A streak of sword qi rose up. It was a thousand feet long, as dark, vast, and empty as the night sky.

It struck like lightning, with enough force to cleave mountains and rivers.

The inscrutable charm of the Dao flowed within it. When this sword appeared, it shook the heart. It seemed capable of cutting across the universe and demarcating purity and filth.

Boom!

The surging waves of the Qinglan River broke like soap bubbles; that indomitable sword force crushed them completely. Watching from a distance, the entire surface of the river seemed to sink.

And in the sky, the sword qi left an eye-catching rift in its wake.

The passengers watched from the tower ship, but the sight stung their eyes. They felt more shaken than ever before.

Shi Fengliu was just about to ride his crane away and flee when his pupils constricted.

Clang!

The snow-white, radiant sword emerged from its sheath, leaving afterimages in its wake. The illusory swords filled the sky, then struck.

This attack was like a river of ice descending from the heavens. A chill spread out, and the sharp light of countless blades lit up the world.

Rumble!

Two streaks of sword qi clashed in midair. The two powers clashed, and both the river and the surrounding air wailed.

The air burst, and energy currents swept outward. Su Yi’s slash was like a sharp chisel breaking through the ice. It swept towards Shi Fengliu like an ax through bamboo, filling the sky with a rain of light.

Seeing this, Shi Fengliu’s gaze filled with a hint of alarm. His attainments in the Dao of the Sword are so lofty?!

He waved his sleeves, and a bright sword circulated through the air around him, forming a snow-white defensive curtain.

Clang!

Su Yi’s sword slammed ruthlessly into the sword curtain, filling the skies with stinging currents of sword qi.

Even watching with their naked eyes, the onlookers could see Su Yi’s attack breaking apart, bit by bit.

However, the sword curtain shook, and one crack after another formed on its surface. 

In the end, both the sword qi and the sword curtain burst apart. Sharp energy fell like rain, tearing countless eye-catching holes in the river’s surface.

The softshell turtle had long since picked up on the danger and fled further away. When it saw this, it couldn’t help but gasp. “His Excellency Su Yi’s slash was unparalleled!”

It made no effort to disguise its reverence.

Meanwhile, the passengers of the tower ship were dumbstruck.

The power of a single slash had prevented even a mighty Earthly Immortal like Shi Fengliu from leaving in peace. It even forced him to defend himself!

Whoosh!

Before the crowd knew what was happening, Su Yi stepped into the sky and charged. His blue robes fluttered around him, and the charm of the Dao lingered around his lean frame, like a fallen immortal running in midair. As he drew near, he swung at Shi Fengliu once more. 

“Hmph!” A cold look appeared on Shi Fengliu’s face. He stood on the crane’s back and gripped his spiritual sword. His aura surged into the clouds, arcing like a rainbow as it spread outward. 

He put his left hand behind his back, while his right hand swung his sword. “Go!”

Rumble~~

Tens of thousands of currents suddenly surged out of the Qinglan River below, like a water dragon soaring into the sky, roaring as it attacked alongside Shi Fengliu’s sword.

The sword was directing the force of water!

Power of this level was enough to make any martial artist beneath the heavens give in to despair.  

Because this sword was applying the power of the charm of the Dao. How could the power of water elemental sword intent possibly be ordinary?

Upper earth-grade sword intent was enough to effortlessly slay anyone of the same cultivation who hadn’t comprehended an intent of their own!

Someone like Li Changning wouldn’t have dared take this attack head-on.

Boom!

Su Yi’s slash burst apart.

But Shi Fengliu’s slash didn’t so much as decrease in power. Its power enveloped both heaven and earth as it swept toward Su Yi like a dragon condensed of thousands of surging currents.

Su Yi made no effort to dodge. Streaks of black spiritual Dao light revolved around him, and the speed of his charge soared to greater heights. He seemed to blur into a streak of black lightning as he shot through the air.

A miraculous scene appeared within the onlookers’ field of view—

That sword intent formed of countless currents split apart as black lightning cut through it like a knife through canvas!

Whoosh!

Water splashed throughout the sky, and the surging light dissipated.

And Su Yi’s figure suddenly appeared within a hundred feet of Shi Fengliu. He pressed his fingers into a sword and struck with “Splitting Mountains and Seas”.

“Hm?” Shi Fengliu’s expression shifted. He would never have guessed that Su Yi would break through this attack so easily.

This was completely beyond his expectations! 

When he saw Su Yi’s attack headed right toward him with the intent to kill, he dared not hesitate. He called out, “Break!”

Shi Fengliu’s aura surged around him, and he suddenly swung his blade. 

A shocking impact rang out, reverberating through the air. The terrifying power of their clash spread out around them, churning the surface of the river and scattering the current.

The tower ship’s passengers felt heaven and earth shake violently. They staggered, and many of them were almost sent flying. 

Startled cries rang out on all sides. Everything was in uproar!

Far away, both Shi Fengliu and Su Yi were sent flying backward. They each flew several hundred feet, creating distance between them.

A tie!

But when they considered that Su Yi was just a fourth-level Grandmaster, and that he’d fought barehanded, yet he still managed to contend with a famous Earthly Immortal, all of them were stunned. Who wouldn’t have been? 

“Water elemental Dao light!? You actually realized such lofty foundations in the Grand Dao in the Grandmaster Realm?” Shi Fengliu was visibly stunned. He found it hard to believe, and he could no longer maintain his earlier calm.

In the Grandmaster Realm, cultivators tempered the five major organs, the ‘inner furnaces.’ Throughout all of history, how many had achieved elemental Dao light while still within the confines of mortality?

