First Immortal of the Sword

The black-robed elder sat sprawled out on the ground, looking completely wretched.

Some of the Liang Family higher-ups rushed over in a fit of rage, but when they saw Xue Hongfeng, they suppressed their tempers.

“Why hit someone, Young Lord Xue?” a golden-robed middle-aged man said gravely.

His name was Liang Ming, and he was an elder of the Liang Family.

Xue Hongfeng said coldly, “He deserved a beating! How dare you accuse my Brother Su of coming here to scrounge for food, you low-minded snob? Were this anywhere else, I would have cut you down already!”

“....” The crowd was silent.

Was Xue Hongfeng arrogant?

No! He just had full confidence in his backing. As a descendant of the Xue Family, he was a highly prominent member of the younger generation. His status was far beyond many of the Liang family’s deacons and elders.

Liang Ming looked at the black-robed old man. “Is that true?”

The black-robed old man said in a quavering voice, “I thought he was just one of the bride’s friends. I would never have guessed…”

The crowd instantly understood.

Liang Wenyu’s face was ashen. How could he fail to realize the implications? The black-robed elder was saying that it would have been fine to bully Su Yi if he were “just” his wife’s friend!

Fang Yourong pursed her lips and silently clenched her fists.

She’d experienced similar humiliation and contempt before, but this time, it was in front of a crowd. She still found it difficult to take.

“We indeed handled this poorly. We humbly request your forgiveness, Young Lord Xue.” Liang Ming clasped his fist respectfully.

Xue Hongfeng snorted coldly. “You’d best ask my Brother Su whether he’s satisfied with this or not.”

Liang Ming was stunned. He turned to face Su Yi, and was just about to apologize when Su Yi waved dismissively. “I’m here to see the wedding. I naturally won’t ruin the festivities over a trivial incident like this.”

Liang Ming felt a massive weight lift from his shoulders. He smiled and led Su Yi and Xue Hongfeng to their seats.

“Wait,” said Su Yi. “I’m a guest, so I naturally ought to give a wedding gift.”

Xue Hongfeng’s heart filled with curiosity. He knew what an extraordinary existence Su Yi was. Whatever present he gave was sure to be extraordinary too!

Liang Ming and the others looked at each other. Their expressions were considerably warmer. This ‘Brother Su’ of Xue Hongfeng’s has quite good manners!

Liang Wenyu and Fang Yourong couldn’t help but be curious too.

Fang Han was the most eager of all. He knew that Su Yi planned to give three gifts today. Now, he was about to reveal the first!

The crowd watched as Su Yi casually took out an object and placed it with the other gifts. When the crowd saw it, they were dumbstruck, and the lively atmosphere was suddenly heavier.

Su Yi had given them a bell!

It was palm-sized, bronze, and mottled with rust. Its surface was marred by the passage of time; it was obviously an antique.

But none of that mattered. It was a bell, and giving bells as gifts was a taboo!

“Elder, this is the Liang Family’s day of celebration, yet this guy has given us a bell. He’s obviously trying to cause trouble!” the black-robed old man Xue Hongfeng slapped earlier shouted in fury.

Liang Ming and the others’ expressions were instantly extraordinarily unsightly.

Giving bells as gifts was taboo, as they were associated with funerals! The meaning and malintent were readily apparent!

Xue Hongfeng couldn’t help but gasp, and he realized that something was wrong here. Don’t tell me that the Liang Family somehow offended Brother Su? Does he plan to get even with them today?

In that case, I can’t possibly remain a spectator. I’ve got to stand firmly on Brother Su’s side!

Liang Wenyu and Fang Yourong were stunned. Their expressions shifted. They would never have guessed Su Yi would give a gift like this. No matter what, this was their wedding day, a time of celebration!

Fang Han’s eyes widened, and he was instantly at a loss. Why would Senior Su give them a gift like that?

“Young Lord Xue, out of consideration for you, I let his previous actions go, but this is far too insidious. He’s obviously here to cause trouble!” Liang Ming’s expression darkened, and his eyes shone with murderous light. “Either he gives the Liang Family a satisfactory explanation, or I’ll make him pay!”

He and the other Liang clansmen were seething with murderous intent!

The atmosphere was stifled and oppressive.

But then, a purple-robed old man shot out of the crowd, disregarded everyone else present, and stared intently at the bronze bell.

The crowd was stunned; they recognized the old man. Despite themselves, they were stunned.

Mo Daishan.

He was an elder of the White Reed Province’s Cloud Armor Immortal Sect, a high-ranking authority figure. He was one of the most distinguished guests at this wedding!

“Elder Mo, is there a problem with this treasure?” Liang Ming coughed dryly. He noticed that Mo Daishan was staring intently at the bell; even his breathing had sped up, as if he’d discovered an extraordinary treasure.

When he heard Liang Ming’s question, Mo Daishan waved his hands excitedly and shouted, “How could there be a problem with a treasure so precious? You idiots are simply blind!”

The crowd was in uproar. How prominent of an expert was Mo Daishan? What hadn’t he seen before? Yet now, he was so worked up that he’d lost his composure; he’d even rebuked Liang Ming and the others for their ignorance!

“This is a huge stroke of luck for the Liang Family. You received a rare treasure, the type that can only be happened upon by chance!” If you don’t like it, I'll take it!” said Mo Daishan, his eyes red with envy. “No, I’ll give you additional wedding gifts to make up for it!”

The crowd was stunned. A single treasure had made someone like Mo Daishan lose his composure! By now, who could have failed to realize that the bell was extraordinary?

