The First Immortal of Destiny

The location of the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons was not fixed each time it manifested.

However, over the many years, the various major immortal sects had already discerned its patterns. They had long since calculated that this time, the ancient battlefield would appear within the borders of Caiyi Country, a nation under the jurisdiction of the Ancient Vine Sect.

Well-informed individuals like Lady Scarlet naturally learned of this through various channels and flocked to the location.

In the Heaven Patrolling Zone, Caiyi Country could only be considered a minor nation, with a total population of merely four to five million.

The Ancient Vine Sect was not large-scale either, far inferior to prominent immortal sects like the Li Mountain Elixir Sect, the Taiyi Sword Alliance, or the Clear Heart Sect. Consequently, they lacked the power to act tyrannically and seize enormous benefits for their sect.

Even so, for the next ten years, the Ancient Vine Sect was still poised to reap substantial profits.

Leaving other things aside, simply establishing markets and immortal workshops outside the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons would allow them to earn a fortune!

…

The Fleeting Boat journeyed for over a month before finally reaching Caiyi Country.

By this time, several hundred thousand cultivators had already surged into the small nation of Caiyi Country, making the ratio of cultivators to mortals alarmingly high.

Among them were disciples from major sects like the Li Mountain Elixir Sect, disciples from smaller immortal sects like the Ancient Vine Sect, and also rogue cultivators like Lady Scarlet, who possessed their own information networks.

In a few more months, once news of the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons’ appearance spread throughout the entire Heaven Patrolling Zone, it was estimated that a million, or even millions more cultivators would rush to this place in search of opportunities!

With so many cultivators gathered, even without venturing into the ancient battlefield, the chances of earning Spirit Stones and finding treasures were considerably higher than elsewhere. One could also encounter senior experts whom they would normally never have the chance to meet.

By the time Shen Mo and his group of six arrived, the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons had already been manifest for over ten days.

It was said that on the day it appeared, a brilliant, multicolored radiance enveloped an area thousands of miles wide, bathing the entirety of Caiyi Country and its neighboring nations in a light that rendered them as beautiful as an earthly fairyland!

It wasn’t that Lady Scarlet didn’t want to arrive earlier. However, she had received the news from a high-ranking member of the Li Mountain Elixir Sect somewhat late. Additionally, she had to spend time contacting Fu Jianghuo, Peng Lexiao, and the others, which collectively delayed their arrival by half a month.

At this point, many cultivators had already entered the ancient battlefield.

There were also low-level cultivators with insufficient cultivation who, after exploring only the shallow parts of the battlefield, had come out with ”treasures” and were now selling their gains at the temporary immortal workshops set up outside the ancient battlefield.

Is this sea of mist and flowing light the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons? It doesn’t look too large to me, Peng Leyao, one of the Peng Siblings, murmured as she looked up at the ”anomaly” hanging high in the sky.

As soon as the Fleeting Boat entered the territory of Caiyi Country, Shen Mo’s five senses and spiritual sense had already detected this area, filled with mist and shimmering, strange lights...

It covered an area roughly a thousand miles in diameter!

From the perspective of a worldly mortal, this was naturally incredibly vast. However, for a Golden Core Realm expert, it was not particularly significant.

One had to understand that even an early-stage Golden Core Realm cultivator could traverse five or six miles in a single breath.

Even if this sea of mist and flowing light stretched for two thousand miles from east to west, traveling at full speed, it would only take about half an hour, or three to four hundred breaths, to traverse it!

”Sister Leyao, it might not look large from the outside, but once you enter, you’ll realize just how vast the ancient battlefield truly is!”

Fu Jianghuo explained cheerfully to Peng Leyao, ”I once read in the notes of a sect senior that he had a good friend, a late-stage Golden Core Realm cultivator, who entered the ancient battlefield. This friend neither hunted for treasures nor explored its hidden depths; instead, he focused solely on using Flying Escape techniques…”

”He intended to traverse the entire ancient battlefield by himself and create a Fengshui topographical map.”

