First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1550 - A Pill Recipe Leads to Bloodshed

Su Yi laughed.

He naturally could tell that the purple-robed middle-aged man wanted to coerce him into selling this rare and precious immortal pill recipe for the lowest possible price!

“I’m afraid your ‘sincerity’ is far from sufficient,” Su Yi said calmly.

“That isn’t enough?” The purple-robed middle-aged man’s eyes flashed. He chuckled, “How about nine immortal medicinal ingredients and five thousand immortal stones? Surely that’s enough?”

Earlier, it had been eighteen medicinal ingredients and ten thousand immortal stones. In the blink of an eye, he’d cut his offer in half!

Yet for some reason, the purple-robed middle-aged man spoke forthrightly and righteously, and he was nothing but smiles.

Grandmaster Chu scowled and was just about to say something when another of the tower’s higher-ups stopped him and pulled him away to prevent him from intervening.

This enraged Grandmaster Chu, who shouted, “If you do this, you’ll ruin Lunar Sky Tower’s reputation!”

Su Yi just stood there, perfectly calm. “That isn’t enough.”

The purple-robed middle-aged man frowned, and the atmosphere was instantly oppressive. Even the other higher-ups couldn’t help but look pitying.

Someone said coldly, “Young man, harboring too precious a treasure is a crime. You’d best think this over carefully. Which is more important to you? Your life or a pill recipe?”

Someone else added, “Many others wouldn’t be so kind as to bother offering you compensation.”

The purple-robed middle-aged man smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Very well! As an expression of my sincerity, I’ll give you a single stalk of immortal medicine and a thousand immortal stones!”

All of a sudden, he’d cut his original offer by ninety percent!

Anyone else in this situation might well have panicked a long time ago, but Su Yi couldn’t help but smile. “I can tell that you still don’t know what happened at the Seven Stars Immortal Assembly. As an expression of my sincerity, allow me to warn you: they say that birds die for food, and men die for wealth.”

With that, he turned and left the hall.

The crowd was stunned. They would never have guessed that this young man would dare be so fearless even now.

“Young man, don’t be in such a hurry. Have a look and tell me if my sincerity is sufficient for you.”

A gaunt figure suddenly appeared at the doorway. He was dressed in ornate robes, with a tall hat. His features were aged, and his entire body emanated the distinctive pressure of the Immortal Dao!

An Immortal!

When Grandmaster Chu saw him, he shouted in alarm, “Elder Zuo Fu, you’re in on this too?”

This new arrival was none other than one of the men behind the curtain at Lunar Sky Tower! He was a Universe Realm Immortal proficient in the Dao of Pill Refining. He was also a deacon in the Immortal Realm’s Alliance of Pill Refiners.

The Alliance of Pill Refiners was like a sacred ground for the Immortal Realm’s pill refiners. Everyone qualified to join them was a first-rate pill refiner.

Zuo Fu ignored Grandmaster Chu and snapped his fingers.

A single immortal stone clattered to the ground in front of Su Yi.

“This is my sincerity.” Zuo Fu raised his chin and said flatly, “If you know what’s good for you, great! All of us can celebrate. If you refuse, I’m afraid you won’t be able to leave with even a single immortal stone.”

His actions were full of intent to humiliate. The crowd’s gazes were strange, and they couldn’t resist the urge to laugh.

The middle-aged man in purple sighed. “Why was this necessary? How generous was my initial offer of eighteen immortal herbs and ten thousand immortal stones? But you were too greedy to accept it.”

Su Yi looked down at the immortal stone by his feet and sighed. “It’s my fault for not anticipating that you’d be this stupid.”

The crowd’s expressions darkened. Who could fail to realize that Su Yi was planning to fight to the bitter end, even now that an immortal like Zuo Fu had arrived?

Suddenly, an urgent voice rang out, and an elderly servant rushed out. “Your Excellency, we’ve acquired new intelligence! The massacre at the Seven Stars Immortal Assembly was caused by...”

But when he saw Su Yi, the elderly servant’s voice came to an abrupt halt. His eyes widened, and he couldn’t help but blurt, “You... You... Why are you here!?”

Thud!

The servant was so terrified that he collapsed to the ground, shaking from head to toe.

The crowd was stunned, and they realized that something wasn’t right.

Meanwhile, Su Yi stretched out his hand, picked the immortal stone off the ground, and said, “It’s time to end this.”

Before his voice had even finished echoing through the air, he took a step forward and pressed his hand against Zuo Fu’s forehead.

Crack!

He pushed the immortal stone into the spot right between his eyes, embedding it in the bone. Blood gushed from the wound.

Zuo Fu’s eyes widened in utter astonishment. A moment later, he toppled over backward, his life force fully depleted.

The crowd was horrified and startled out of their wits.

Zuo Fu had been a Universe Realm Immortal! Yet Su Yi had killed him with ease before he even realized what had hit him!

That immortal stone was deeply embedded in his forehead and covered in blood. It was a jarring, ironic sight.

Su Yi clapped his hands and scanned the middle-aged man in purple and his companions. “I didn’t anticipate that a single recipe would cause such a disaster. I’m truly sorry.”

The middle-aged man in purple was already scared out of his wits. He shuddered, and was just about to say something when Su Yi swung his sleeves.

The Lunar Sky Tower Ups instantly caught fire and burned to ash. Only Grandmaster Chu and the elderly servant were spared. The two of them stood there, quivering with fright.

