First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2146 – Unwilling and Unable to Let Go

Jiao Mu and the other old monsters noticed the moment Yi Daoxuan stopped in his tracks, and they followed suit.

“See that?” Gu Huaxian said leisurely. “I told you that when he ran out of power, he’d stop of his own accord.”

“It’s true. His Dao Imprint is running on empty. He can’t even hide it anymore,” said Jiao Mu, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. “It really is time to determine victory and defeat.”

They’d long since sensed that Yi Daoxuan wouldn’t last much longer. Stopping like this was proof that he was an arrow at the end of its flight.

“Yi Daoxuan, why not flee?” jeered the old hunchback, his eyes full of coldness.

But Yi Daoxuan answered him with actions, not words. He took a step forward, and suddenly swung his sword at the old hunchback.

The old hunchback’s pupils constricted in terror of Yi Daoxuan’s death throes, and he instinctively chose to retreat.

It wasn’t just him. The other three old monsters dodged too.

But this strike turned out to be all thunder and no lightning. The sword qi had yet to reach them when it fizzled out on its own.

“See that? Even knowing that I’m nearing my limit and that I’ve chosen to stay here and make my last stand, they don’t dare to fight me,” said Yi Daoxuan. “So there’s no need to worry about whether or not I can last.”

The old hunchback and the others’ expressions darkened. How could they fail to realize that Yi Daoxuan was toying with them?

Su Yi laughed. “It’s obvious. They really are cowardly.”

“Let’s go,” said Yi Daoxuan. He turned and was just about to lead Su Yi away when the white-robed Jiao Mu attacked out of nowhere.

He waved his fiery fan, stirring up endless divine radiance that swept toward Yi Daoxuan. Gu Huaxian, the old hunchback, and the stalwart man attacked too, almost simultaneously.

Earlier, they really had been afraid of Yi Daoxuan’s death throes. That was why they’d chosen to stay back.

But now that they’d realized that he was toying with them, they wouldn’t pass up on such a marvelous opportunity to trap and kill Yi Daoxuan!

Boom!!

The entire stretch of void descended into chaos and collapsed as an avalanche of divine radiance swept outward.

But Yi Daoxuan was even faster.

He’d turned around, but he hadn’t really been about to leave. Instead, he shifted on his feet and vanished on the spot.

Clang!

A heaven-shaking sword hum rang out as Yi Daoxuan attacked the enemy closest to him, the stalwart man.

The stalwart man reacted quickly and swung his massive white bone hammer with all his might.

However, within moments, the hands gripping the hammer shattered, followed by his arms, and he was sent flying back with a spray of blood and a blood-curdling scream.

Gu Huaxian rushed to his aid right in the nick of time, blocking Yi Daoxuan’s follow-up attack. Otherwise, the stalwart man undoubtedly would have been killed.

Yi Daoxuan didn’t linger. Instead, he flashed through the air and led Su Yi away.

The whole series of movements happened in a flash, quick as could be.

Even though Jiao Mu and the old hunchback attacked, they were just a bit too slow. Yi Daoxuan still managed to escape with Su Yi.

“Dammit!”

“That bastard tricked us!”

The old monsters cursed.

“Hurry up and chase him! Kill him! You’ve got to kill him!” roared the stalwart man, his eyes bloodshot. Earlier, Yi Daoxuan’s slash dealt him massive damage, ruining both his arms and almost killing him. That brush with death infuriated him, but more than that, it enraged him.

His misfortune shocked and angered his companions, too. They’d been chasing Yi Daoxuan and Su Yi all this time. Bad enough that they’d yet to take them down, but now, Yi Daoxuan had turned around and attacked them instead! Who wouldn’t have been angry?

“Give chase!”

“He won’t last much longer!”

“If we catch up to him, don’t hesitate! Just use your trump cards!”

“Got it!”

All of them attacked in full force without hesitation.

Yi Daoxuan, who’d been fleeing with all his might this entire time, said calmly, “It’s about time I went all out. They’re too angry to attempt to stall for time any longer.”

“Can I ask you something first?” said Su Yi.

“Go ahead.”

“You suffered so much hardship and adversity in your life that even the River Lord exclaimed over how miserable you were. What kept you going? How did you keep fighting?”

Yi Daoxuan fell silent. A long time passed before he said simply, “I was unwilling and unable to let go.”

Su Yi paused to mull that over. “Just as I thought.”

“Actually, you and the River Lord are both mistaken about something. None of those hardships or adversities were bitter,” said Yi Daoxuan. “And I’ve never thought of my life as miserable, because my Dao of the Sword was tempered through endless slaughter and polished through adversity. Those who failed to defeat me only made me stronger.

“It’s true that I have a lot of grudges. I’ve been framed, slandered, and trampled. I’ve been abused by my sect, and betrayed by my friends and relatives…

“But after overcoming all of these difficulties, what in this world could possibly hold me back? And what could possibly shake my Dao Heart?”

Yi Daoxuan looked at Su Yi. “Even if my life were far more bitter, I used my Dao of the Sword to cut a path through it all. Even when I died in battle, I never resented the unfairness of destiny, and I naturally didn’t feel embittered.”

