The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 276: Chapter 276: Shock from All Sides_1

HUM!

The Clan Leader’s sword, worn at his waist, was still trembling.

Tian Hong’s sense probed into the sword, constantly soothing the ignorant Sword Spirit within. The killing intent and decisiveness in his eyes, however, grew increasingly firm.

”While his cultivation is still low and he hasn’t gained power or influence, this is the time to strike ruthlessly!”

With this thought, Tian Hong paid no more heed to the Spirit Sword’s agitation. He took out a Sound Transmission Talisman and swiftly began making arrangements.

While all the cultivators’ gazes were fixed on the celestial rosy glow and the extraordinary sword-humming phenomenon, in the very next instant, the Bone Viewing Mirror hanging on the western city wall of Hongye City inexplicably flashed once before quickly returning to normal.

The sign of ”Godlike Swordplay” not only left the cultivators in the city dumbfounded but also alarmed the minor immortal sects within a hundred-mile radius, located in various treasured lands.

「Gold Toad Tower.」

Elder Xu Tong, wearing Suanni Armor and holding his ceaselessly trembling Flying Sword, went to find the Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower. He was startled to discover that even the Sect Master’s magic sword was joyfully quivering towards Hongye City.

”Sect Master, what exactly is happening?”

”Throughout our Gold Toad Tower, the magic swords of all our Sect Disciples are showing such strange signs.”

”Could it be that some divine weapon or extraordinary sword has appeared?”

Ever since Xu Tong found a set of heavy armor that suited him, his combat power had significantly improved, and he had slain many powerful evil cultivators. A while ago, he even went to Tianshan City and executed several Class II demon heads, thereby accumulating numerous meritorious deeds for Gold Toad Tower. Consequently, the Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower held him in high regard.

Seeing his inquiry, the Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower replied with a solemn expression, ”A vast, sword-shaped rosy glow hangs in the sky, and thousands of sword artifacts hum in homage... This is the sign of Godlike Swordplay! To say a divine weapon has appeared isn’t entirely wrong. However, this ’divine weapon’ is a monstrous prodigy of the Sword Path.”

”...”

Hearing the Sect Master’s explanation, Xu Tong couldn’t help but exclaim in astonishment, ”In thousands of years, in the cultivation world of Red Flame Country, fewer than ten Sword Path experts have been able to trigger such a phenomenon?”

The Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower nodded. ”The most famous, of course, is that... Heavenly Monarch who left a trace of sword Qi on Tianshan Mountain.”

”The Five Great Sects, including our Gold Toad Tower...”

”All have recorded the extraordinary worldly phenomenon triggered when this Heavenly Monarch cultivated the Sword Path and achieved Godlike Swordplay.”

”It was far more terrifying than what we’re seeing from the one in Hongye City!”

”According to records, at that time, the rosy glow shone for a million miles, and all the countless sword Qis within Red Flame Country trembled ceaselessly, pointing towards Tianshan Mountain in Zhong State.”

”However, it seems this Heavenly Monarch was not from our Red Flame Country. He must have been a powerhouse from another domain!”

Listening to the tale, Xu Tong was deeply stirred, and his voice even carried a hint of reverence. This was not respect for the Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower, but admiration for that Heavenly Monarch and all the powerful experts who had reached the mastery of ”Godlike Swordplay.”

”Then, among those more recent, or perhaps still living, are there any others in our Red Flame Country’s cultivation world?”

At this, a look of longing also appeared on the face of the Gold Toad Tower’s Sect Master.

”Eight hundred years ago, the Riverside Sect produced an unparalleled female Sword Immortal! The sect’s renowned ’Maiden Sword Mantra’ was created by her. This Senior also once triggered the sign of Godlike Swordplay... Alas, while at the peak of the Spirit Sea Realm, she attempted to slay a master of the Golden Core realm and, as a result, tragically perished.”

”Then there was a Sword Master from the Heaven Sword Sect, seven hundred and fifty years ago...”

”...”

”Of those currently alive, one is that Sword Path prodigy in Hongye City. The other is the current Sect Master of the Heaven Sword Sect. That must have been over eighty years ago; I myself was fortunate enough to witness that phenomenon!”

