First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1664: Baseless Provocation

The surname Gong was extremely rare in the Immortal Realm; it was unique to a single ancient clan.

The Misty God Mountain Gong Family!

Wang Ye’s memories told Su Yi that some of their ancestors had once served beneath him, just like the Bi’an Spirit Race.

Furthermore, they were among Wang Ye’s most capable subordinates!

Yet now, an unrivaled Immortal Lord by the name of Gong Nanfeng had appeared among the church of the Pure One’s ranks. This naturally drew Su Yi’s attention.

“Forgive the interruption, Fellow Daoist, but is that perhaps a descendant of the Misty God Mountain’s Gong Family?” Su Yi drew close and asked a gray-robed middle-aged man.

The gray-robed middle-aged man glanced at Su Yi and jeered. “Today’s youngsters haven’t even heard of His Excellency Gong Nanfeng? Very well, allow me to enlighten you. His Excellency is the eldest son of the Gong Family’s grand elder, as well as one of the top chosen sons of heaven in the Immortal Realm. He reached third place on the Universe Realm Immortal Rankings and fifth on the Void Realm True Immortal Rankings, but that’s not all. The leader of the Church of the Pure One broke precedent to admit him as a holy son!

“When His Excellency Gong Nanfeng proved his Dao and entered the Saint Realm, he triggered an extraordinary strange phenomenon. The Immortal Kings of the Church of the Pure One exclaimed over him, and all of them agreed that he has no need to fear failing to become an Immortal King. They say he even has hope of reaching the Great Realm!”

Admiration and reverence appeared on the gray-robed middle-aged man’s face as the words flowed out of him. “He’s an unrivaled figure, and his name has long since shaken the Immortal Realm. How could you not have heard him? Huh? Wait, where’d you go?”

The middle-aged man in gray snorted coldly in displeasure. He grumbled, “Kids nowadays are blind, and they have no manners, either!”

“Uncle Jiao, who are you talking about?” An extraordinary-looking silver-robed man emerged from a group of conversing men and women. He had an air of unaffected elegance about him.

The middle-aged man in gray hurriedly smiled and said, “A trivial figure, Young Leader. He didn’t even know His Excellency Gong Nanfeng’s name. Truly ludicrous.”

The silver-robed man was briefly stunned. He laughed, “An ignoramus indeed. Let’s go. I’d like to see Miss Tang Bao’er before we meet with the rest of the Tang Family.”

His eyes shone with a hint of anticipation as he strode into the distance.

His name was Shang Yu, and he was from the Middle Province’s Shang Family, an Immortal King faction. He had an extraordinarily lofty status.

The middle-aged man in gray was called Jiao Tong. He was one of Shang Yu’s servants.

What is a descendant of the Misty God Mountain Gong Family doing cultivating in the Church of the Pure One? Su Yi couldn’t wrap his head around it.

Wang Ye and the Blood Firmament Immortal Sovereign, the founder of the Church of Pure One, had been irreconcilable enemies. Blood Firmament was among the top experts who’d joined forces to ambush Wang Ye, leading to the Battle of Eternal Night.

And the Gong Family had worked for Wang Ye!

Yet now, one of their descendants had joined the Church of the Pure One. This naturally drew Su Yi’s attention.

I’ll have to look into this later, thought Su Yi. Admittedly, time changed everything, and the balance of power in the Immortal Realm had changed dramatically. It was nothing like the days prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals.

Still, Su Yi objected to seeing a member of the Misty God Mountain Gong Family in the Church of the Pure One.

Before long, Su Yi reached the gates of the ancient Tang Family. When the guard heard why Su Yi was here, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’re here to see Young Mistress Bao’er too?”

Su Yi was stunned. “Have a lot of people come to see her?”

The guard nodded. “Yes, lots. At least several dozen guests have come hoping to see her, all of them either wealthy or noble.”

The guard continued, “Do you have an invitation?”

Su Yi took out a command token and passed it to the guard. Tang Bao’er gave it to him when they parted ways.

The guard’s attitude had originally been a bit perfunctory, but when he saw the token, he shook from head to toe and solemnly clasped his fist. “Ah, so you’re one of the Young Mistress’s friends! Right this way, please.”

With that, he led the way personally.

“I’ll have to trouble you, then. Su Yi followed.

Along the way, he saw how extraordinarily lively the Tang Family’s territories were. All manner of guests had arrived, and servants were escorting them to various halls and pavilions.

Su Yi even saw a few Immortal Kings! It was obvious how grand an occasion the upcoming Divine Hunt was. It was no wonder the whole Immortal Realm was paying attention.

Looking at this from another angle, this also served to prove how extraordinary the Tang Family’s influence was.

Before long, the guard led Su Yi into a courtyard-style residence halfway up Golden Billows Immortal Mountain.

The residence was quite large, with numerous gazebos, pavilions, springs, and waterfalls. It was secluded and extraordinarily tranquil.

When Su Yi arrived, there were already numerous people gathered in the courtyard, and all of them were men!

