Su Yi’s gaze was a bit strange. Yang Lingxiao was, after all, an Unfettered Realm disciple, yet here he was, calling a Heavenly Monarch useless. And not just any Heavenly Monarch. Shang Wuhui was his Dao Protector!

It was quite an interesting situation. There were only two possible explanations: either Yang Lingxiao was foolish and naive, or Shang Wuhui really was useless. Su Yi was inclined to believe the former.

“Would you mind if I had a chat with your Dao Protector?” transmitted Su Yi.

Yang Lingxiao looked stunned. He said nervously, “Your Excellency Su, if you do that, won’t...”

Su Yi shook his head. “I’ll be careful.”

With that, he rose, emerged from the Gazebo of Buried Swords, and walked up to Shang Wuhui.

“Do you have business with me?” Shang Wuhui’s brow furrowed.

Su Yi looked him up and down. “Why do I get the sense that I’ve seen you somewhere before?”

Shang Wuhui laughed coldly. ‘If you have something to say, cut the crap and say it directly!”

“Ah, I remember!” Su Yi laughed.

The depths of Shang Wuhui’s gaze surged with a nigh-imperceptible hint of murderous intent. But when Su Yi continued speaking, Shang Wuhui’s murderous intent died down.

“I once knew a guy called Shang Wushe. He liked glowering when he talked, too,” said Su Yi, his eyes shining with reminiscence. “He was also from the Great Yin Divine Race.”

Shang Wuhui said coldly, “Li Muchen, what are you trying to say?”

Su Yi took a sip from a jug of wine, then said, “This trap might seem meticulous, but you’ve left so many traces. Are all of you stupid, or are you worried that I’ll fail to realize what you’re up to?”

Shang Wuhui’s eyes flashed. “Just what do you think you’ve ‘realized’?”

“Guess,” said Su Yi.

Shang Wuhui’s brow furrowed. Suddenly, he laughed. “Strange. If the death trap you speak of really exists, why aren’t you running? Activate your Nine Luminaries Medallion, and you could instantly leave the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone. Why not do so?”

Su Yi sloshed the wine in his jug and said casually, “How am I supposed to give you a chance to kill me if I leave?”

Shang Wuhui just laughed coldly. It seemed he couldn’t be bothered to argue.

Su Yi continued, “I don’t care what you people are up to, and I don’t care what you’re plotting. Skip the clumsy, unsightly games next time.”

He pointed at the nearby Yang Lingxiao. “He’s an inner sect disciple of the Heart-Tempering Sword House, but he knows how to recognize another’s kindness. Why are you old-timers so incapable of realizing that every debt has its debtor?”

Shang Wuhui said expressionlessly, “I don’t understand what you’re trying to say.”

“Still playing dumb?” said Su Yi. “Very well. Allow me to make myself clearer. If you want to target me, go right ahead, but don’t exploit juniors who have no idea what’s going on. Using them as pawns is despicable and unseemly. You’ll only invite others’ mockery!”

Shang Wuhui finally seemed to realize what Su Yi was getting at. “You’re talking about Yang Lingxiao? Hah! You’re really worrying about something that has nothing to do with you. How are the disciples of the Heart-Tempering Sword House any of your business?”

Su Yi could tell that the old-timer was still feigning ignorance. It seems he won’t admit anything, no matter what I say.

Su Yi took a deep, hard look at Shang Wuhui, then said, “Tell the Malevolent Sword Venerate not to make me look down on him.”

With that, he turned and walked back over to the Gazebo of Buried Swords.

Shang Wuhui stood there, brow furrowed in silence.

“Your Excellency Su, did you just reveal our conversation to Shang Wuhui?” Yang Lingxiao transmitted nervously.

“I wouldn’t say that, no,” said Su Yi. “There’s still one last layer of paper window paneling we’ve yet to puncture. In other words, we’ve yet to fully cast aside all pretenses of cordiality."

A moment later, he suggested, “I urge you to stay close to Wu Qing going forward. You needn’t worry about the rest; none of it has anything to do with you.”

Yang Lingxiao’s expression shifted erratically. A while passed before he nodded. “Alright.”

Before long, Yang Lingxiao dashed off. Shang Wuhui followed him.

Su Yi watched the two of them fade away, his brow furrowed. Something didn’t seem quite right here, but he couldn’t put his finger on what it was.

After a while, Su Yi shook his head, cast aside his scattered thoughts, and then focused on sensing the Gazebo of Buried Swords.

One of the components of the Laws of the Nine Luminaries was hidden here. It was in the gazebo, not in the burial mound outside it.

......

When Yang Lingxiao returned to the Heart-Tempering Sword House’s camp, he requested a private conversation with Wu Qing.

Wu Qing was seated cross-legged with a sword across his lap. His gaze was focused, his movements slow and gentle.

“Martial Uncle Wu Qing.”

“What is it?” Wu Qing transmitted without any outward change in expression.

Yang Lingxiao sat down beside him, then sighed. “I just feel like such a fool. I have no idea what’s going on.”

Wu Qing’s gaze was strange. “Explain.”

Yang Lingxiao went on to describe his conversation with Su Yi. He didn’t hide or embellish anything, either. He even included Su Yi’s conversation with Shang Wuhui.

Even after hearing the full story, Wu Qing didn’t seem to find it strange. He inclined his head, then said, “It’s only reasonable that he’d act this way. He’s surrounded by danger on all sides; it’d be stranger if he hadn’t noticed anything.”

Yang Lingxiao said guiltily, “Martial Uncle, I’ve already violated the sect’s rules and made secret contact with our enemy. Aren’t you... upset with me?”