Suddenly, the way the crowd looked at Su Yi shifted.

Xue Hongfeng felt a bit dazed. Is Brother Su… not trying to cause trouble after all?

“Brother Mo, what’s gotten you so worked up?” A burst of laughter rang out, and an old man in a round cap approached from afar.

Liang Yunhu!

A grand elder of the Liang Family, as well as an Immortal Lord!

The crowd instinctively cleared a path as he approached.

Mo Daishan took a moment to calm himself, then said, “It’s not that I’m worked up, but that your Liang Family’s powers of perception are far too lacking. That’s the Auspicious Divine Bell, but not one of you recognized it!”

The Auspicious Divine Bell!

Many of the prominent attendees reacted as if awakening from a dream. A series of gasps rang out.

Prior to the Age of Fallen Immortals, the White Reed Province had been home to an Immortal King faction known as Endless Manifestations Sword Mountain, and the Auspicious Divine Bell was Endless Manifestations Sword Mountain’s greatest treasure!

It was once ranked among the hundred greatest treasures of the province, and it was famous throughout the Immortal Realm!

They said that wherever the bell hung, it would gather the auspicious energies of heaven and earth and transform an orthodoxy’s fate. It was like seizing good fortune from the heavens!

“So it’s that bell!” Liang Yunhu’s eyes blazed with greed. Even he couldn’t help but be impressed.

A moment later, he turned to glare at Liang Ming. “You really are blind!”

A funeral bell? No! This was obviously an auspicious gift for the entire family!

Liang Ming was instantly sheepish and ashamed.

Only now did the crowd realize how precious the bronze bell Su Yi had casually given away was. All of them were overcome with astonishment.

Even added together, the other gifts weren’t even remotely comparable! He’d outdone everyone else present!

Now, when they looked at Su Yi, their gazes were full of curiosity. Who is that young man? Even someone as illustrious as Xue Hongfeng treats him with enormous respect, and now, he’s casually given away a shocking treasure!

“Fellow Daoist Su, this gift is far too precious.” Liang Wenyu couldn’t help but walk over and say, “Yourong and I are delighted that you could join us for our wedding. This gift is… You’d best take it back.”

He knew he wouldn’t be getting any of the gifts they received tonight. They’d just go to the Liang Family.

His words immediately displeased the other members of the Liang Family. Some of them even felt the urge to kill him.

That’s the Auspicious Divine Bell! An auspicious treasure you can only happen upon by chance!

Here in the White Reed Province, you can count those with comparable treasures on the fingers of a single hand!

But Su Yi thought nothing of it. “It’s a gift; how could I possibly take it back? Besides, I prepared this gift specifically for you. No one else can even think of touching it.”

The other Liang clansmen exchanged glances. How could they seize this treasure now that he’d said that?

Liang Wenyu was instantly delighted, and enormously flattered. “Thank you… Thank you so much, Fellow Daoist!”

Suddenly, countless people were envious.

But Liang Ming laughed inwardly. Naive. You can hold onto it for now, kid, but it will ultimately belong to the Liang Family!

This little interlude passed quickly.

After this, Xue Hongfeng, Su Yi, and Fang Han were all treated as distinguished guests, and they were arranged in seats of honor.

Even disregarding everything else, the Auspicious Divine Bell merited VIP treatment.

Furthermore, many of the Liang clansmen felt differently about Fang Yourong now. Prior to this, none of them thought anything of her.

Who’d have thought the friend she’d invited would give a treasure as precious as the Auspicious Divine Bell as a wedding present?

“Fellow Daoist Su has sure brought us glory this time,” murmured Fang Yourong. She was stunned; she would never have guessed Su Yi would prepare such a generous gift.

“But I can say with certainty the Auspicious Divine Bell won’t end up in our hands,” Liang Wenyu said with a bitter laugh. After clearing his head and realizing this, his resentment for his clan only intensified.

Fang Yourong said gently, “Big Brother Liang, after this, they’re sure to see you in a new light. After all, Fellow Daoist Su prepared this generous gift entirely on our account. Receiving a treasure like the Auspicious Divine Bell is sure to improve their opinion of you.”

Liang Wenyu’s eyes flashed, and he sighed. “I hope… that’s true.”

Fang Yourong said certainly, “Now, I dare say with certainty that Fellow Daoist Su isn’t a bad person. He might have ulterior motives for helping my brother and I, but I’m sure he won’t hurt us.”

Liang Wenyu nodded and said solemnly, “No matter what, we have to thank him properly!”

Meanwhile, in the guests’ seats, prominent experts from across the White Reed Province were sneaking glances at Su Yi and discussing him in secret. It seemed they wanted to figure out just who this young man who’d casually given away an Auspicious Divine Bell was.

Su Yi disregarded their gazes. He just continued drinking.

Every time he drained his cup, Xue Hongfeng immediately refilled it, the very picture of deft diligence.

He was a prominent figure in his own right, a scion of the Divine Cloud Mountain Xue Family, yet here he was, keeping another’s glass full. Countless people watched on in astonishment.

But he was completely open about it, not at all bashful. He didn’t care at all how the crowd viewed him!

Before long, it was time for Liang Wenyu and Fang Yourong’s wedding ceremony.

Seth's Thoughts

Xiao Jinyu likes this joke. I think I first wrote about it in chapter 341, and it came up again in 1032.

If for whatever reason you can't read the TL note on 341 (or just don't want to read all that), here's the TLDR version:

为你送终=To pay one’s last respects/to see you off (to the next world)

为你送钟=To give you a clock/bell

The tones are the same and everything!

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