Chapter Two: The Immortal

As the blue-robed middle-aged man looked down with calm indifference, his tone carried the unquestionable majesty of a celestial being. “Since you have already seen through our identities, why not kneel and submit to death yourself? That would spare us the trouble of acting personally.”

A mocking smile curled at the corner of Cao Yun’s mouth. “Putting on airs, and still daring to call yourself immortal.”

With that, his wrist flicked. In an instant, countless fine steel needles burst from his sleeve like a scattering of stars in the night sky, gleaming with a cold, chilling light as they shot fiercely toward his opponents.

In his heart, Cao Yun had long since assessed that these so-called immortals had shown none of the awe-inspiring power to move mountains, drain seas, summon wind, or call rain. Nor had they displayed any spell capable of crushing mortals as though they were ants.

For Cao Yun, who had lived since childhood on the edge of death, death had never been a fear.

Instead, it roused in him a ferocity that feared death itself no more. Even if his foe were truly immortal, even if he were to be smashed to pieces, he would make them pay a price. If he could not drag one down with him, then at the very least he would tear off a piece of flesh.

The instant those dense steel needles were about to reach the two immortals, Cao Yun’s figure suddenly accelerated, like a bolt of lightning ripping through the night, launching himself first in a desperate assault.

His speed was so astonishing that even his immortal opponents could not help but be shaken, a flash of surprise appearing in their eyes.

In their haste, both immortals were suddenly enveloped by a brilliant yellow radiance, like two enormous lampshades, sealing them tightly within.

The flying needles struck that layer of yellow light with a rapid pattering sound, dense and unbroken, yet not one could pierce its defense.

“Ahhh!” Cao Yun let out a thunderous roar, his voice filled with strength and grim resolve.

Clutching the red short blade in his hand, he gathered all his strength and, like a burning flame, drove it with all his might into the yellow barrier surrounding the female immortal.

The female immortal could not help but cry out in shock, clearly never expecting a mortal to erupt with such terrifying force. The red blade scraped across the yellow barrier in a burst of dazzling sparks. Though it failed to pierce through, it still jolted her body slightly.

Cao Yun stared in disbelief at the barrier, which had only swayed faintly, a storm of incredulity surging in his heart.

He had not expected that his full-force strike would merely cause the other’s shield to tremble a little.

Seeing the shock in Cao Yun’s eyes, the female immortal felt a surge of anger and humiliation.

She gave a soft command: “Rise!” No sooner had the word left her lips than a treasured sword glowing with azure light floated above her head.

Immediately after, she said again, “Go!”

The sword flared brilliantly and shot toward Cao Yun like a streak of blue lightning.

Cao Yun was horrified and hurriedly raised his short blade to block.

Yet the moment sword and blade met, there was a ringing crash of metal.

A force like a landslide and tidal wave surged through Cao Yun, instantly numbing his arm. The violent impact sent him stumbling backward again and again, nearly throwing him off balance.

When he finally managed to steady himself, he saw that the azure sword had once more shot toward him like lightning, this time aimed directly at his throat. The danger had become dire beyond measure.

Alarm surged through Cao Yun. In desperation, he switched the short blade to his left hand and, with astonishing speed, held it horizontally before his throat, trying once more to block the sword’s attack.

Bang!

Another deafening collision. Sword and blade crashed together violently, and the immense force drove the short blade’s body into his throat as though it were a boulder. Though the blade had stopped it before it touched flesh, the power still made Cao Yun feel as if his throat were about to be crushed. Even breathing became difficult, let alone letting out a groan.

His body was sent flying as if he were a bundle of straw caught in a gale. He hit the ground hard and curled up in agony, waves of searing pain surging from his throat until he nearly fainted.

Looking down at Cao Yun on the ground, the female immortal curled her lips in contempt and slowly said, “If not for that absurd rumor—that this mortal somehow escaped from the hands of us cultivators and cut down his pursuers all the way from the Kingdom of Qin to the Kingdom of Zhou—we would never have troubled ourselves to come all this way. I never imagined this mortal would even dare ignore the summons from the Imperial Capital Office, as though he knew of this matter from the very beginning. Truly suspicious.”

“Whatever tricks lie behind this, once a person is dead, all ends there. Junior Sister, strike him with a Fire Pellet Technique and finish this child. If we had not acted ourselves, how could the constables and tiger guards of the Kingdom of Zhou have captured him?” The middle-aged male immortal spoke with undisguised contempt for mortals, making his decision in a calm tone.

But at that very moment, a sinister laugh rang out suddenly.

“Hahahaha! A mere third-stage Qi Refinement cultivator and nothing more than a fourth-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, and yet you two are entangled here with a mortal. It seems you so-called righteous cultivators are no great thing after all.”

As the laughter echoed, a mass of thick black cloud suddenly billowed into the sky. From within it came bursts of eerie, bone-chilling cackles.

The two immortals’ hearts sank violently. They hastily spread out their spiritual sense to investigate, only to discover in shock that the other party was actually a tenth-stage Qi Refinement expert! How could a cultivator of such strength appear here so suddenly?

“Fellow Daoist, we are disciples of Green Mountain Sect, stationed in the imperial capital of the Kingdom of Qin. We have come under orders to apprehend this fugitive from the Kingdom of Qin.” The male immortal was gripped by terror, and his voice carried an almost imperceptible tremor. He had never imagined he would encounter an evil cultivator here of all places.

As for the female immortal beside him, she had long since lost the arrogance she possessed moments before. She stood frozen in place, even her breathing careful and restrained, terrified of drawing the evil cultivator’s attention.

“Apprehending a fugitive? Since when have righteous cultivators become the dogs of mortal royalty? Do not move...” From within the black cloud, a harsh shout suddenly rang out. A streak of gray light shot forth at once, piercing straight through the female immortal’s chest and leaving a gaping hole.

The female immortal’s body shuddered violently, her expression frozen between terror and disbelief. Blood gushed from the wound in her chest like a fountain, staining her robes and the ground beneath her.

Her beautiful eyes gradually lost their luster. Her body slowly fell, like a flower withering in an instant, and at last collapsed lifelessly to the earth. The flame of life was extinguished completely at that moment.

The air around them seemed to have frozen, leaving only the pungent smell of blood to silently bear witness to this sudden tragedy.

“Mercy, Fellow Daoist! I am willing to offer all my spirit stones and magical artifacts. So long as you spare me, I am willing to recognize you as my master. I beg you, show mercy and spare my life!” Seeing his junior sister collapse while still clutching a transmission talisman, the male disciple of Green Mountain Sect was instantly overwhelmed by the terror of death. He could not help but fall to his knees with a thud, begging for his life.

“Hahahaha, righteous cultivators. You are always so fearful of death, so laughably pathetic. Conveniently enough, my sect happens to be short of a few blood slaves. You, and that boy, will come back to the sect with me. As for the female disciple of Green Mountain Sect on the ground...” As he spoke, the black cloud in midair suddenly swept down, taking Cao Yun, the male disciple of Green Mountain Sect, and the female disciple’s corpse all up within it.

Yet after flying only a brief moment, the black cloud spat the corpse of the Green Mountain Sect female disciple back out.

From within the cloud came a contemptuous snort. “Hmph. What utter trash Green Mountain Sect is. Not even a few spirit stones can be squeezed from a disciple’s body. What bad luck.”