, and their hearts quivered!

Their cultivations were simply too low to determine Wen Zhiqiu’s strength, but the aura emanating from him filled their hearts with abject fright.

None of them dared to be negligent. They obediently answered Su Yi’s questions, and before long, he found out that the forces of the Church of All Spirits had arrived in the city two days ago. They’d sealed it off completely. No one was permitted to leave or enter!

Apparently, the church had sent a force of three hundred immortals, including numerous True Immortals and a group of Immortal Lords!

Some people even suspected that one of their Immortal Kings had come personally!

And it seemed the Church of All Spirits had locked down the city to search for someone.

After learning the full story, Su Yi couldn’t help but frown. Even if he thought with his feet, it was clear they were targeting Immortal Queen Liu Yun!

“It seems word has gotten out that Qing Wei brought her master to the White Reed Province’s Blazing Firmament Immortal City. Otherwise, how could these people have come looking for them?”

Without any further delays, Su Yi and Wen Zhiqiu shot directly into the city.

Sealing the city off implied two things.

First, the Church of All Spirits attached enormous importance to this operation, and they were willing to do whatever it took to reach their goals.

Second, the Church of All Spirits had yet to succeed.

Otherwise, they’d have left the city by now, and there’d be no need to keep it on lockdown!