First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2474 – A Past Incarnation’s Heart Devil, the Malevolent Sword Venerate

The Qilin Ancient nodded. “Master’s negative karma is still alive, and his cultivation base is terrifying. He’s no weaker than Master was at his peak.”

“We call him the Malevolent Sword Venerate,” said the Qilin Ancient, a complicated look on his face. “To tell the truth, anyone who looked at the Malevolent Sword Venerate would struggle to tell him and Master apart. It’s not just his appearance; even his powers of the Grand Dao and abilities are identical.

“The only difference is that Master’s temperament was as smooth as jade, and he was unconcerned with fame. He was like a cultivated gentleman at peace with the world.

“The Malevolent Sword Venerate is different. He’s cold, cruel, and bloodthirsty down to his very bones. He’s tyrannical, cold-blooded, and incomparably terrifying.”

Su Yi rubbed his forehead, then thought back to the three Celestial Demon Progenitors manifested of the three Buddhas’ negative karma.

Old Man Heart Demon, Huan Yan, and Huang Qi had dispositions starkly different from their Buddha counterparts, too.

But his second incarnation’s situation was even more unusual. After his second incarnation entered the cycle of reincarnation, his heart devil actually replaced him, taking his cultivation base, status, and authority for his own!

His personality was starkly different from Su Yi’s second incarnation, but everything else was identical.

This was simply unbelievable!

Back then, my second incarnation faced a Karmic Tribulation, leaving him fettered with negative karma. That proves he couldn’t fully control the Sword of the Nine Hells. Had he been capable of controlling it, he undoubtedly could have resolved his karmic fetters, thought Su Yi.

He suddenly recalled the heart devil of his first incarnation sealed in the rusted sword sheath. There was no denying it; his first incarnation’s heart devil and the Malevolent Sword Venerate were quite similar.

They represented the heart devils and negative karma of his first and second incarnations.

The difference was that his second incarnation’s karmic tribulation destroyed him mentally, giving rise to a heart devil, whereas his first incarnation’s problems arose in the process of seeking a higher path.

He’d decided to reincarnate to cultivate anew and strive for greater heights that way, while his heart devil was fixated on a sword devoted to balance.

His first incarnation’s heart devil was born of his striving for the Dao. Both reincarnating to cultivate anew and the mysteries of balance had been his first incarnation’s obsessions.

In the end, he chose between his two obsessions, sealing the other within the rusted sword sheath. With this obsession severed, he decisively chose to cultivate anew.

That sealed obsession was now the heart devil in the rusted sheath!

It was similar to his second incarnation’s experience, but also qualitatively different.

“It’s because of the Malevolent Sword Venerate that Master’s camp split into two opposing smaller camps,” sighed the Qilin Ancient. “Our group believes that Master died and entered the cycle of reincarnation, sure to one day return. We believe that the Malevolent Sword Venerate is the heart devil who slew our real master.

“The other camp believes that Master isn’t dead, and that Master and the Malevolent Sword Venerate are one and the same. They consider us traitors, and they serve the Malevolent Sword Venerate to this day.”

Now, Su Yi understood the situation. “So you’re saying that the Great Yin Divine Race are from the Malevolent Sword Venerate’s camp?”

“That’s right,” the Qilin Ancient said with a nod. “The Great Yin Divine race has always served the Malevolent Sword Venerate. It’s not that they don’t know about Master’s reincarnation, but that they don’t acknowledge it. They say that the Malevolent Sword Venerate is Master, and that it was his heart devil who entered the cycle of reincarnation…”

Su Yi was stunned.

The Qilin Divine Race saw the Malevolent Sword Venerate as a heart devil, but the Great Yin Divine Race saw the one who’d entered the cycle of reincarnation as the heart devil.

This was actually rather interesting.

Setting aside the question of why the Great Yin Divine Race had made this choice, he could say with certainty that this was the reason they saw him as their enemy!

My past life’s subordinates split into two camps. One supports the reincarnated me, while the other supports my past incarnation’s heart devil. Ah, but no, they see me as the heart devil… Su Yi couldn’t help but find the situation absurd.

What’s even going on here? Is this going to turn into a clash between me and my past life’s heart devil?

Su Yi had only just considered all this when he asked, “But how can the Great Yin Divine Race force the Qilin to follow their orders?”

This was what Su Yi found the hardest to understand.

The Qilin Ancient sighed. “It can all be traced back to a decision we made back then.

“The progenitor of the Great Yin Divine Race was one of the Four Great Combat Venerates working directly beneath Master. They each presided over a stretch of territory on his behalf.

“And we of the Qilin swore to serve Master and obey the Great Yin Divine Race’s orders. Breaking our vow will result in our annihilation.”

He paused, then explained as if worried that Su Yi would misunderstand, “We made this vow of our own free will. No one forced us to do it.

“We chose to make that vow because it was Master who saved us from disaster, and it was Master whose support elevated our race into the ranks of the Nine Great Divine Races of the Eternal Heavens Domain!

“That was an unsurpassed honor. Master is our race’s benefactor, and we’ve served him for generations!

“We just didn’t anticipate that such severe problems would arise in Master’s heart…”

The Qilin Ancient let out a deep sigh.

Now, Su Yi finally understood.