”At that time, the demonic catastrophe was at its height. The Sect Master of the Heaven Sword Sect experienced an epiphany on the brutal, blood-soaked battlefield and reached the realm of Godlike Swordplay! After the phenomenon ended, with a single sword strike, he annihilated one hundred thousand Heavenly Demons. It was due to this achievement that he was able to succeed as the Law Master of the Heaven Sword Sect!”

The Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower’s words clearly showed his deep admiration for the Sect Master of the Heaven Sword Sect. However, Gold Toad Tower was located within Qing State, with the colossal Riverside Sect looming over them, so it was not prudent for them to associate too closely with the Heaven Sword Sect.

Regaining his composure, the Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower instructed Xu Tong, ”Prepare a generous gift and make a trip to Hongye City. See if you can find that Sword Path prodigy. If you manage to find him, invite him to Gold Toad Tower for a banquet in my name!”

Xu Tong scratched his head, looking somewhat troubled. ”Sect Master, Hongye City has over a million mortals, and the number of cultivators is also countless! I don’t have the slightest clue; how could I possibly find this person? I can’t just approach every fellow daoist I meet and ask if they’re a Sword Path expert, can I?”

Seeing his denseness, the Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower waved his still-trembling magic sword and tapped it heavily against Xu Tong’s Suanni Armor.

”This Sword Path prodigy is by no means an unknown! Once you enter Hongye City, just inquire about the Sword Path geniuses of the various families and the formidable rogue cultivators who have recently arrived. It won’t take much effort. Also, make it a point to investigate the newly arrived Master Shen! I’m seventy percent certain this phenomenon... was caused by him.”

Xu Tong nodded in agreement.

Inwardly, however, he was grumbling about his Sect Master. He had clearly guessed who caused the phenomenon, yet here he was, deliberately making him run around in circles. Wouldn’t it be far simpler to pay a direct visit to this ”Master Shen”?

The Sect Master of Gold Toad Tower seemed to see through his thoughts and instructed him once more, ”Under no circumstances are you to go straight to the Defense Division. Even if you’re just feigning, you must maintain the appearance of investigating within the city!”

Xu Tong didn’t quite understand why, but he still accepted the Sect Master’s command and strode out of Gold Toad Tower’s main gate.

...

A similar scene also unfolded in another immortal sect, the Thriving Gold Sect. Before long, a sect Elder dressed as a merchant was controlling his artifact, flying towards Hongye City.

Furthermore, throughout the domain Shen Mo was assigned to guard, the various Cultivating Families within the city, the minor immortal sects beyond its walls, as well as numerous rogue cultivators and independent practitioners, all began to take action.

Shen Mo, however, was largely unaware of this. At this moment, his attention was still focused on the Destiny Panel.

[You have painstakingly cultivated the Sword Path, reaching the realm of Godlike Swordplay. By touching upon the Dao through your techniques, you have successfully comprehended the Innate Divine Ability (Sword Body).]

[Through continuous comprehension, you have mastered the essence of the ’Sword Control Spirit Technique.’ Your understanding of the ’Sword Control Spirit Technique’ has deepened. ’Sword Control Spirit Technique’ Experience +1,500.]

[Through continuous comprehension, you have mastered the essence of the ’Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation.’ Your understanding of the ’Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation’ has deepened. ’Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation’ Experience +1,250.]

[Through continuous comprehension, you have mastered the essence of the ’All-Encompassing Sword Canon.’ Your understanding of the ’All-Encompassing Sword Canon’ has deepened. ’All-Encompassing Sword Canon’ Experience +3,500.]

This stream of feedback pleasantly surprised Shen Mo!

He hadn’t expected that cultivating the low-grade ’Supreme Clarity Sword Technique’ to the [Epic] level would yield such benefits.

Among them, all magic and martial arts related to the Sword Path had improved.

For the ’All-Encompassing Sword Canon,’ the experience bar had surged dramatically.

Because its cultivation method quality was a level higher than that of the ’Supreme Clarity Sword Technique,’ this advancement, in Shen Mo’s eyes... was in no way inferior to the gains he had made when practicing his swordplay by the Lancang River and falling into a state of epiphany!

The mastery of this swordplay martial art had also reached the [”Entering the Hall”] standard.