Firmament Sword

”My surname is Luo, and my given name is Tian.” Xu Luo didn’t give his real name. ’Since they could find Su Qianqian, they probably already know I exist.’

”Luo Tian? A nice name. I’m Su Qingyi,” the young man said, looking at Xu Luo.

”Greetings, Brother Su,” Xu Luo said.

”Mm, you too,” Su Qingyi replied with a smile, the terrifying aura around him now completely retracted.

Glancing at his mangled, bloody palm, the young man winced slightly.

”Brother Su, what happened to your hand?” Xu Luo asked in surprise.

”Didn’t you just see it?” Su Qingyi’s mouth twitched as he muttered, ”Fucking hurts!”

”I had just arrived when you spotted me. All I saw was a streak of light flying into the distance...” Xu Luo looked at Su Qingyi apologetically. ”And I messed things up for you, Brother Su. I’m so sorry!”

”Forget it, forget it. You seem sincere enough, kid. Why would I hold it against you?” Su Qingyi took out some Healing Medicine from his robes, poured it on his hand, and then glanced at Xu Luo. ”Come over here and help me bandage this.”

Xu Luo walked over and helped Su Qingyi bandage the wound on his hand.

As if explaining to Xu Luo, yet also muttering to himself, Su Qingyi said, ”Such bad luck. I didn’t expect that thing to be so sharp. It actually managed to injure my physical body.”

”Was it that Spirit-Connected Magical Artifact?” Xu Luo asked.

Su Qingyi shook his head slightly but said no more. Instead, he let out a soft sigh and said, ”Let’s go.”

Since he was unwilling to talk, Xu Luo knew better than to press the matter. He could only bury his questions. ’I’m really curious how Su Qianqian got in here, but now is clearly not the time to find out.’

Fortunately, Su Qingyi was a chatterbox with a strong desire to talk. After the two walked in silence for a while, he couldn’t hold back any longer. Looking at Xu Luo, he asked, ”How did you get in here?”

”A senior from my sect opened the way. A lot of us came in here to train. This Small World only allows people under twenty-five to enter. Didn’t you come in with us, Brother Su?” Xu Luo said.

”It only allows people under twenty-five? No wonder...” Su Qingyi muttered, then said, ”I came in through a rift, but it disappeared right after I entered...”

”Oh, I see.” ’No wonder,’ Xu Luo thought. ’I had a feeling he and Su Qianqian didn’t enter at the same time as me.’

”This Small World is quite interesting. After I came in, I felt my strength was obviously suppressed. There’s a distinct power of law that’s been watching me, but I have my ways.” As Su Qingyi spoke, a faint, proud smile appeared on his face.

Xu Luo was a little surprised. He looked at Su Qingyi. ”Brother Su, don’t tell me you’re over twenty-five?”

”Of course. Don’t I look like I’m around thirty? Haha, or do I still look young? I happen to think so myself!” Su Qingyi was beaming, laughing so hard you could almost see his back molars.

Xu Luo almost burst out laughing himself. He never would have imagined that the one hunting Su Qianqian was this kind of character.

’But I’m also very suspicious. Su Qianqian’s Grandpa Nine told me that group of people was extremely cruel, that they silenced the entire Su Family, slaughtering everyone, man or woman, young or old. But this chatterbox, Su Qingyi... he doesn’t seem like the type of person who could do something like that at all!’

’You can’t judge a book by its cover, but at my level of cultivation, I can at least make a basic judgment from a person’s aura.’

”Brother Su, you look very young. You don’t look thirty at all.” Xu Luo said with a sincere expression, then asked, ”Which sect are you from, Brother Su? I’ve never heard your name before. Logically, how could an expert like you be Nameless?”

”Well...” Su Qingyi pondered for a moment, then looked at Xu Luo. ”Brother Luo Tian, I feel like we’re kindred spirits. I don’t want to hide anything from you, but you’d best not tell anyone my identity. Otherwise, it could bring you a fatal disaster!”

”It’s that serious...” Xu Luo’s mouth twitched slightly.

”That’s right. I’m not from the Central Plains Star Continent,” Su Qingyi said grimly. ”I come from the Ancient Race Continent!”

”What? The Ancient Race Continent?” Xu Luo shook his head. ”I’ve never heard of it. What kind of place is that?”

”The Ancient Race Continent is another world, completely different from the Central Plains Star Continent,” Su Qingyi said. ”There are no divisions between worldly sects there, only ancient families. Almost all of them have been passed down since the Ancient Era, with ancient lineages.”

”Heavens, a place like that actually exists in this world? Doesn’t that mean there are countless experts there? Brother Su, can you tell me about it?” ’Even though I’d heard of the Ancient Race Continent before, seeing someone from there with my own eyes is a completely different feeling.’

’Especially since this young man seems so easy to talk to and has such a strong desire to express himself. If I can’t get some information about the Ancient Race Continent out of him, I’ll never forgive myself.’

”Actually, there’s not much to tell. The people there are just much, much stronger than those on the Central Plains Star Continent. Look, to you, I seem pretty strong, right? But on the Ancient Race Continent, someone like me is just average,” Su Qingyi said.

”An expert like you, Brother Su, is just average? I can’t believe it!” Xu Luo said in surprise.

