First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 2190 – The Dried-Up Well Reappears

“Young Mistress, what did the clan leader say?” The old woman instantly sensed that something was amiss about Madam Qi Wei’s expression.

Madam Qi Wei’s eyes filled with bewilderment, and she murmured, “That ancient well reappeared…”

That ancient well? The old woman froze, briefly stunned. Then, her hair stood on end.

Two places in the God Domain were considered absolutely forbidden and inhospitable to the Dao. One lay beyond the clouds of the nine heavens, and one lay beneath the nine abysses!

“Beyond the clouds of the nine heavens” referred to the furthest reaches of the firmament, the places beyond the nine-layered curtain of heaven enshrouding the God Domain.

That was a completely untouchable forbidden zone, a place that forbade and severed all Daos. They said that only those who’d touched upon the River of Destiny had the opportunity to explore it.

Anyone beneath that level, even Nine-Tribulation Master Gods, would have their cultivation base shattered and their soul dispersed!

And “beneath the nine abysses” referred to the now lifeless Central Divine Continent.

In the earliest days of the God Domain, there had been five divine continents.

However, a long, long time ago, something changed in the Central Divine Continent, and it collapsed beneath endless tribulations. Ultimately, the whole continent was reduced to a lifeless ruin.

The Central Divine Continent had been the greatest forbidden zone in the God Domain ever since. No one could go there anymore.

The place “beneath the nine abysses” lay in the Central Divine Continent!

This was the source of the phrase, “Beyond the clouds of the nine heavens, neither demons nor gods are safe. Beneath the nine abysses, life cannot exist.”

These two grounds that forbade the Dao were the most mysterious, unknown places in the God Domain. Even now, no one knew just what was hidden there.

But in the early days of the God Domain, a dried-up well had appeared beyond the clouds of the nine heavens!

The well was incomparably strange. When it appeared in the God Domain, unpredictable catastrophe was sure to follow!

They called these disasters “Dao-Severing Cataclysms,” and they specifically targeted those who’d stepped into the Divine Dao.

Anyone who saw that dried-up well, no matter their cultivation base, had their Daos severed. The fortunate merely lost their cultivation bases.

The unfortunate had their souls scattered!

The most terrifying part was that the well’s appearance was like an omen. It meant that turmoil, disaster, and chaos were soon to befall the God Domain!

A long, long time ago, when the well last appeared, it preceded eight thousand years of turmoil in the God Domain!

Catastrophes broke out throughout the God Domain, and endless strange and auspicious situations arose, throwing the world into chaos and causing endless bloodshed and upheaval.

During those eight thousand years, countless factions fell, and countless lives were lost!

Even nine Master Gods had fallen during the cataclysms that befell the God Domain.

It was fair to say that the mysterious, dried-up well beyond the nine heavens was a harbinger of calamity. It was strange and inauspicious.

This was what made the old woman’s expression shift like that.

In just a few more decades, the Dark Days of Legend will be upon us. For that strange and inauspicious well to appear again now of all times…” The old woman sighed, her gaze suddenly solemn. “I’m afraid that this is the prelude to great turmoil! In the years ahead, the God Domain will see more and more catastrophes and unpredictable changes.”

Madam Qi Wei frowned. “Granny, is the well really that terrifying?”

“It represents the arrival of a Dao-Severing Cataclysm, and precedes catastrophes throughout the God Domain and widespread turmoil. More importantly…” The old woman said with a complicated look on her face, “Its timing is just abysmal. Everyone knows that the Dark Days of Legend will be upon us within just a few decades. It too signifies the start of great changes in the God Domain….

“You tell me. Is it or is it not terrifying? A long, long time ago, the Master Gods named the well ‘the Dao-Severing Well’, and they proclaimed it the inauspicious harbinger of disaster.”

Madam Qi Wei instantly fell silent.

“Did your father say anything else?” asked the old woman.

“He just told me to be careful,” Madam Qi Wei said casually.

“Truly?”

“Uh…” Madam Qi Wei pursed her lips. “He also told me to come home, but there’s no way I’d do that. I’m… dead-set on visiting Qingwu Divine Court!”

The old woman was instantly exasperated.

……

Later that day, the curtains fell on this year’s Spring and Autumn Dao Assembly.

Buddhist Son Lian Sheng and Daoist Son Xie Yunqing both displayed their unparalleled brilliance, taking first and second place respectively and drawing an enormous amount of attention.

Su Yi, under the pseudonym Xiao Jian, had made a less impressive showing, but he was still exceptional, and he’d still drawn a lot of attention, too.

That night, Elder Wei of the Qilin Trading Company hosted a banquet for every participant who made it into the top thirty, as well as the prominent experts of top sects who’d come to watch the competition.

Su Yi hadn’t planned to participate, but there was nothing for it. As soon as the Spring and Autumn Dao Assembly ended, Tie Wenjing came looking for him and warmly invited him to attend. Su Yi had already expressed his desire to join Qingwu Divine Court, so he had no choice but to accept.

“Did that dried-up well really appear again?”

“That’s right. According to recent intelligence, the Dao-Severing Well reappeared near the Spirit Firmament Divine Continent’s Hundred Flowers Divine Mountain. The three gods who saw it all met with Dao-Severing Cataclysm. Two perished, while the third was badly injured!”

“We’re finished! Great turmoil is soon to sweep across the God Domain!”

When the guests spoke of the Dao-Severing Well, all of them were startled and fraught with worry.

“The Dao-Severing Well…” murmured Su Yi, a strange light in his eyes.

