First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2507 – Heavenly Sovereign Wen’s Decree

The talisman flashed. Mist and shadows rose into the air.

Qi Wei had just sent him a message. After reading its contents, Su Yi couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. He found it extremely surprising.

Someone who called himself the emissary of the Eternal Heavens Domain’s Limitless Palace had arrived in the God Domain the night prior. He’d come looking for the Qilin Ancient, and he said he wanted to meet with Su Yi to discuss something of the utmost importance!

Qi Wei also said that the emissary of the Limitless Palace wasn’t an enemy, and that they hoped Su Yi could come to the Qilin Race’s territories to meet him as soon as possible.

Su Yi put away the talisman and sank into thought.

The Eternal Heavens Domain was located on the River of Destiny. His second incarnation had cultivated in that mysterious, Eternal land.

If the Limitless Palace was located in the Eternal Heavens Domain, they had to have known his second incarnation.

The Qilin Ancient was his second incarnation’s servant. If he’d asked Su Yi to come, most likely nothing bad would happen.

Su Yi pondered briefly, then decided to stop by the Qilin Race’s territories before heading back to Sunset Perch Island.

……

Seven days later.

The Qilin Ancient, Clan Leader Qi Jingxiao, Qi Wei, and a group of Qilin old-timers had all gathered inside an ancient palace in the lands of the Qilin Race.

But the one in the seat of honor was a fair-skinned middle-aged man with a willowy beard and a crown of stars.

This was Huo Yunhu, the emissary of the Limitless Palace, a Limitless Dao Lord of the Path of Eternity!

In the Eternal Heavens Domain, everyone called him Dao Lord Yunhu.

However, due to the limitations of the God Domain’s Laws, the man seated here was just an avatar of Huo Yunhu’s will.

A silver-robed man stood beside Huo Yunhu. He had a sheathed saber on his back, and he looked young, but he had a cold, solitary air about him. As his eyes scanned his surroundings, they flashed with sharp, imposing light.

This was a disciple of the Limitless Palace. His name was Lu Qiu, and going by seniority, he was Huo Yunhu’s martial nephew.

Unlike Huo Yunhu, Lu Qiu had yet to step into Eternity. He’d come to the God Domain with a secret treasure that fully obscured his presence, hiding him from the God Domain’s Laws.

But Lu Qiu had little sense of presence. He was like an attendant standing there in silence.

After a while, Huo Yunhu couldn’t help but ask, “Didn’t you say that Fellow Daoist Su would arrive today? Why is there still no sign of him?”

The crowd exchanged glances. It was the Qilin Ancestor who stepped in to explain, “Fellow Daoist Su is a man of his word. He agreed to come, so I’m sure he’s on his way. Please be patient a while longer, Esteemed Emissary.”

He spoke with the utmost politeness.

He’d cultivated in the Eternal Heavens Domain before, spending his days serving Su Yi’s second incarnation. He knew the Limitless Palace’s foundations and forces like the back of his hand.

Just like the Western Paradise Spirit Mountains and Three Purities Daoist Court were ruling factions of the God Domain, the Limitless Palace was one of the ruling factions of the Eternal Heavens Domain!

Its leader, Heavenly Sovereign Wen, was an unparalleled legend within the Path of Eternity. His foundations and prestige were far beyond your average Limitless Dao Lords.

Even at his peak, Su Yi’s second incarnation’s status was a notch inferior to Heavenly Sovereign Wen’s.

This wasn’t because Su Yi’s second incarnation was lacking in strength, but because his accumulations were too shallow.

Heavenly Sovereign Wen had proven his Dao and achieved Eternity far, far too long ago. Su Yi’s second incarnation was a mere junior compared to him, at most a talented figure who’d arisen later in history!

That was why the Qilin Ancient was so polite to this emissary of the Limitless Palace, Huo Yunhu. He wasn’t just being respectful to Huo Yunhu himself; more importantly, he was being respectful to the man behind him, Heavenly Sovereign Wen!

