The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 406: Chapter 406: Buddhist Temple? _1

”I can’t use Mana or sense!”

It’s like they are bound by a mysterious force. However, physical power, Skill, and special Destiny seem unaffected.

Shen Mo quickly grasped the situation and promptly equipped his Bright Vision, carefully examining this Suspended Fairy Mountain.

My current position, I reckon, is at the foot of the mountain.

The rocks under his feet were like real gold, sparkling and seemingly softer than iron. Randomly picking up a piece of golden stone, it felt very heavy in his hand. With force, he could deform it without breaking it.

There was also a small path made of colored glaze gemstones leading upward, its golden light obscuring the view of the mountaintop.

However, under Bright Vision, this Immortal Mountain, though seemingly splendid, was pervaded by an ominous, deathly stillness... This is definitely not a good place!

”Junior Brother Shen!” An excited shout rang out.

Shen Mo turned his head and saw Jiang Lingfeng, who had been taken by the Immortal Mountain before him, running over from another direction at the foot of the mountain.

Unable to use Mana, she couldn’t even make use of Lightness magic. Fortunately, the vitality of a cultivator far exceeds that of a mortal, so her running speed was not slow.

The aura of a living person, so out of place here, reassured Shen Mo. I don’t need to worry that this Senior Sister Jiang is some trick by this ’Immortal Mountain’. He waved, signaling to her.

「 」

After the two met, they discussed their situation and first walked around the foot of the mountain, finding nothing unusual.

Then, they decided to go to the mountaintop shrouded in golden light.

If Hall Master Yuan Chengshan is trapped here, he’s most likely there...

”This place is way too weird! I can’t even channel my Mana to open my Universe Bag!” Jiang Lingfeng couldn’t help but complain.

With her Mana restricted, not only could she not use magic or open her Universe Bag, but she couldn’t even activate the power of talismans or magic artifacts.

Seeing her empty-handed, Shen Mo handed her the Demon Slaying Sword for self-defense.

”If you give me the magic sword, what will you use?”

Jiang Lingfeng took the Demon Slaying Sword, a hint of concern on her face.

Shen Mo took the Green Cloud Umbrella from his back, opened it with a SWOOSH, and then closed it again.

He swung it around casually and laughed, ”Since I can’t project sword-qi anyway, it makes no difference to me whether it’s a magic sword or an iron umbrella.”

Even though he couldn’t execute magic and martial arts, he could still perform ordinary sword movements.

For Shen Mo, using a sword or an umbrella made no difference.

Moreover, his physical strength was not weak, and he was backed by Skill. Using the Green Cloud Umbrella as a sword, its power was not to be underestimated!

When the two reached halfway up the mountain, they saw the Hanging Ghost Demon Soul General with whom they had previously lost contact.

At this time, it was climbing slowly towards the mountaintop like a zombie.

Shen Mo had taken out the Soul Refining Flag earlier, but now he couldn’t activate this magic artifact to recall the lost Demon Soul General into the flag.

After some thought, Shen Mo simply swung the Green Cloud Umbrella and struck at it fiercely. I just need to kill it, he reasoned. Guided by the soul mark, its soul essence will return to the flag on its own.

Unexpectedly, this Hanging Ghost, although its gnosis was dull and muddled, still possessed its instincts. Seeing Shen Mo attack, it immediately dodged to the side, flicked its long tongue, and quickly scrambled towards the mountaintop.

”Strange!”

Shen Mo exclaimed, a hint of disbelief in his eyes.

The Soul Generals refined by the Soul Refining Flag, even if their connection with the blood flag was severed, would continue to execute his pre-set commands.

Before the Hanging Ghost Demon Soul General entered this Immortal Mountain, Shen Mo had ordered it to search for Yuan Chengshan’s tracks. It wasn’t strange that it continued towards the mountaintop after entering the mountain.