”However, when the ten-year period concluded and the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons vanished once more, that senior was forcibly expelled. By then, he had only completed a very small portion of his map!”

”According to his estimations, the expanse of the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons is no less than that of the entire Heaven Patrolling Zone.”

Hearing this, Peng Leyao’s face showed a hint of surprise. ”Is that so? How come I’ve never seen these notes? Are you trying to trick me?”

”Why would I deceive you? You’ve never enjoyed reading such miscellaneous writings and anecdotal records, so it’s quite normal that you haven’t seen them,” Fu Jianghuo said with a wry smile.

Subsequently, Lady Scarlet, who had gathered considerable information from her mistress, also stated that this was true.

More vast than the Heaven Patrolling Zone…

If this Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons is like many other Dungeons, transformed from the Blessed Land of some immensely powerful being…

Then how terrifyingly profound must his cultivation have been during his lifetime? Shen Mo pondered silently.

Following this, Lady Scarlet asked if anyone needed to procure more spiritual items. The markets and immortal workshops had already been established, so if they needed anything, they could make purchases before entering the ancient battlefield.

Having prepared for a long time, Shen Mo lacked no elixirs, talismans, magic treasures, or other such external items, so he politely declined.

Song Han, Fu Jianghuo, and the Peng Siblings were also fully prepared and had no need for further acquisitions!

”Alright! There’s no time to lose. Let’s go…”

As she spoke, the Fleeting Boat transformed into a streak of rainbow light, rushing towards the misty, flowing radiance hanging high in the sky.

Shen Mo was unsure what to expect upon entering. He silently activated his Danger Perception and Indestructible Body abilities.

In addition, the Demon Slaying Sword and Green Cloud Umbrella appeared in his hands. He also began to operate the Divine Soul Contemplation Scripture and the Great Sun Tathagata Heart Scripture, protecting his soul with the Scorching Sun Soul Phase and the pure land of Green Cloud Peak.

The others did likewise, taking out their magic treasures and activating their immortal arts and cultivation methods, all in a state of utmost readiness!

Countless figures and streaks of spirit light, like bees entering and exiting a hive, moved in and out of the misty, flowing radiance from all directions. More cultivators entered than exited.

Furthermore, the minimum cultivation level among them was the Qi Gathering Realm!

After all, it was already very difficult for those at the Body Tempering Realm just to reach this place, let alone fly high into the sky. For them, even stepping across the threshold to enter the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons was impossible.

Unless they were escorted by a powerful expert or chanced upon an opportunity to enter the ancient battlefield and try their luck.

Then again, who would willingly bring a burden into such a perilous place?

If it were someone close to them, they would be even less likely to do so. Not only would it be dangerous and meaningless, but wouldn’t it be better to share any treasures or opportunities obtained with that close person afterward?

PLOP!

The Fleeting Boat plunged into the misty, flowing radiance as if crashing into a resilient, colorful bubble, pausing momentarily.

Shen Mo only felt a myriad of strange, dazzling, and chaotic lights flash before his eyes. They were incredibly disordered and brilliant, making it impossible to discern any clear scene.

In the next instant, his vision suddenly cleared, as if he had passed through the mouth of a gourd into a new world!

Simultaneously, his five senses and spiritual sense swept outwards, covering a range of nearly a thousand miles.

The nature’s spiritual energy here is slightly richer than in the Outer Realm. However, the murderous aura, Blood Qi, Resentment Qi, and other such Turbid Qi within it are more than a hundred times denser!

After a careful assessment, Shen Mo quickly discerned the difference in spiritual Qi between this place and the Outer Realm.

He then looked around and found that the Fleeting Boat had appeared ”beyond the Nine Heavens.” Below the magic ship were layers of clouds tinged with a dark, reddish hue. Above was the endless void, identical to the void beyond the heavens in the Outer Realm.

To leave the Ancient Battlefield of Immortals and Demons, one simply needed to fly continuously towards the void beyond the Ninth Heaven.

Further down lay mountains and rivers, plains and plateaus, but everything that met the eye was a dark, crimson red, as if stained by blood.