“I’ve never lacked patience, but the Heavenly Sovereign is waiting for me to report back to him. I cannot afford to wait too long.” Huo Yunhu shook his head slightly.

The crowd’s hearts were instantly solemn. They fell silent.

The Qilin Ancient said with a laugh, “It seems to me that if the esteemed Heavenly Sovereign sent his emissary here, he surely has nothing but the best of intentions. I also trust that when Fellow Daoist Su comes and learns of the esteemed Heavenly Sovereign’s decree, he’ll consider it seriously before giving an answer.”

It might have sounded friendly, but in truth, he’d said nothing of substance whatsoever.

Huo Yunhu chuckled. “I hope that’s true.”

Suddenly, he said, “To the best of my knowledge, you were once afflicted by a Karmic Tribulation, but Su Yi used his mastery of reincarnation to neutralize it. Tell me, is that true?”

The Qilin Ancient was briefly stunned. “Esteemed Emissary, I encourage you to ask Fellow Daoist Su about this directly when he gets here.”

Huo Yunhu furrowed his brow and looked at the Qilin Ancient with displeasure. “For all your good qualities, you’re far too slippery. It might seem like you’re holding nothing back, but in truth, you aren’t saying anything at all. I don’t like it.”

His tone was a bit heavy, and it carried a hint of a rebuke.

The crowd sank deeper into silence, all of them a bit uncomfortable.

This emissary from the Limitless Palace was no hooligan throwing his weight around, but he had an air of lofty superiority, and he ordered them about as he saw fit.

It rubbed them all the wrong way, but none of them dared to say anything. After all, even disregarding the emissary’s status, he was en Eternal. That alone meant that everyone present had no choice but to endure!

The Qilin Ancient laughed bitterly, then clasped his fist in apology. “I humbly request your forgiveness, esteemed Emissary.”

Huo Yunhu waved the apology away. “I’m in no mood to take you to task over something so trivial, nor can I be bothered. All is well so long as the Heavenly Sovereign’s plans remain on course.”

He’d only just said this when the sound of footsteps emanated from beyond the hall.

Su Yi had come. He was dressed in blue, calm and detached, as casual as if he were out for a stroll through his own garden.

The Qilin Ancient, Qi Jingxiao, Qi Wei, and the others all signed in relief, then rose to greet him.

Huo Yunhu remained in the seat of honor, unmoving. Lu Qiu didn’t move either.

But both of their gazes locked onto Su Yi. Huo Yunhu was calm and intense, while Lu Qiu’s eyes glinted like knives, icy and imposing.

“Esteemed Emissary, this is Fellow Daoist Su Yi,” the Qilin Ancient said with a smile.

Huo Yunhu remained seated. All he did was subtly incline his head. “You have the subtle majesty of one who’s risen above the dust of mundanity. It’s no wonder you’ve become the most eye-catching figure in the entire God Domain, Sword Venerate Su.”

His words might have seemed polite, but his perfunctory attitude was obvious to everyone present.

Su Yi glanced at him, then responded just as perfunctorily, “You exaggerate.”

The Qilin Ancient arranged a seat for him.

As soon as he sat down, Lu Qiu broke his silence for the first time. “Don’t be in such a rush to sit down. Hear the Heavenly Sovereign’s decree first.”

A decree!

This choice of words implied a relationship between a superior and an inferior he could order about as he pleased.

When an emperor of the mundane world issued a decree, his ministers accepted it with a display of the utmost respect.

Now, Lu Qiu stood before a crowd and demanded that Su Yi accept a decree. Many of those gathered here felt their eyelids twitch.

Such a request… is really quite impudent! After all, Su Yi isn’t a minister of the Limitless Palace, nor is he a subordinate they can command as they see fit!

“A decree?” Su Yi’s eyebrows rose. “What kind of decree?”

He hadn’t anticipated that something like this would happen as soon as he arrived, before he even got the chance to sit down.