His words left Su Yi moved. “Thank you for correcting me.”

He really did see Yi Daoxuan in a new light.

“That’s how a sword cultivator ought to be. It’s nothing special.” Yi Daoxuan shook his head.

He’d only just said this when an ear-splitting explosion rang out. All four enemies joined forces and attacked at once behind them, using the strongest killer weapons at their disposal!

Yi Daoxuan didn’t even turn to look. Instead, his entire body suddenly caught ablaze, and his speed instantly soared!

“Is he planning to put everything on the line and burn himself up completely?” exclaimed Gu Huaxian and her companions.

However, the sight made their spirits soar. This meant that they no longer needed to give this their all. Before long, Yi Daoxuan’s Dao Imprint would fall apart and dissipate of its own accord!

“Take hold of the Sword of the Nine Hells,” said Yi Daoxuan. “There’s a spatial node no one else knows about sealed within my Dao Imprint. It leads to a place on the fringes of the God Domain. I’m going to use every last drop of power I have left to get you there! You’ll have to walk the road ahead on your own. Take care!”

Yi Daoxuan returned the Sword of the Nine Hells to Su Yi. His already ethereal, indistinct figure now ignited completely, transformed into Dao Light, and melted into the Sword of the Nine Hells.

Crunch! Crack!

The fourth Divine Chain, the one sealing Yi Daoxuan’s Dao Imprint, shattered inch by inch, then fused into that streak of Dao Light.

The Sword of the Nine Hells then underwent an unbelievable transformation, one Su Yi had never seen before. A mysterious diagram arose on its inky, inscrutable blade, but try as he might, he couldn’t see it clearly.

The hilt, meanwhile, reflected a corner of the River of Destiny. He was obviously holding the sword in his hands, but it somehow seemed endlessly far away, as if it were separated from him by an unimaginably endless expanse of time and space.

Boom!!

As Yi Daoxuan’s Dao Imprint burned and transformed into a bundle of light, an indescribable sword force spread from the Sword of the Nine Hells.

It threatened to crush the entire stretch of starry void.

The old monsters pursuing them were so startled and horrified that their souls practically left their bodies. Practically on instinct, all of them retreated explosively.

Even so, as that terrifying sword force swept over them, it sent every last one of them flying, and countless bloody wounds tore open all over their skin!

It was as if the Sword of the Nine Hells had fully awakened. Even though Su Yi was the one wielding it, it carried Su Yi of its own accord, piercing time and space. In the blink of an eye, both of them vanished!

A long time passed before the unsurpassed sword force enveloping the area slowly receded and the chaos and upheaval gradually gave way to stillness.

The four old monsters breathed in ragged gasps. None of them could calm down.

“How could this have happened? How could that sword be so terrifying!?” exclaimed the old hunchback. The moment of Yi Daoxuan’s last attack, he felt suffocated, as if death were staring him right in the face.

They’d retreated, but even so, all of them were covered in bleeding wounds. They looked utterly wretched.

Their injuries weren’t overly serious, but they still came as a massive shock.

“Dammit!” Jiao Mu roared, his face contorted with fury. “So many of us worked together to stamp out that heretic, but he still managed to escape! How are we supposed to find him now?”

“How could the reincarnator be killed so easily?” said Gu Huaxian, her face ashen with fury and frustration. “More importantly, none of us anticipated that Yi Daoxuan would use the last of his power, not to counterattack, but to fully awaken the mysterious power within that sword. That’s what let the heretic escape!”

“Doesn’t that mean that we chased him all the way here for nothing?” said the tall, stalwart man, his face unsightly. “After all, if Yi Daoxuan were capable of sending Su Yi away, why wait all this time? He… was just toying with us!”

“Come on! Let’s go see what’s become of Su Yi’s companions. When you can’t find a melon, follow the vine. If we can capture them alive, I’m sure we can use them to find him!” Gu Huaxian took a deep breath, then turned and gave chase.

Anger would only highlight their ineptitude. They needed to take action as soon as possible to remedy the situation!

The others understood this too, so no matter how unwilling they were to accept this, they could only endure.

“I refuse to believe that heretic won’t show his face in the God Domain sooner or later!” the old hunchback said through gnashed teeth.

……

Boom!

The Sword of the Nine Hells pierced time and space, crossing an unknowable distance.

All Su Yi could sense was the sword’s gradually weakening, receding aura.

He couldn’t help but feel a bit melancholy.

That was his first meeting with his fourth incarnation, Yi Daoxuan. He hadn’t anticipated that it would also be his last meeting.

Earlier, the River Lord’s warning had left him on guard against Yi Daoxuan. He was even expecting that they’d compete to replace each other.

But now, all he felt for Yi Daoxuan was respect and admiration.

Yi Daoxuan was a true sword cultivator. He’d overcome endless adversity and bitterness, but he still never once lamented the unfairness of destiny!

Su Yi silently made up his mind. Once I’ve fused with his Dao Imprint, I won’t let him down. I’ll be sure to repay him for saving me!

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!