Li Fuyou had once laid eyes on that dried-up well, but since he’d had the Sword of the Nine Hells in his sea of consciousness, he managed to stave off the well’s Dao-Severing Cataclysm.

That experience led Li Fuyou to conclude that the well was the manifestation of an unsurpassed power of the natural order. It represented catastrophe and inauspiciousness. Anyone who encountered it would fare badly, even Nine-Tribulation Master Gods!

But not even Li Fuyou knew just how many secrets the well hid.

Should the opportunity arise, I’d actually love to have another look at that dried-up well… thought Su Yi.

He had Li Fuyou’s memories, and Li Fuyou had always suspected that the well hid enormous secrets, and furthermore, that it might well be alive!

“Are you worried about the Dao-Severing Well too, my young friend?” When Tie Wenjing saw Su Yi sink into silence, he assumed that Su Yi was worried, so he couldn’t help but try to comfort him. “You needn’t worry. Soon, you’ll be a member of Qingwu Divine Court. No matter how great the turmoil that befalls the God Domain, it won’t affect us!”

He spoke with deep-seated pride, but those were the facts. The last time the well appeared, it brought eight thousand years of turmoil and upheaval to the God Domain, but it did little real damage to the top orthodoxies.

I’m not worried about all that,” Su Yi said with a laugh. He could tell that Tie Wenjing admired him. Even though he was an elder at Qingwu Divine Court, Tie Wenjing treated him with politeness and respect.

“I’m glad you’re not worried. Alright, then. We’ll set off for Qingwu Divine Court tomorrow morning.” Tie Wenjing smiled. “When we get there, I’ll take care of the admissions process personally.”

Su Yi inclined his head. “I’ll just have to trouble you then, Elder.”

When the banquet ended and the guests left, Niu Kui of the Severed Heavens Demon Court suddenly came looking for Su Yi. His eyes glinted with icy, sinister light.

“Unless you plan to hide in Qingwu Divine Court for the rest of your life, you’ll die sooner or later!”

Tie Wenjing’s expression darkened. “Niu Kui, don’t you think that’s over the line?”

“Over the line? Hah! He killed one of my sectmates, and that makes him our enemy, yet here you are, planning to recruit him. Qingwu Divine Court obviously isn’t giving the Severed Heavens Demon Court any face!” Niu Kui said coldly. “Why would I be polite to you given the circumstances?”

With that, he left with a swoosh of his sleeves.

Tie Wenjing glowered, obviously infuriated, but in the end, he held back. “Xiao Jian, you don’t need to worry about him. Once you’ve joined Qingwu Divine Court, the sect will help defend you!”

Su Yi nodded. Then, out of nowhere, he transmitted, “Elder Tie, how about we work together to kill Niu Kui? It’d mean one less latent threat, and we might as well get it over with.”

Tie Wenjing instantly jumped in fright. Isn’t this kid a bit too gutsy? Niu Kui is a Greater God! How could it possibly be so easy to kill him?

Besides, if we’re discovered, it’ll lead to conflict between our sects! That would mean big trouble!!

“Absolutely not. Even if the opportunity arose to kill Niu Kui, we can’t,” said Tie Wenjing earnestly. He then explained the advantages, disadvantages, and potential consequences.

Su Yi smiled, nodded, and said no more. However, inwardly, he’d made up his mind. Should the opportunity arise, he’d be sure to kill Niu Kui.

He’d find that Wang Teng guy and seize the Umbrella of Tribulations, too!

The following morning.

Tie Wenjing and Su Yi left Spring and Autumn City, boarded a treasure ship, and set course for Qingwu Divine Court.

“We’ll reach the sect within seven days. Right, you’re from the Eastern Victory Divine Continent. Why did you come all the way to the Southern Flame Divine Continent to pursue the Dao?” Tie Wenjing asked Su Yi once they were on board.

Su Yi said casually, “The Southern Flame Divine Continent is the world of yao and demons, and Qingwu Divine Court is a supreme orthodoxy of the Yao Path. I’ve admired it for a long time. While exploring the Southern Flame Divine Continent, I decided that should the opportunity arise, I’d join Qingwu Divine Court in a heartbeat.”

Tie Wenjing smiled, and his heart filled with pride. “You’re from the Torch Dragon lineage. You have extraordinary talent and a shocking bloodline. I’m sure the sect will value you highly!”

He then proceeded to ask various questions about the Torch Dragon lineage. He was obviously curious about Su Yi’s origins.

Su Yi casually made stuff up and fobbed him off, but Tie Wenjing didn’t notice that anything was amiss.

The reason for this was simple: the Torch Dragons had been gone for far, far too long. No one knew anything about their current circumstances.

Su Yi, in turn, seized the opportunity to ask Tie Wenjing about the situation in Qingwu Divine Court.

“Then… Elder Tie, do you know when Ancestor Hongzhen will next return to the sect?” Su Yi asked with a frown.

Ancestor Hongzhen’s full name was Hua Hongzhen. He was Yi Daoxuan’s wife’s junior apprentice brother!

Hua Hongzhen had betrayed Yi Daoxuan and Yu Xinyao, joining forces with other gods and Buddhas to lay a trap for the couple at Qingwu Divine Court.

It was in this battle that Luo Xinyao risked it all to create an opening for Yi Daoxuan to escape. In the process, she lost her life.

Su Yi was going to Qingwu Divine Court in large part because of this blood debt.

But against all expectations, according to Tie Wenjing, Hua Hongzhen had been out exploring for a long time, and he still had yet to return!

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