The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 620: Chapter 620: The Second Spirit Pet_1

Several days passed, and the Evil-eating Centipede’s overwhelming Demonic Aura began to thin. Its shell, once so extraordinary, was now dull and riddled with pits, as if high-grade jade had been eroded into old bricks and tiles!

However, the brutal aura of this Centipede Demon hadn’t diminished in the slightest. Whenever it caught its breath, it would charge the Sword Array. Even with a bleeding head, it showed no signs of weakness.

”As expected of a creature that has consumed too many evil things; it’s truly difficult to tame!”

Shen Mo took an Elixir to restore his True Yuan and increased the killing power of The Big Dipper Array.

Generally speaking, the biggest obstacle to capturing a Spirit Pet is the pride of stronger demonic beasts, who would rather die than serve a human. However, even the most ordinary beasts possess a fundamental fear of death. Otherwise, if they didn’t know to avoid or surrender to life-threatening situations, they would not survive for many years.

In a situation where they are trapped and facing death, their ferocity can usually be worn down. Afterward, it becomes possible to communicate with them and compel them to sign a Spirit Pet Contract!

But this Evil-eating Centipede before him, despite having cultivated to the peak of Class IV, couldn’t even manage basic communication. When Shen Mo extended his Divine Sense to it, the only response he received was a meaningless roar.

It’s somewhat like the savage Sea Beasts from the depths of the Immortal Burial Sea. Its gnosis is so dim that it can’t compare to even low-class demonic beasts, let alone Demon Kings. Of course, this also has some advantages. When subduing an ordinary demonic beast as a Spirit Pet, even if one manages to cow it, there’s still a high probability of failure when attempting to make it sign a Spirit Pet Contract. If he could make this Evil-eating Centipede yield, then successfully making it his Spirit Pet would be practically guaranteed!

Therefore, Shen Mo not only kept The Big Dipper Array active but, after recovering some True Yuan, also varied its formations to further wear down the ferocious beast.

What awaited it was one of two fates: either its instinct to fear death would take over, leading it to surrender and be taken as a Spirit Pet; or, if its violent nature remained unquelled, it would be slain by the Sword Array. Its copper hide and iron bones would then become forging materials, and its ferocious divine soul would be refined into a Demon Soul General!

At this moment, Shen Mo’s expression flickered slightly. He waved the Soul Refining Flag, summoning the Ghost Bride and several other Class IV Demon Soul Generals. After imprinting them with the Soul Splitting Rune, they transformed into streaks of dark red demon light and shot off into the distance.

Not far away, on the Fleeting Boat, Lady Scarlet, Fu Jianghuo, and the Peng siblings were already astounded that Shen Mo had been suppressing the peak Class IV Centipede Demon with a Sword Array for several days. After all, their memories from the Demon-Suppressing Tower had been erased, so this was effectively the first time they had witnessed their fellow Daoist ”Shen Qingyun” fight with his full strength.

Now, seeing him casually summon a group of Imperial Souls, each no weaker than themselves, they were even more aghast!

”Song Han’s suspicions about Fellow Daoist Shen were half right; he has indeed hidden his strength,” Fu Jianghuo communicated via Divine Sense to Lady Scarlet and the Peng siblings, his tone one of astonishment tinged with a measure of relief. ”The latter part, however, was utter nonsense. With Fellow Daoist Shen’s capabilities, if he truly intended to harm us for information about opportunities, we would have met untimely ends long ago. We certainly wouldn’t have reaped so many rewards this past year!”

A ripple seemed to pass through Lady Scarlet’s eyes as she also responded via Divine Sense, cautioning, ”Fellow Daoist Shen is so extraordinary, yet he’s content to be a mere Alchemist on Wangxian Mountain. There must be reasons he cannot easily disclose!

”After we leave the ancient battlefield of immortals and demons, don’t reveal his true capabilities to anyone.

”Otherwise, you might invite unnecessary disaster!”

She didn’t elaborate fully, but Fu Jianghuo and the other two understood her implication.

If they were to recklessly publicize this Fellow Daoist Shen’s strength, the troubles and calamities it might attract to him would likely entangle them as well. Even if they weren’t directly involved, they might still provoke his anger and create enmity!

