First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 1236 – The Cold Mountain Night Banquet

Liquid gushed from the eye of the spring, and a sense of divinity permeated the air.

When she saw Su Yi approach with a jade bottle, Yao Xue couldn’t help but say, “No treasure can contain Serene Profound Ambrosia. What are you doing?”

Shang Qingping and the old man in long robes were confused too. It was just as Yao Xue said; Profound Serene Ambrosia lost all of its power and divinity the moment it was contained.

That was why Shang Qingping went into seclusion beside the spring.

“You’re right, but I just so happen to know a method to seal it and take it with me,” said Su Yi.

As he spoke, the power of the Laws flowed around his fingertips, transforming into a wondrous vortex near the eye of the spring.

The pearl-like Profound Serene Ambrosia was continuously drawn into the vortex.

The group was stunned. All of them looked at each other. What kind of secret method is this? It’s incredible!

Before long, Su Yi had drained the entire spring of Serene Profound Ambrosia. Not even a drop remained, and the bottle contained about ten catties worth.

Only then did Su Yi put the bottle away and say to Shang Qingping, “Does the Shang Family have Extreme Yang Immortal Dew in its stores?”

Shang Qingping hesitated. “Most likely... yes.”

Su Yi rubbed his forehead. “Alright, then. I’ll take a trip back to your clan with you. When the time comes, if they have Extreme Yang Immortal Dew on hand, your wound will be easy to treat. If they don’t, we’ll just have to figure something else out.”

Shang Qingping instantly understood. Extreme Yang Immortal Dew must be necessary to treat my wounds!

But Yao Xue seemed skeptical. “Shen Mu, don’t tell me you’re using this as a pretext to get closer to Shang Qingping? Not bad!”

“....” Su Yi had nothing to say to that.

Shang Qingping raised her hand and tapped Yao Xue’s forehead. “I’m this badly injured, but you’re still cracking jokes?”

Yao Xue pursed her lips and said nothing.

Shang Qingping looked at Su Yi, a solemn look on her fair, beautiful face. “I’ll just have to trouble you then, Fellow Daoist. No matter the final result, I’ll be sure to repay your kindness.”

Su Yi said no more on the matter. He naturally wasn’t doing this in hopes of a reward, but some things didn’t need discussing.

The group promptly left the valley and set off.

“Ol’ Meng, we’re visiting the Shang Family,” said Su Yi.

“Understood!” Meng Changyun solemnly assented.

Yao Xue blinked. “You’ve got a servant traveling with you? I wouldn’t have guessed it, but your background isn’t simple.”

Su Yi laughed and disregarded her.

Shang Qingping, meanwhile, looked thoughtful. These were the Poisonous Wastes. Here, even World Kings would run into all sorts of unexpected trouble.

Yet this master and servant had found this valley, and neither had so much as a hair out of place. They couldn’t possibly be ordinary.

Shang Qingping took a moment to steady herself, then said, “Uncle Hong, let’s set off.”

“Got it!” The old man in long robes waved his sleeves and took out an inch-long treasure ship. As it soared into the air, it expanded until it was over a hundred feet long. It was black throughout and covered in all manner of wondrous totems of the Grand Dao.

“The Spirit Guardian Boat. So, the Shang Family is still in possession of this treasure.” A hint of a dazed look appeared on Su Yi’s face.

A long, long time ago, he gave this boat to Shang Jianlou. With it, he could easily traverse even perilous grounds like the Poisonous Wastes.

There was no doubt about it. Shang Qingping had reached the valley safely thanks to this treasure ship.

“If you please, Fellow Daoists.” Shang Qingping invited Su Yi and Meng Changyun on board.

Before long, everyone had boarded, and the ship shot through the air.

About ten minutes later, they left the Poisonous Wastes, continued through the Nightmare Winds Belt, and proceeded deeper into space.

......

Along the way, Shang Qingping chatted briefly with Su Yi before resting and cultivating in silence.

Yao Xue sat beside her, while the old man they called Uncle Hong steered the ship.

Su Yi sat at the tail end of the boat, drinking alone. Meng Changyun stood silently nearby, taking in the scenery along the way.

The atmosphere was extremely quiet.

“Qingping, that guy might seem harmless, but he’s full of mysteries. You have to stay on guard,” Yao Xue transmitted a warning. “Also, the timing of his arrival seems off. I suspect... he’s after something!”

Shang Qingping glanced imperceptibly at Su Yi. Only then did she transmit back, “Relax. I know what I’m doing.”

Yao Xue thought for a moment, then added, “Also, the Cold Mountain Night Banquet is about to begin, and you didn’t break into Profound Unity. I’m afraid you’ll have to make other arrangements.”

Shang Qingping silently clenched her fists, her expression a bit bleak. She sighed, “I didn’t just fail to break into Profound Unity. I’m injured... I’m afraid I won’t be able to help my family much at all.”

Yao Xue gently tried to comfort her. “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Do what you can, and leave the rest up to fate.”

Here, she sharply changed tacks. “If that Shen guy really can help treat your wounds, that would naturally be even better.”

Shang Qingping nodded. “We can’t plan anything beyond that for now.”

“Just wait. I’ll probe Shen Mu’s origins and figure out just where he came from,” said Yao Xue. But just as she was about to get up...

“Don’t!” Shang Qingping hurriedly stopped her. “Recklessly prying for information will only make him dislike you. Just stay here and accompany me properly.”