It was no wonder the Great Yin Divine Race were so fearless, and no wonder they dared order the Qilin about. All of this was because both races had once served his second incarnation, and the Qilin had vowed to obey the Great Yin Divine Race’s orders.

Su Yi pondered briefly. “Given that you now know my identity, couldn’t I simply tell you that you no longer need to uphold your earlier vow?”

The Qilin Ancient shook his head. “That wouldn’t work.”

“Why not?” asked Su Yi.

“Our race’s vow is emblazoned in the Laws of the Eternal Heavens Domain and subject to the confines of destiny. Mere words alone cannot possibly change it.”

Su Yi’s brow furrowed. “Then is this just not solvable?”

The Qilin Ancient said, “Our vow touches upon the Laws of the natural order of the Eternal Heavens Domain. Master, if you… Err, I mean, Fellow Daoist, if you awaken the memories of your past life, you might well be able to resolve it.”

Su Yi shook his head. “I don’t know when I’ll be able to reawaken those memories. It seems I’ll just have to try something else.”

The Qilin Ancient said directly, “When we made our vow, we were prepared to go to our deaths. Even if the worst comes to pass, we’d rather break our vow and perish than become your enemies!’

He spoke with staunch determination.

Su Yi sighed. “I finally understand why the Qilin were willing to sacrifice Qi Wei’s marriage if it meant avoiding becoming my enemy.”

He was indeed quite rueful. This was an ancient race from the Eternal Heavens Domain, and they’d waited for him for hundreds of thousands of years. Now, they’d rather face annihilation than become his enemies.

How could Su Yi not have been moved?

“But after learning all that, there’s naturally no way I can remain a bystander,” said Su Yi.

Something suddenly occurred to him. “The Great Yin Divine Race surely came to the God Domain on the Malevolent Sword Monarch’s orders. In that case, do they have means of threatening me?”

The Qilin Ancient mulled that over, then said, “The Malevolent Sword Venerate inherited Master’s everything. If he wants to threaten you, Fellow Daoist, I’m afraid it’d be as easy as turning over his hand.”

Su Yi continued, “Then do you think the Great Yin Divine Race ought to be killed?”

The Qilin Ancient looked conflicted. “The Great Yin Divine Race once served Master loyally, achieving enormous merit, but… they now serve the Malevolent Sword Venerate, and they view you, Master’s reincarnation, as a heart devil. Even if you choose not to kill them, they… won’t spare you, Fellow Daoist.”

Su Yi just smiled in response. “I know what I need to do.”

The Qilin Ancient seemed to realize what he was getting at. He sighed. “If it’s possible, I actually rather hope that you can leave them a chance at life. They…”

Su Yi said casually, “Later, I’ll give them an opportunity, but not right now.”

The Great Yin Divine Race wanted nothing more than to kill him, and they served the Malevolent Sword Venerate. That meant that there was no room to negotiate!

After chatting a while longer, Su Yi said, “How about this? Once I’ve returned from the Thunderwind Sea, I’ll help resolve your karmic tribulation.”

With that, he rose from his lotus platform.

The Qilin Ancient said hurriedly, “The Thunderwind Sea is a spacetime forbidden zone. Let me make arrangements before you go. I’ll send some of our experts to accompany you.”

Su YI shook his head. “That won’t do. If Qilin come with me, it’ll only add to the chaos. After all, your entire race is subject to your vow.”

The Qilin Ancient smiled bitterly and sighed. It was true. If Qilin experts accompanied Su Yi, they’d be worse than useless!

“I heard that some of your people are already standing guard outside the Thunderwind Sea on the Great Yin Divine Race’s orders. Might I trouble you to tell them that if I show up, they shouldn’t risk their lives?” said Su Yi.

The Qilin Ancient nodded. He knew that today’s incident had provoked the Great Yin Divine Race. If the Qilin didn’t respond quickly, the Great Yin Divine Race would soon show up to hold them accountable.

And that would mean unpredictable disaster for the entire Qilin Race!

After leaving the hidden realm, Su Yi returned to the Symphony of Waves Palace accompanied by the Qilin Ancient.

When Qi Jingxiao and the others learned that Su Yi planned to set course for the Thunderwind Sea on his own, they were moved. How could they have failed to realize that Su Yi was going to their aid?

“I’ll go with you.” Xi Ning stepped forth, her bright, beautiful eyes full of determination.

She already had a lot to say to Su Yi, especially an extremely personal secret. She needed to talk to him.

Because… This secret involved him!

Su Yi pondered briefly, then nodded. “Sure.”

A faint smile tugged at Xi Ning’s lips.

“Li Sanjiu, lead Fellow Daoist Su’s way,” ordered Qi Jingxiao.

“Understood!” Li Sanjiu nodded his assent.

The Thunderwind Sea’s location was well hidden, as the experts of the Great Yin Divine Race had used secret arts to hide its location. Not even Master Gods could find it without help, let alone ordinary people!

“We cannot afford delays. Let’s set off immediately.” Su Yi immediately made a decision. He and Xi Ning boarded Li Sanjiu’s boat, and the three of them promptly set off.

Not long after Su Yi left, Qi Wei seized the opportunity to ask the Qilin Ancient’s avatar of will a question. “Ancient, then what exactly is our race’s connection to Su Yi?”

All of the gathered higher-ups looked over. All of them were incomparably eager to find out the answer to that question, too.