First Immortal of the Sword

Chapter 902 - The Blood Moon Rises, Before the Gates of the Wrongfully Dead

A long time passed before the Nine Serenities Netherworld Crow reached a decision. “No matter what, we have to make advance preparations. If that kid is really headed to the City of the Wrongfully Dead… I’ll ensure he dies without a proper burial!”

As it spoke that last sentence, its blood-red eyes shone with terrifying light.

The old monk in gray said, “Your Excellency, what should we do about the Night Watchman?”

The Nine Serenities Netherworld Crow let out a cold, derisive laugh. “I never really thought the old codger would lower his head. Once we’ve started tomorrow’s hunt and gathered enough power for a sacrifice, the Netherworld King will break the shackles that have fettered them since antiquity and re-enter this world!”

The old monk’s heart shook.

When the Netherworld King re-entered the world, would the king become a terrifying sovereign of the Netherworld, just like in ancient times?

….

The following morning.

A guesthouse in Snowy Skies City.

Between sips of tea, Su Yi passed a talisman to You Xue. “This talisman contains a Profound Comprehension Edict. After we enter the City of the Wrongfully Dead, you can use it to sense my location.”

He’d explored the City of the Wrongfully Dead in his past life.

It looked like a city, but in truth, numerous forbidden danger zones were dispersed throughout its borders, and it was enormous beyond imagination.

Several of its danger zones were perilous enough that even Profound Serenity Emperors were at risk of dying. These included Calamity Ridge, the Great Chaos Ruins, and the Little Necropolis.

Upon entering the City of the Wrongfully Dead, the transformations of the Laws of Space would send every cultivator to a different location. Even Emperors couldn’t change that.

This was the greatest variable those who entered the city faced.

Over the years, some unlucky cultivators were sent directly to perilous forbidden grounds like Calamity Ridge. It was easy to imagine how miserable their fates were.

However, with the guidance of someone experienced, entrants could choose the ideal moment to enter the City of the Wrongfully Dead. This significantly reduced the risk.

“Mm!” You Xue accepted the talisman, a look of heartfelt delight on her typically icy face. Although it was just a talisman, in her eyes, it was more than that: it was proof that Su Xuanjun cared about her!

The young woman picked up the teapot and refilled Su Yi’s cup.

Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, “Also, the City of the Wrongfully Dead is like a boundless world in its own right, and it’s full of unknowable dangers. You’d best hide your presence until we’ve reconvened. Don’t alert the evil spirits inhabiting the place, and don’t cause trouble. Best to avoid causing any upsets along the way.”

“Mm!” You Xue’s eyes sparked with heartfelt delight. Su Yi’s instructions sounded sweeter than any words of endearment ever could have; she even hoped he’d keep going.

Alas, Su Yi had no further instructions for her.

“Come on, let’s go have a walk around the city.” He rose, and You Xue followed him, her eyes shining.

Few women could resist the temptation of a shopping trip. Especially since this time, Su Yi would be going with her. To You Xue, this was even more exciting and satisfying than achieving a breakthrough in her cultivation.

……

During the day, Snowy Skies City was lively and bustling. Cultivators from all over the Netherworld gathered here, bringing with them all manner of wondrous and strange treasures.

Although Su Yi had no lack of cultivation resources, since he was here, he didn’t mind taking this chance to trade the treasures he didn’t need for others he could use in his cultivation later.

As night fell, Su Yi returned laden with treasure.

Although he hadn’t discovered any heavenly materials or earthly treasures during today’s excursion, he did indeed find quite a few resources that would be quite useful toward his cultivation.

Like tier-nine spirit marrow, Imperial-level divine materials, materials for peak Spirit Dao talismans, and so on.

That aside, he found a few rare items, like the Black Lake Realm’s fine wine, Snow of a Thousand Autumns, and Cloudstreak Tea hand-gathered by members of the Cloud Race.

Anywhere else, these treasures would have been difficult to find, but in Snowy Skies City, such delightful surprises were always readily available.

You Xue was satisfied too.

Along the way, she selected some interesting trinkets: hairpins, bracelets, and earrings, among others…

The light of dusk was resplendent and red as fire.

Snowy Skies City was as lively as ever, and the streets were packed. Pedestrians shuttled up and down the streets.

“If not for worldly struggles, I’d love to go shopping like this every day. How wonderful it would be to drink tea and wine, sample delicacies, and just do what I wanted,” You Xue sighed a bit ruefully.

Inwardly, she added, Of course, you’d have to be there too, Su Xuanjun. Otherwise, such things would be far too dull.

“How could worldly affairs ever live up to one’s ideals?” Su yi said casually. “Even if there really are gods and immortals up there, I’m sure they have their difficulties too. Those are the fetters of the Grand Dao. The world of men is a chaotic place; all we cultivators can do is focus on our Dao Hearts and view the changes around us with calm equanimity.”

You Xue pressed her lips into a smile. This was Su Xuanjun: he walked amidst the red dust of mortality, but the endless shifting of worldly affairs could never restrict his Dao Heart.

“It’s almost nighttime. We should head to Inverted Ridge,” said Su Yi, gazing up at the sky.

The fiery skies were dimming, and the faint outline of a blood moon had appeared over the horizon.