Shi Fengliu finally understood how Su Yi’s attack managed to effortlessly destroy his water element sword intent!

Possessing water element spiritual Dao light was no different from mastering the water element’s innate charm. Someone like that naturally had no need to fear Shi Fengliu’s sword intent!

“You really are possessed,” said Su Yi. The look on his face said, “I knew it all along!”

Shi Fengliu’s cultivation was far from comparable with Li Changning’s. He possessed a complete cultivation inheritance, and he’d mastered an upper earth-grade sword intent. He even recognized water element spiritual Dao Light. Combined, this proved that Shi Fengliu was absolutely not a native of the Azure Continent.

“Ridiculous. Between the two of us, don’t you think you’re the one who seems possessed?” Shi Fengliu’s eyes flashed, and his expression was terrifyingly dark. “Even in other worlds, I’m afraid Grandmasters with such foundations would be extremely rare. Don’t you think so?”

“Hah.” How could Su Yi miss that Shi Fengliu was trying to test him? He couldn’t be bothered to waste words, so he just attacked.

Clang!

This time, when Su Yi swung the Abstruse God Sword, the depths of his gaze surged with murderous intent. 

He was extremely curious about the one who’d taken over Shi Fengliu’s body. Who is he? Where did he come from? Does he have any legacies on him, or anything else that might pique my interest?

Sword hums rose like the tide, and Su Yi’s aura changed with them, becoming sharper. He seemed unstoppable, as if nothing could stand in his way.

Shi Fengliu’s expression turned grave. 

He could tell that Su Yi planned to deal a fatal blow. However, he had no desire to fight Su Yi to the death now.

But just as Shi Fengliu was about to retreat, an obscure and inscrutable Daoist chant rang out. The instant it entered his ears, his entire body froze.

Within his soul, he felt a massive, ancient sword bear down on him. That unparalleled power filled his soul with agony.

“Shit!” Shi Fengliu’s expression changed dramatically as he sensed the danger. He suddenly roared, then used a forbidden technique. Throughout his body, his blood and qi seemed to ignite, and he forcefully blocked the attack on his soul.

Whoosh!

His figure then shifted, then disappeared from the fire-plumed crane’s back.

At almost exactly the same time, a streak of sword qi as dark as the night sky descended. Before the swift and extraordinary crane could react, the slash cleaved it directly in half. Blood rained down from the skies.

Shi Fengliu watched this from a distance, so startled, he couldn’t help but break out in cold sweats. If he hadn’t withstood that soul attack in time, he feared his fate wouldn’t have been any different from the fire-plumed crane’s!

Whoosh!

Sword qi swept through the air as Su Yi attacked once more. He wasn’t going to waste any time talking.

When he saw this, how could Shi Fengliu dare hesitate? He suddenly crushed a mysterious golden talisman.

Bang!

A burst of radiant golden light enveloped him.

“Su Yi, I’ll be sure to make you realize the full extent of my abilities!” A voice filled with limitless fury rang out, echoing throughout heaven and earth.

But its owner, Shi Fengliu, was nowhere to be seen. He’d disappeared within that burst of golden light.

“Who’d have thought that guy had such an exquisite invisibility talisman…?” Su Yi sighed.

He’d been off by just a hair. Nonetheless, he failed to keep Shi Fengliu from escaping. It truly was a pity.

Different invisibility talismans had different capabilities. Differences in materials mattered most, followed by refining methods and the cultivation of the craftsman.

The talisman Shi Fengliu used to escape was obviously extraordinary.

This was what made the possessed so strong. 

The secret arts, treasures, and cultivation methods at their disposal were far beyond those of the cultivators native to the Azure Continent.

Had this battle been against Li Changning, Su Yi would have caught him a long time ago.

The vast waters of the Qinglan River gradually returned to normal, but the passengers of the tower ship were stunned. All of them were visibly shaken.

During the battle just now, sword qi ran rampant, startling both heaven and earth. That unbelievable spectacle was like a battle between immortals and gods!

Even more unexpectedly, the vice sect leader of the Hidden Dragon Sword Sect, a lofty Earthly Immortal and a transcendent expert, had been forced to flee in degradation!

Even the fire-plumed crane he rode had been slain!

When word of this battle spread, it would inevitably shake the entire nation, and deal Shi Fengliu’s reputation an enormous blow!

“Your Excellency Su Yi, many thanks for intervening and forcing Shi Fengliu to retreat. You saved this humble one’s life!”

Far away, the waters churned as a softshell turtle the size of a mountain swam over. It extended its massive, pillar-like forelimbs and bowed.

Those eyes, each the size of a small lake, were full of gratitude, as well as deep-rooted fervor and worship.

Clang!

Su Yi put away his sword and said calmly, “Might I ask you why you stuck out your neck for me earlier?”

The softshell turtle dared not lie. It said hurriedly, “Your Excellency Su Yi, you might not know this, but lately, I’ve heard numerous fellow Daoists’ tales of what happened below the Great Azure. They say you slew the Wuhuan Water Monarch and destroyed Ninebends City. After hearing their stories, I’ve come to deeply admire you.

“Later on, I was fortunate enough to meet Mountain Monarch Tao Qingshan. He told me about your peerless, invincible bearing, and my heart has since been full of longing…”

He was laying it on with a trowel. Every word was full of reverence.

Su Yi finally understood.

He once gave the spirit of the Pure Yang Fire Peach Tree, the one who protected it on Sea-Swallowing King Ge Changling’s behalf, pointers. It was only natural that the nature spirit wouldn’t be stingy about praising Su Yi. 

Now that the turtle knows about this, I’m afraid he wants to receive my guidance, just like Tao Qingshan!