Su Yi smiled and floated away.

A long time passed. The elderly servant’s breathing sped up, and beads of sweat dripped down like rain.

Grandmaster Chu couldn’t help but approach and ask, “Did you perhaps recognize that young man?”

Terror was written all over the elderly servant’s face. “That... That was Su Yi, the mysterious existence even an Immortal Lady called ‘His Excellency’ at the Seven Stars Immortal Assembly.”

Boom!

Grandmaster Chu reacted as if he’d been struck by lightning. He was completely dumbstruck!

So, that was him... Had we known this earlier, how could Elder Zuo Fu and the others have dared try anything!?

“Men die for wealth, and birds die for food,” murmured Grandmaster Chu. “It’s a tired cliche, but it’s always held true...”

With that, the curtains fell on the massacre triggered by a pill recipe.

To Su Yi, this was no more than a minor interlude. He didn’t take it at all to heart.

After returning to the Little House of Wishes, he decided to spend several days in seclusion to fully treat his internal wounds and restore his cultivation base to peak condition!

Qing Wei had already arranged a residence for him, an elegant, old-fashioned tower. “Sovereign, this is my residence. It’s the most quiet, secluded place in this Little House of Wishes. Will it be satisfactory?”

Su Yi subtly inclined his head. “Not bad at all.”

He could clearly sense the dense Immortal Spirit Qi permeating the air. There was no doubt about it; someone had placed a spirit-gathering formation here to aid immortals in their cultivation!

Qing Wei lowered her beautiful head and gently bit down on her full red lower lip. She said softly, “I’ve already prepared hot water, and if you’re not opposed, I’d be delighted to attend to you as you bathe and help change your clothes.”

“....No need for that.” Su Yi refused. How could he have controlled himself if he accepted?

Qing Wei didn’t seem at all surprised. Her eyes flashed, and she said softly, “In that case, please get some rest. If you need anything, anything at all, just say the word. This junior is ready to carry out your orders at a moment’s notice.”

With that, she turned to leave. Her plain attire did nothing to obscure her bewitching beauty.

Su Yi fell briefly silent. He subtly “lowered his spear” and let out a breath of turbid air.

It seems... It really has been a long time since I last engaged in dual cultivation.....

Su Yi shook his head and started washing up. When he finished, he sat on the bed, calmed his heart, and meditated.

The following morning, A’Li came to greet him. She seemed to have realized that she and Su Yi would soon part ways, so she wanted to accompany him for what limited time they had left.

Su Yi could tell what she was thinking, and he smiled, not at all bothered.

A’Li’s aptitude was indeed mediocre. She was like an unassuming blade of wild grass growing in an uncultivated plain. But at the same time, she had a stubborn, tenacious disposition.

Su Yi was eager to see just how far this ordinary girl of humble origins could walk down the path of cultivation.

That aside, he had an unusual affection for her.

He’d encountered the then mute A’Li in his weakest state. He’d been covered in wounds and blood, but she didn’t care. She nonetheless extended her aid and meticulously attended to him.

Her origins were humble, and her aptitude was as ordinary as it got, but so what?

With Su Yi around, she was sure to rise, like a phoenix reborn from the ashes, and shake the nine heavens!

In the days that followed, A’Li visited every day at dawn and dusk to greet him and ask for guidance with her cultivation. She bared her heart to him, too.

Su Yi was uncharacteristically patient, and he was completely earnest in transmitting her the Dao.

Qing Wei took all of this in, and she was deeply moved.

One was once the greatest immortal beneath the heavens, the First Immortal of the Sword, the man who stood proudly at the pinnacle of the Immortal Dao, killing until no one else dared proclaim themselves sovereign.

The other was an ordinary girl from the countryside.

They belonged to completely different worlds, yet they got along perfectly. There was no rift between them.

This unbelievable scene made Qing Wei realize that A’Li had an irreplaceable position in the Su Yi’s heart.

There was no avoiding jealousy.

Seven days later, Su Yi’s cultivation base made a full recovery.

Furthermore, after rebuilding it from near destruction, his cultivation base was even firmer than before!

“A precious sword’s edge is created through repeated tempering. Although my injuries left me on the verge of collapse, they let me reshape my cultivation base, like a phoenix rising from the ashes!” Su Yi murmured to himself.

He’d returned to peak condition, but he was neither happy nor sad. His heart didn’t ripple. It was as calm as the surface of a lake.

But still waters ran deep!

The night was dark and heavy, and the dusk blazed like fire.

“Lass, I ought to set off,” Su Yi said warmly.

Although she’d long since known they’d one day part, when the time came, A’Li was still a bit ill at ease. The rims of her eyes reddened and misted with tears.

She took a deep breath and said solemnly, “Big Brother Su, you once told me to broaden my horizons and take a long-term perspective. This goodbye isn’t forever, so it isn’t worth getting upset over.”

She forced a smile and said, “Big Brother Su, take care of yourself! I’ll remember everything you told me and work hard at my cultivation!”

Su Yi smiled and tousled her hair. “I’m waiting for the day your name shakes the dome of heaven!”

With that, he put his hands behind his back, turned, and walked off.

Beneath the light of the setting sun, his tall, upright figure cast a long shadow on the ground.

A’Li waved with all her might.

A’Ning stood not far away, silently watching his departure.

It was on that very day that Su Yi and Qing Wei began their journey to the Black Dragon Market!