“My martial uncle and I have come with a decree from the Heavenly Sovereign. Naturally, it is to announce his decree,” Lu Qiu said coldly, his eyes not so much as rippling with emotion. “In light of the fact that you are neither a citizen of the Eternal Heavens Domain nor a member of our Limitless Palace, you needn’t kneel. It’s enough that you remain standing as you hear the Heavenly Sovereign’s decree.”

His voice boomed throughout the hall. Everyone could hear the air of lofty superiority in Lu Qiu’s voice, and they couldn’t help but frown.

None of them had thought that Lu Qiu would be so arrogant when he finally broke his silence.

The atmosphere was instantly noticeably more stifled.

Huo Yunhu just sat there in silence, gazing intently at Su Yi. He made no effort to stop Lu Qiu.

“Fellow Daoist, Limitless Palace has always been like this. In the Eternal Heavens Domain, inheritors of the Limitless Palace have never been afraid of anything, not even Limitless Dao Lords. On the contrary, even Limitless Dao Lords must treat them with some degree of deference,” the Qilin Ancient hurriedly transmitted a warning to Su Yi to prevent him from doing anything reckless.

He knew that Su Yi had yet to awaken the memories of his second life, nor did he understand how prominent and terrifying a status the Limitless Palace had in the Eternal Heavens Domain.

Su Yi pondered briefly, then nodded. This was the Qilin Race’s territory. Moreover, he could tell that the Qilin Ancient wanted this to go well. Su Yi wouldn’t ruin it for him on account of something so trivial.

“Go ahead and speak,” said Su Yi, getting straight to the point.

Huo Yunhu, who’d been seated this entire time, silently rose.

Lu Qiu, meanwhile, took a golden talisman out of his sleeves, his icy countenance even colder and sterner.

There was nothing particularly mystical about the talisman, but when they looked at it, everyone felt indescribable pressure bearing down on them.

Like ministers facing a ruler!

Su Yi’s eyes narrowed. He could sense the formless pressure emanating from the golden talisman, too.

Lu Qiu’s grave voice boomed throughout the silent hall. “The esteemed Heavenly Sovereign decreed that the reincarnator, Su Yi, be appointed Master of the Carefree Hall. To commemorate this appointment, he shall be bequeathed with a personal blessed ground for cultivation, nine Eternal medicines, nine Eternal Jades, and…”

He listed almost ten rewards in a single breath. Everyone in the hall was completely baffled.

This was because they’d yet to step into Eternity, so they had no way of knowing how precious these rewards were.

Only the Qilin Ancient gasped, a look of astonishment on his face.

All of those rewards were Eternal-level treasures. Some were so precious that even Limitless Dao Lords would drool over them!

Especially the “blessed ground for cultivation.” The term had a special significance in the Eternal Heavens Domain. It was of the utmost importance!

Yet now, Heavenly Sovereign Wen was bequeathing Su Yi with almost ten such generous rewards at once. He was unquestionably sparing no expense. It was thus obvious how highly he valued Su Yi!

But at the same time, the Qilin Ancient sensed that something wasn’t right here.

The Limitless Palace and Su Yi had never interacted in any way, yet Heavenly Sovereign Wen was directly appointing Su Yi Hallmaster of Carefree Hall!

Was this simply a matter of admiring and respecting Su Yi? Not necessarily!

Su Yi stood there, calm and silent.

He really didn’t understand the value of these rewards, but he was certain that there were strings attached.

Some were so obvious that he didn’t even need to guess.

This was their first interaction, but they were already appointing him Hallmaster of Carefree Hall. Others might see this as astonishing, enviable good fortune, but wasn’t this also proof that Heavenly Sovereign Wen saw Su Yi as a subordinate?

Moreover, this was a decree, not a discussion!

This way of doing things was unquestionably domineering and tyrannical, with an air of a superior giving charity to one beneath him!

This really rubbed Su Yi the wrong way. His brow furrowed.