Although he knew the kid’s words carried a hint of flattery, Su Qingyi still found it quite pleasant. After all, no one had ever chatted with him like this before.

”I’m not lying to you. If you ever get the chance... you probably won’t,” Su Qingyi said, shrugging at Xu Luo.

Xu Luo’s mouth twitched slightly. He grumbled, ”Don’t be such a downer! Maybe I’ll be able to go there one day! Brother Su, tell me how the experts on the Ancient Race Continent are ranked!”

”The rankings of experts... The Ancient Race Continent and the Central Plains Star Continent actually share the same lineage, both originating from the Ancient Era. On the Ancient Race Continent, it starts with Sword Venerable. Above Sword Venerable is the Transformation Realm Sword King. Higher still is the Divine Power Realm Sword Saint. And above the Sword Saint... are the truly mighty figures, beings who stand at the pinnacle of this world...” As Su Qingyi spoke, a look of yearning appeared in his eyes.

”What are they?” Xu Luo asked.

”Saints!” Su Qingyi said with a reverent expression. ”Only Saints are the most powerful beings in this world! Once you reach the Saint realm, you’re practically a Demigod! Even among the Ancient Race, there aren’t many such mighty figures.”

Xu Luo’s mind reeled in shock. ’Above Sword Saint... is Saint!’ he thought. ’That reverse scale Lord White Flood Dragon gave me... it wasn’t meant to block a blow from a Sword Saint, but... a blow from a Saint!’

Even with Xu Luo’s excellent self-control, learning this fact shook him to his core.

’Thankfully, no one knows about this. If word got out, this reverse scale would probably cause an earth-shattering catastrophe!’

’Rivers of blood would definitely flow because of it!’

”That’s truly awe-inspiring. Are Saints the most powerful people in the world?” Xu Luo forcibly suppressed his excitement and asked Su Qingyi.

Su Qingyi thought Xu Luo’s brief loss of composure was because he’d been frightened by his words. He chuckled and said, ”The realm of Saints is incredibly distant from us. You don’t have to worry, no Saint is going to come out and deal with you, hehe...”

Xu Luo rolled his eyes. ’Looking down on me, are you?’ he thought. ’But you’re right. It’s best if no Saint pays any attention to me. The pressure would be too much to bear!’

”As for what’s above a Saint, there is a legend,” Su Qingyi said. ”Since ancient times, it’s been said that Saints are Demigods who can live for tens of thousands of years, and can even live a second life. But even more powerful than a Saint is a ’Supreme’! They possess an Undying Body! However, that’s just a legend. No matter how powerful a being is, they will one day grow old. Their vitality will decay, and they will slowly age until they die. This is the greatest law of heaven and earth, one that no one can break.”

As Su Qingyi spoke, he suddenly seemed to think of something. He hesitated, but didn’t say it. ’After all, that rumor is even more unreliable than the legend of the Supreme. If I said it, people would think I was just trying to show off.’

”It seems the Ancient Race Continent is the place Martial Artists yearn for most!” Xu Luo lamented.

But Su Qingyi shook his head and said, ”What’s so great about it? It lacks human warmth and is full of scheming and all sorts of conflicts. If I had a choice, I’d rather live on the Central Plains Star Continent. At least life wouldn’t be so exhausting.”

Their conversation had drastically changed Xu Luo’s opinion of Su Qingyi. ’He doesn’t seem like a bad person,’ he thought. ’His pursuit of Su Qianqian must be due to some unspeakable hardship.’ With this new perspective, Xu Luo began to hesitate. ’Should I really lead him to the White Flood Dragon?’

’No matter how strong Su Qingyi is, I don’t believe he’s a match for the White Flood Dragon. After all, a single reverse scale from its body can block an attack from a Saint!’

’In that case, even if the White Flood Dragon itself hasn’t reached the Saint realm, it must be pretty close, right?’

”Brother Su, since you’re from the Ancient Race Continent, why did you come to the Central Plains Star Continent?” Xu Luo decided to try and dig out as much inside information as he could before deciding whether or not to use the White Flood Dragon Saint Beast to deal with Su Qingyi.

”If I said I was just here to travel and have some fun, would you believe me?” Su Qingyi asked, looking at Xu Luo.

Xu Luo shook his head, a speechless look on his face. ”I don’t.”

”Sigh. I came to the Central Plains Star Continent this time on a family mission. I didn’t actually want to come, but I was sick of the oppressive atmosphere at home and just wanted to get some air. But unexpectedly, because of certain things, I feel even more weighed down.”

Su Qingyi sighed softly. ”In this world, even a Saint has things they desire. And as long as there is desire, there will be all kinds of ugliness...”

”Yes, mortals desire fame and fortune, and Cultivators seek long life. As long as people are alive, they will have desires,” Xu Luo said. ”As long as you don’t build those desires on the suffering of others, you can already be considered a remarkable person.”

Su Qingyi gave Xu Luo a somewhat surprised look. ”I didn’t expect someone so young to have such insight. You’re right. One shouldn’t build their own happiness on the suffering of others. But right now, I...”

Su Qingyi didn’t continue, a flicker of conflict flashing in his eyes.