Everyone knew that the gates to the City of the Wrongfully Dead were deep within Inverted Ridge, and that they only opened when the blood moon illuminated the night skies.

The two of them then proceeded east.

Along the way, they keenly detected several Emperors. All of them were headed east as well.

There was no doubt about it: the Emperors who’d been waiting in Snowy Skies City over the past few days had long since planned to leave for the City of the Wrongfully Dead tonight.

Shortly after exiting the city gates, Su Yi suddenly turned around. Who knew when he’d gotten there, but a middle-aged man in cloth robes stood atop the towering, ancient city walls.

“Take care,” the simply-dressed middle-aged man said softly.

Su Yi smiled, turned, and left.

……

Inverted Ridge stood three hundred miles east of Snowy Skies City.

This ancient ridge was extremely strange, like a continent hanging upside down from the sky. The peaks faced the ground, while the rest of the mountain faced the heavens.

Hence the name “Inverted Ridge.”

The skies darkened and the colorful light of dusk receded. Night was upon them.

The round blood moon gradually rose over the horizon, toward the center of the sky. Its crimson light bathed the world below in a stifling and oppressive blood-colored glow.

Black fog surged from within Inverted Ridge. As it churned, it gradually outlined a thousand-foot-tall illusory doorway.

Like the gates of hell!!

Numerous Emperors, all with terrifying auras, had already gathered nearby. They were divided into groups, the most eye-catching of which consisted of three peak-level orthodoxies: Meng Po Palace, Yellow Springs Palace, and Fire Illumination Divine Palace.

Their ranks included three old monsters—Lu Changming of Meng Po Palace, High Elder Yun Songzi of Yellow Springs Palace, and Inner Court Guardian Feng Yuzhi of Fire Illumination Divine Palace.

Feng Yuzhi was the most eye-catching of the three.

This Empress wore a purple feather dress, and her hair was as light and airy as a cloud. She was slender, with a black sword case on her back. She was matchlessly graceful and imposingly dignified.

As a Guardian of Fire Illumination Divine Palace’s inner court, she occupied a transcendent position, much like Meng Po Palace’s Emissaries of the River.

In the Netherworld, they honored her as the Jade Sword Empress, and she was in the mid-stage Profound Serenity Realm.

Her Fire Illumination Sword Intent was all encompassingly-powerful!

But these three peak factions weren’t the only ones represented here. Numerous other Emperors stood nearby as well.

Some were alone, while others stood in groups.

As far as the eye could see, Emperors gathered in groups. This was an incredibly rare sight.

After all, Emperors stood at the pinnacle of the Netherworld, and they were typically either in seclusion or out wandering the far reaches. They were mysterious and elusive.

The vast majority of the world’s cultivators would live and die without laying eyes on an Emperor. Yet now, a few dozen such experts had appeared deep in Inverted Ridge. If word of this scene spread, it would surely cause a widespread commotion.

“Martial Uncle, the gates of the City of the Wrongfully Dead have already opened. When will we begin our operation?” Yuan Linning was ready and raring to go. This would be her first time in the City of the Wrongfully Dead.

“Don’t rush. Wait until the moon has fully risen. Then, the Laws of Space surrounding the city gates will be at their most stable, and we can enter without fear of being sent to some of the city’s more perilous forbidden grounds,” Lu Changming said softly.

“Remember, everyone: after we enter the City of the Wrongfully Dead, we should meet back up immediately. And whatever you do, don’t let your guard down,” Feng Yuchi of Fire Illumination Divine Palace said slowly.

The others nodded.

The City of the Wrongfully Dead had always been a famous forbidden ground. Even Emperors dared not get complacent in the slightest.

“Hm? What’s a young Spiritual Revolution Realm cultivator doing here?” someone exclaimed in the distance.

Everyone instantly looked over and saw a young man and woman walking through the skies. The young man’s blue robes billowed around him, and the woman’s white dress swayed.

These were none other than Su Yi and You Xue. action

Their arrival left many of the Emperors present stunned.

After all, throughout the ages, Spirit Dao cultivators had rarely dared to enter the City of the Wrongfully Dead.

As for You Xue? She was suppressing her majestic aura, and her presence was so thoroughly obscured that the Emperors couldn’t see through her. Furthermore, she was following Su Yi as meekly as a servant, so it was easy to overlook her.

“Young friend, are you perhaps headed to the City of the Wrongfully Dead too?” a stalwart man in fiery robes couldn’t help but ask.

Su Yi glanced at him. “That’s right.”

The man in fiery robes couldn’t help but find this funny, and he waved, “Here’s my advice: take your servant girl and get out of here. Not just anyone can enter the City of the Wrongfully Dead. If you try it, I’m afraid you’ll die a ‘wrongful death.’”

Several other Emperors couldn’t help but laugh, but this was no empty threat: it was the truth.

Even Emperors like them had to proceed with the utmost caution in the City of the Wrongfully Dead!

They subconsciously assumed that Su Yi and You Xue were juniors ignorant of the height of the heavens or the depths of the earth. They had no bad intentions; with their statuses, they were above mocking a pair of juniors.

But it was then that there was a disturbance amongst the crowd.