“As you can see, these illustrious guests from all over the Immortal Realm are all here to meet with our Young Mistress. Some arrived at dawn, but they’re still waiting,” transmitted the guard.

Su Yi couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow, but when he thought about it, it made sense. The Tang Family was a massive, powerful faction, and Tang Bao’er was the apple of the family head’s eye. It was only natural that she’d have no shortage of admirers.

“But you’re different from them," said the guard. "You’re a friend the Young Mistress has acknowledged. Please, wait here while I report to her.”

With that, the guard dashed off.

There was nothing else to do, so Su Yi sat cross-legged and watched the nearby artificial mountains and streams.

The illustrious young men waiting here had long since noticed Su Yi. Many of them were evaluating this unfamiliar stranger in dark Taoist robes.

“Eh? What’s he doing here?” the gray-robed, middle-aged Jiao Tong exclaimed in the distance.

“Uncle Jiao, you recognize him?” asked Shang Yu.

Jiao Tong said hurriedly, “Young Leader, that’s the ignorant punk I mentioned earlier.”

Shang Yu was stunned. “So, that’s him!”

Many of the other illustrious guests couldn’t help but be curious. Several of them asked for clarification.

Shang Yu laughed and said, “I won’t hide it; I don’t know him either. I just heard that he didn’t even know who His Excellency Gong Nanfeng was.”

The crowd was flabbergasted. Many of them snickered. He hasn’t even heard of the unrivaled Immortal Lord of the Church of the Pure One? How ignorant is this guy?

Many of them could no longer be bothered to pay any attention to Su Yi.

But one of them tittered, “Everyone, allow me to ask about his origins. Let’s see where he came from, and why he was allowed into Cousin Bao’er’s residence.”

The speaker was a tall, thin man in brocade navy robes. His name was Sui Yunshui, and he was from one of the Middle Province’s ancient factions.

But he was related to the Tang Family on his mother’s side. Going by seniority, he was Tang Bao’er’s older cousin.

As soon as he stated his intentions, he walked off. Many of the others looked eager to watch the show.

“Sir, are you here to meet with my cousin too?” Sui Yunshui approached Su Yi and asked.

Su Yi just watched the waterfall pouring down the artificial mountain and said distractedly, “I’ve never liked exchanging pleasantries. If you have business with me, get to the point. If not, please refrain from disturbing me.”

The distant onlookers couldn’t help but be stunned. How arrogant! To think he’d dare speak to Sui Yunshui like that!

Su Yi’s snub made Sui Yunshui frown; he felt like he had no face left. “Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to know,” said Su Yi. He’d yet to so much as glance at Sui Yunshui. “I just know that if you keep pestering me, you’ll be the one to lose face today.”

Sui Yunshui was stunned. Is he threatening me?

He almost dared not believe his ears.

Suddenly, a thin old man walked over from afar and fixed his hawklike gaze on Su Yi. He said coldly, “Young man, you’d best be polite. Our young leader has approached with nothing but the best of intentions; that’s eight lifetimes’ worth of accumulated karmic merit! If you refuse to see what’s good for you, don’t blame me for my poor manners!”

The distant onlookers’ spirits soared. It would be great if they fought. After all, they were in this for the show. Who’d say no to an even greater spectacle?

All of them knew each other’s origins. Su Yi was the only stranger here, and they couldn’t see through him. They were naturally eager to borrow Sui Yunshui’s hands to see whether he was another of Tang Bao’er’s suitors.

If so, they wouldn’t mind taking a moment to trample him! That way, they’d have one less competitor.

Su Yi rubbed his forehead. What’s going on? I’ve been keeping a low profile. Why have they jumped out to provoke me for no reason?

When Su Yi didn’t respond, Sui Yunshui took it as a sign of weakness. He couldn’t help but laugh coldly.

He gestured to himself and said imposingly, “Lower your head and apologize, and I’ll magnanimously overlook your earlier rudeness, but be quick about it!”

Su Yi took out a jug of wine, had a sip, then smacked Sui Yunshui out of nowhere.

Whap!

Sui Yunshui flew backward, his cheek red and swollen as he shrieked like a slaughtered pig.

Everyone fell deathly silent, and their eyes widened. He attacked, just like that?

“You..” The thin old man was furious, but just as he was about to say something…

Whap!

A second slap sent him flying into Sui Yunshui. The two of them rolled across the ground in a tangle of limbs.

But the old man’s plight was even crueler. The bridge of his nose shattered, and his face was covered in blood. He even lost several of his teeth.

Only after sending them flying did Su Yi speak. “You two are the dumbest ones here. I almost can’t bear to bully you.”

Everyone was dumbstruck. This wasn’t just Tang Family territory. It was Tang Bao’er’s residence! How dare he do this?

Shang Yu’s mind was full of confusion. One word out of turn, and he attacked. But if he’s such an expert, why hasn’t he heard of Gong Nanfeng?

The elderly servant, Jiao Tong, was stunned too. Don’t tell me that kid’s ignorance was an act?

Meanwhile, a group of Tang Family guards had been startled into action. They were rushing toward Su Yi, intent on surrounding him.

And they looked furious!