Yao Xue pursed her lips and said dismissively, “Some guy we just bumped into along the way, that’s all. Only you’d attach such importance to someone like that.”

Although she said this, in the end, she stayed put.

“Fellow Daoist Shen is nowhere near as simple as you seem to think,” said Shang Qingping. She thought for a moment, then warned, “That valley in the depths of the Poisonous Wastes has always been a secret of the Shang Family. Even within the clan, only my father and a few higher-ups know about it.

“Yet Shen Mu found it. He’s absolutely no ordinary person,” Shang Qingping said thoughtfully. “When I return to the clan, I have to find an opportunity to discuss this with my father.”

Yao Xue said in a daze, “I’m just glad you have a plan.”

Several hours later, Meng Changyun suddenly sensed something. His expression didn’t so much as shift, but he transmitted to Su Yi, “Young Lord, someone is following us in secret.”

“Mm,” Su Yi transmitted back. “They’re most likely targeting Shang Qingping. Investigate, and if there’s a problem, kill them.”

“Got it!” Meng Changyun assented, turned, and left the treasure ship.

His departure instantly put Yao Xue on guard. “Shen Mu, what is your old servant doing?”

Shang Qingping and Uncle Hong looked over too.

“Someone is tailing us,” Su Yi said, not bothering to hide it.

This declaration left the three of them stunned. Tailing us?

“Truly?” Yao Xue said suspiciously.

Su Yi disregarded her and looked at Shang Qingping. “Have you run into trouble lately?”

Shang Qingping’s brow furrowed, but after a moment’s contemplation, she shook her head. “I haven’t.”

“Very well. When Ol’ Meng comes back, I’ll just ask him about it,” Su Yi said casually.

“Then... should we stop to wait for him?” asked Shang Qingping.

“No need. We can just continue our journey,” said Su Yi.

Uncle Hong took a deep look at Su Yi, then continued directing the treasure ship ahead.

An hour later, Meng Changyun returned, still the very picture of a humble, respectful elderly attendant. He wasn’t the least bit eye-catching.

But his return left Shang Qingping and Yao Xue bewildered. Don’t tell me this old servant is a hidden expert?

Meanwhile, Meng Changyun transmitted a report. “Young Lord, I’ve already investigated. There were three of them in total. Two were in the late-stage Profound Unity Realm, while one was in the Imperial Apex Realm.

“All three were from an assassins' guild known as the Blissful Heavens. They were here on a mission targeting the young mistress of the Shang Family.

“Unfortunately, someone had sealed their souls. When I attempted to search them, they died instantly.”

After hearing this report, Su Yi’s eyebrows rose. “Do you know anything about this Blissful Heavens assassin’s guild?”

“A little,” said Meng Changyun. He thought for a moment, then continued, “They rose to prominence about thirty thousand years ago, and caused quite a few sensational incidents. Rumor has it that they’ve successfully assassinated even World Kings!

“They’re quite mysterious, too. Everything about them is shrouded in rumor, and it’s very difficult for ordinary people to contact them.”

“So you’re saying that someone capable of hiring the Blissful Heavens isn’t simple,” said Su Yi.”

Meng Changyun nodded. Admittedly, mere Profound Unity Realm assassins meant little to him and Su Yi. They were no threat at all. But three such assassins presented a lethal threat to anyone beneath the Path of Heaven’s Ascension!

“What exactly are you two talking about?” Yao Xue couldn’t help but ask.

“You explain,” said Su Yi.

Meng Changyun nodded, then looked at Shang Qingping and Yao Xue and got straight to the point. “I’ve already investigated the people tailing us in secret. They were three assassins from the Blissful Heavens assassin’s guild, and they were on a mission to assassinate Miss Shang.”

The Blissful Heavens!

Assassins!

Both girls’ expressions shifted abruptly, and the atmosphere on board the treasure ship was instantly stifled and oppressive.

Even Uncle Hong, who was steering at the head of the boat, looked alarmed and uncertain.

“Qingping, do you know who could be so sick in the head as to hire assassins from the Blissful Heavens to kill you?” Yao Xue’s brow furrowed.

Shang Qingping shook her head, her eyes full of confusion. “I haven’t caused any sort of trouble recently.”

Something suddenly occurred to Yao Xue. “Could it be that someone doesn’t want you to participate in the Cold Mountain Night Banquet?”

Shang Qingping’s expression shifted. “That’s hard to say.”

“The Cold Mountain Night Banquet? Might you explain in more detail?” asked Su Yi.

Shang Qingping took a deep breath, suppressed her bewilderment and confusion, and explained the event in detail.

The Cold Mountain Night Banquet was a joint gathering for the Violet Dome Star Realm’s seven great ancient clans. They held it once every thousand years.

Each time, the higher-ups of the seven great ancient clans would bring the top geniuses of their younger generations to attend the festivities.

During the banquet, the scions of the seven clans would compete in the name of discussing the Grand Dao.

Those who emerged in the top three received generous rewards from the seven ancient clans, but that wasn’t all.

They also got an opportunity to enter an ancient hidden realm to cultivate!

The Shang Family was one of the Violet Dome Star Realm’s seven great ancient clans, so they’d be participating in this Cold Mountain Night Banquet too.

And as the leading figure of the Shang Family’s younger generation, she was their greatest hope of placing in the top three!

After learning all this, Su Yi couldn’t help but frown.

A banquet, that was all. Even if there was a competition for the top three, it shouldn’t have been necessary to assassinate anyone over this.

Just how great was this enmity!?