But as the master of the Soul Refining Flag, if I want to destroy its Soul Body, this Hanging Ghost Demon Soul General shouldn’t be able to dodge!

Unable to understand it at the moment, Shen Mo could only attribute it to the strangeness of this place.

Watching the Demon Soul General disappear into the golden radiance at the mountaintop, Shen Mo and Jiang Lingfeng also climbed to the summit and stepped into the light. A dazzling golden flash washed over them.

Suddenly, a magnificent and grand palace complex, resplendent in gold, appeared before their eyes.

Palaces, drum towers, and high pagodas stood tall on the mountaintop. The buildings, from front to back and side to side, were harmoniously arranged, appearing lively and full of artistic rhythm. The palace halls featured upturned eaves with intricate bracket systems, carved beams, and painted rafters; while opulent, they also exuded a grand and majestic atmosphere.

Moreover, all the buildings seemed to be constructed from gold, jewels, and glazed materials, giving them an unreal sense of luxury.

However, the overall architectural style and its various details were clearly not of the common palace forms found in the Red Flame Country.

”It’s a bit like... a Buddhist temple!” Shen Mo murmured with a frown.

”What?”

Jiang Lingfeng cast an inquisitive glance at him, but Shen Mo didn’t elaborate.

The Demon Soul General, having reached the mountaintop shortly before them, had already vanished into one of the halls.

After a brief discussion, Shen Mo and Jiang Lingfeng advanced with utmost caution towards the main hall in the center. Above the entrance hung a plaque, but it was completely blank, without a single character.

This place was already riddled with peculiarities, so Shen Mo didn’t dwell on it.

SQUEAK...

The hall doors, crafted from gold and jewels, were slowly pushed open.

Upon seeing the scene inside, Shen Mo involuntarily gasped, and Jiang Lingfeng beside him was also struck speechless with astonishment.

In the most prominent central position sat an exquisite and ornate lotus throne, unoccupied. However, lining both sides were numerous figures, each seated, robed in a Kasaya, and forming various magic seals with their hands.

A quick count revealed over a hundred seated figures.

Among them, some appeared to be Human Cultivators, but a portion were clearly not human, but other creatures!

There were Soul Ghosts, demonic beasts, Heavenly Demons, and Human Ghosts among them. But strangely, even the demonic beasts, which differed most from humans, maintained a human form, with only their heads retaining their non-human features.

Even the auras they emanated seemed to have become uniform, as if they had completely merged with the grand hall.

And Yuan Chengshan, the Hall Master of the Immortal Welcoming Hall whom Shen Mo and Jiang Lingfeng had been desperately searching for, was conspicuously among them, smiling at the two newcomers.

However, he didn’t speak, nor did he move a finger. It seems only his facial expression and eyes can move.

Subconsciously, Shen Mo wanted to use ”Insight into All Beings” to inspect Hall Master Yuan and the other creatures, to see what they truly were...

But as a panel prompt appeared, he remembered he didn’t have enough Spirit Stones.

His Universe Bag couldn’t be opened, so he couldn’t retrieve Spirit Stones to offer for this Destiny.

However, ”Bright Vision” didn’t require Spirit Stones. A peculiar light flashed in Shen Mo’s eyes as he scanned the many ”creatures” within the nameless Treasure Hall.

The ominous, deathly stillness I sensed before is even stronger now! There’s not a shred of life here!

”Junior Brother Shen...”

Jiang Lingfeng, also a seasoned warrior, immediately held her sword protectively before her chest, her back close to Shen Mo’s, covering each other.

WHOOSH!

The Green Cloud Umbrella snapped open, shielding them.

Even though he couldn’t infuse Mana into it to activate its power as a magic artifact, the exceptional material of the Green Cloud Umbrella itself could block many attacks.

After a hushed discussion with Jiang Lingfeng, Shen Mo looked towards Yuan Chengshan and called out, ”Hall Master Yuan, we’ve come to take you back to the sect!”