Wu Qing looked at him. “You face heaven and earth head-on, and you refuse to go against your sword heart. That’s how you seek the Dao. How could I possibly blame you?”

He shook his head. “You’ve been used as a pawn and kept in the dark. Fu Yong has acted improperly. When we return to the sect, he’ll be punished accordingly. I’ll make sure to explain the situation to you then.”

Yang Lingxiao looked stunned. He asked tentatively, “Martial Uncle, if I hadn’t done all that, how would you have seen me?”

Wu Qing said calmly, “Someone willing to betray even his own sword heart isn’t worthy of being ‘seen’ by me in the first place!”

Yang Lingxiao instantly broke out in cold sweats. A single choice could have led to a starkly different outcome!

“Stay close to me going forward,” said Wu Qing.

Yang Lingxiao instantly relaxed. “Martial Uncle, what should I say to Shang Wuhui?”

Wu Qing said distractedly, “Him? Who gives a damn?”

......

The Forgotten Palace.

The Sword-Bearer sat there, facing the wall. He hadn’t moved a muscle.

Shang Wuhui entered the hall, then laughed. “That Su kid sure knows how to bluff. For a moment there, I thought he’d figured out who I really am.”

“He seems more like a sword cultivator than you,” said the Sword-Bearer.

“He is, after all, my reincarnation,” said Shang Wuhui. “If he weren’t capable, he’d have died back in the God Domain.”

The Sword-Bearer said nothing.

Shang Wuhui continued, “I came looking for you to confirm something. Just how did Su Yi manage to acquire the Laws of the Lunar and Solar Luminaries in rapid succession?”

“He’s your reincarnation,” said the Sword-Bearer. “If you don’t know, how could I possibly have any idea?”

Shang Wuhui furrowed his brow, then smiled. “This works too. No, if anything, this is excellent news!”

With that, he turned to leave. The Sword-Bearer was all alone once more.

As he sat there, a wisp of starlight fell from the wall, silently outlining a scene.

In it, Su Yi stood before the Gazebo of Buried Swords and poured out a jug of wine in respect for the fallen.

The Sword-Bearer sighed softly to himself. It’s a pity. So what if you’re his reincarnation? Ultimately, you aren’t Jiang Wuchen.

......

Time slipped by. Soon, several days had passed.

Su Yi visited the Gazebo of Buried Swords, the Demon-Refining Cave, Lasting Peace Tower, and several other parts of the Ancient Nine Luminaries City known to contain good fortune.

Throughout the ages, most of those cultivators who had entered the city in search of good fortune had visited these places, too. Even if they didn’t leave with any sort of good fortune, these fortuitous grounds were still useful for advancing their cultivation.

The Demon-Refining Cave, for instance, presented an opportunity to temper one’s heart and body in fierce, baleful qi, while Lasting Peace Tower contained carvings of legacies leftover from the Devastation. The carvings were densely packed, and there were well over a thousand of them. Rumor had it that the carvings had been left there by the experts who had guarded the city during the Devastation. Some of the legacies contained a path straight to the Heaven Fate Realm.

However, the passage of countless years had left the imprints faded and worn. Visitors could at most sense the auras of the legacies left there. Even so, the benefits were considerable.

Su Yi spent a full three days there, sensing, pondering, and divining each and every imprint.

Then there was the Weapon-Refining Pool. It was a naturally formed lightning pool. By now, its power had all but dried up, and it was no longer useful for forging weapons. However, those who meditated beside it could sense the auras of countless treasures. It was also highly useful for strengthening their natal weapons.

As Su Yi sought good fortune, another Tide of Calamity swept through the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone. All of the cultivators exploring outside the city returned.

Su Yi noticed that their numbers had decreased. Several familiar faces had vanished; Liu Tianchen and Wen Xiuran were nowhere to be found. Only Yun Qiaojun was left.

Su Yi met with Yun Qiaojun shortly after. The top Unfettered Realm cultivator in the Literati Continent seemed much older. When Su Yi asked what had happened, Yun Qiaojun just sighed and said, “The Literati Continent is too small, and the Grand Dao is too enormous. I plan to continue my cultivation in the Five Great Continents.”

Su Yi didn’t say anything. After all, they weren’t close enough to truly bare their hearts to each other.

But against Su Yi’s expectations, Yun Qiaojun bowed solemnly to him and said, “Fellow Daoist, getting to meet you in the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone has been the honor of a lifetime!”

With that, he turned to leave.

This was the fourteenth day since the reappearance of the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone. That meant that the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone would vanish again in just two weeks’ time.

Although no one knew it, Su Yi had already grasped the Laws of the Lunar, Solar, Metal, Fire, Wood, Water, and Earth Luminaries in the city’s various fortuitous grounds. All that remained were the Laws of Rahu, the Shadow Star, and the Laws of Ketu, the Eclipse. To the best of Su Yi’s knowledge, no one had ever mastered them before.

The Rahu was the name of an ancient, ferocious beast, as well as the Shadow Star. The Laws of Rahu and Ketu were the most mysterious and taboo of the Laws of the Nine Luminaries.

Rahu was like the head of the Nine Luminaries, while Ketu was like their tail. The former represented murder and malevolence, while the latter represented disaster and chaos. Together, they formed the core of the Laws of the Nine Luminaries, while the luminaries of the five elements represented their source and the roots of the countless stars of the night sky. The Solar and Lunar Luminaries were like the souls of the stars. Together, these Laws formed a supreme power of the Grand Dao connected to destiny!

It was much like how the Laws of the Far Shore, Oblivion, Withering and Flourishing, Rebirth, and the End combined to create the complete Laws of Reincarnation!