Immediately, Fu Jianghuo and the others nodded, taking Lady Scarlet’s warning to heart.

In truth, from the moment he encountered Zhu Zhao of the Taiyi Sword Alliance, Shen Mo no longer had such concerns. His identity, background, and true capabilities were bound to be discovered by the Heaven Patrolling Temple eventually. Continuing to hide his strength now served little purpose; it would only hinder him from acting freely!

The Ghost Bride and the other Class IV Demon Soul Generals soon appeared two thousand li away. At this distance, cultivators in the Golden Core Realm or at the peak of Class IV could perceive Shen Mo’s actions, but Shen Mo’s own five senses could not detect that far.

As they aggressively closed in, the flame-shaped Fire Spirit hiding there furiously unleashed terrifyingly powerful Fire-type magic, incinerating the Ghost Bride and the other Demon Soul Generals to ash.

Then, rather than lingering to observe, it transformed directly into a streak of fire and fled towards Volcano Purgatory.

This Fire Spirit Powerhouse had, in the end, underestimated Shen Mo’s strength. It mistakenly believed that a mere Class IV Centipede Demon could force him to use Heavenly Monarch-level techniques. Who could have guessed that as soon as the Sword Array was deployed, the Evil-eating Centipede would be so easily overwhelmed?

Even it was somewhat wary of the Sword Array’s power!

Thus, since it couldn’t deplete Shen Mo’s greatest trump card, there was no longer any point in lingering there.

It decided to return to its kin and strategize with the other Fire Spirit Powerhouses to devise a foolproof plan to reclaim the sacred fire that belonged to their Fire Spirit clan.

「Soon」

Several more Class IV Demon Soul Generals appeared in the area where the Fire Spirit had briefly paused.

Once certain that the flame-shaped Fire Spirit had temporarily retreated, Shen Mo refocused his attention on the Sword Array. The ocean of sword Qi surged like a tide, once again engulfing the Evil-eating Centipede’s massive body!

「After an unknown period of time」

The Evil-eating Centipede’s aura grew increasingly faint, its life force gradually dwindling to the point of near exhaustion.

Just as Shen Mo was beginning to feel a sense of regret, thinking that this ferocious demonic beast would rather be utterly slain than submit, the Divine Sense he had extended suddenly received a response.

Hmm? Has it surrendered?

Within the Evil-eating Centipede’s fierce roars, there was now a discernible hint of a plea for mercy.

It must be that on the brink of life and death, its mind, long clouded by corruption, has momentarily regained a sliver of clarity! The efforts of these past few days haven’t been in vain after all.

Shen Mo’s eyes lit up with joy, and he immediately transformed The Big Dipper Array into a defensive posture.

Next, he retrieved a contract scroll from his Universe Bag, bit the tip of his tongue to force out a drop of essence blood onto it, and with a wave of his sleeve, sent the scroll into the Sword Array.

”Sign the contract, and I will spare your life!” Shen Mo’s Divine Sense subtly vibrated, conveying this intention to the Evil-eating Centipede.

In the next instant, the coiled centipede unfurled its ten-thousand-foot-long body. It struggled to lift its head and slowly squeezed out a drop of dark green essence blood from its mandibles, letting it fall onto the contract scroll.

BUZZ!

A brilliant golden light flared up from the scroll—the Spirit Pet Contract had taken effect!

Simultaneously, a peculiar sensation arose in Shen Mo’s mind; he had clearly established a close spiritual connection with this Mutated Evil-eating Sky Centipede.

”ROOOOAR—”

The Evil-eating Centipede roared and slowly slithered towards Shen Mo.

Yet, within Shen Mo’s mind, a woman’s voice echoed, filled with untamed arrogance, ferocity, and violence: ”Master... Kill...”

It was unclear whether it wanted to kill him or someone else!

Now that the Spirit Pet Contract was signed, it couldn’t harm its master even if it wished to. Shen Mo wasn’t one to quibble with a foolish Spirit Pet. He took out several bottles of Elixirs from his Universe Bag and tossed them into its mouth.