The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 624: Chapter 624: Ge Qing from Ancient Vine Sect_1

HUM!

A cold glint flashed on the Demon Slaying Sword, an indistinct killing intent aimed directly at the burly cultivator.

Shen Mo suspected this man might be Elder Zhu Zhao of the Taiyi Sword Alliance... hiding his identity among the crowd, harboring ill intentions to seize the opportunity and snatch away the Spirit Flame!

WHOOSH!

The people beside the burly cultivator instantly transformed into beams of spirit light and scattered like birds and beasts.

They had all witnessed Shen Mo’s formidable performance earlier. The reputation of the Taiyi Spirit Sword was already well known to most cultivators in this realm, and the recent display of its power had instilled fear in many. Yet, such a potent Spirit Sword hadn’t killed Shen Mo; instead, he had blocked its terrifying sword intent and captured it! Revealing hostility towards such a powerful individual was even more terrifying than facing an assassination attempt by the Taiyi Spirit Sword. The slightest confrontation could lead to an earth-shattering outcome, and they certainly didn’t want to be caught in the crossfire as innocent bystanders.

The burly cultivator’s expression changed drastically, and he immediately retrieved a High-Level Talisman, shimmering with a faint light, from his chest. In the next instant, his concealed appearance abruptly changed, transforming into that of an ordinary-looking middle-aged man. His aura and soul fluctuations also returned to normal!

”Eh? Isn’t this Elder Ge Qing from the Ancient Vine Sect? How did he offend such a dangerous person?”

”Who knows! Maybe the Ancient Vine Sect is in cahoots with the Taiyi Sword Alliance.”

”The Taiyi Sword Alliance has suffered terribly; even their sect-guarding magic treasure was snatched away. They’ve lost all face and dignity. I wonder who this person is?”

”...”

Outside the ancient battlefield, cultivators who knew each other began to converse using Divine Sense, unabashedly discussing the situation. They were extremely curious about this mysterious powerhouse who had suddenly appeared, as well as his grudges with the Taiyi Sword Alliance and the Ancient Vine Sect!

Ge Qing from the Ancient Vine Sect, having just removed his disguise with the talisman, anxiously said, ”I have no quarrel with you, fellow daoist. Why do you show me killing intent? If I or my disciples have done anything wrong to offend you, I hope you will show some leniency.”

Only then did Shen Mo realize he had suspected the wrong person. He put away the Demon Slaying Sword and gave Ge Qing a bow from afar. ”I apologize. You had concealed your soul and aura, fellow daoist, and I mistook you for an enemy seeking revenge. That’s why I acted as I did just now! I have no grievances or grudges with the Ancient Vine Sect, so please rest assured.”

This Elder Ge had indeed used a High-Level Talisman to hide his true identity. He was not a Spirit Sea Realm cultivator, but an early-stage Golden Core cultivator. His soul fluctuations also could not be clearly discerned under the distorting power of the talisman. Although Shen Mo didn’t know why he had done so, this man was a disciple of the Ancient Vine Sect and had no connection to the Taiyi Sword Alliance or Zhu Zhao!

However, I couldn’t help but feel confused. Zhu Zhao made such a big scene, clearly wanting to severely injure me with the Taiyi Spirit Sword or force me to exhaust the Heavenly Monarch-level magic in the Mother Tree’s green leaves. Then he could seize the opportunity to harm me and snatch away the Samadhi True Fire... He should be hiding nearby right now!

...

Shen Mo’s guess was, in fact, correct.

Among the hundreds of thousands of cultivators outside the ancient battlefield, a disciple of the Sword Alliance was quietly observing the situation. Through Divine Sense, he constantly conveyed messages to another Sword Alliance disciple a hundred miles away. There were hundreds of similar Sword Alliance disciples, forming several extremely secretive and extensive information chains. Eventually, the news about Shen Mo and the Taiyi Spirit Sword from the outskirts of the ancient battlefield reached Zhu Zhao, thousands of miles away, layer by layer.

Upon learning that the Taiyi Spirit Sword had not only failed to kill or injure Shen Mo, nor forced out his Heavenly Monarch-level technique, but had also been captured by him after a fierce contest, Zhu Zhao’s face turned green with anger!

Originally, when he was repulsed by the Mother Tree’s green leaves, he had immediately left the ancient battlefield of immortals and demons and returned to the Taiyi Sword Alliance’s base. Using the excuse that the Ancestral Master Scroll had been stolen and desecrated, he had finally persuaded the revered Taiyi Sword to personally act against the ”evil cultivator” who had stolen the scroll.

Zhu Zhao had thought that with the mighty Taiyi Spirit Sword, even if it couldn’t kill Shen Mo, it could still force him to use his strongest trump card... That way, he would have no reservations when he made his next move! As for whether the Taiyi Spirit Sword would be severely damaged, that wasn’t within Zhu Zhao’s considerations. This sword was the First Generation Ancestor’s personal weapon. No one had the qualification to refine it into their destined magic artifact, and it could only be worshipped on a high pedestal. Even if it were broken, it would only harm the sect’s interests. Zhu Zhao himself, however, could obtain the Samadhi True Fire to advance his cultivation, hoping to take another step forward and glimpse the wonders of the Divine Bridge Realm.

But who could have anticipated that his previous scheming had completely failed? Not only did he fail to reclaim the Spirit Flame as intended, but even the Taiyi Spirit Sword had fallen into Shen Mo’s hands!

According to the information from our disciples, this demon head Shen’s strength has increased significantly, and he’s also acquired a peak Class IV Spirit Pet... The Spirit Pet isn’t a major issue. It’s his rapid cultivation progress that’s concerning, and that must be thanks to the Samadhi True Fire! Next time, I must prepare thoroughly and, only when I have absolute certainty, deliver an overwhelming blow! It would be even better if I could persuade a Heavenly Monarch from the Daoist temple to act.

This setback had not extinguished Zhu Zhao’s ambition for the Samadhi True Fire. On the contrary, seeing the flame’s miraculous effects only made him more determined to slay Shen Mo and reclaim the treasure!

Of course, since Shen Mo’s trump card wasn’t used up, I won’t risk my own life. Instead, I’ll consider paying a certain price to have a Heavenly Monarch from the Daoist temple take action!

「Outside the ancient battlefield of immortals and demons.」

Ge Qing of the Ancient Vine Sect from Caiyi Country had already flown to Shen Mo’s side on his beam of light and, with an awkward bow, said, ”Fellow daoist, you must be aware that I, Ge, am an elder from the Ancient Vine Sect of Caiyi Country. I can almost be considered a local host. How may I address you?”

”’Wangxian Mountain’s rogue cultivator, Shen Qingyun,’ Shen Mo replied without hesitation.”

His true identity had already been discovered by the cultivators of the Sword Alliance, but that didn’t influence his decision to continue using this name. In a sense, it could also help him avoid being cursed by certain entities using vile sorcery if his name became widely known!

Just as Ge Qing was about to say more, Lady Scarlet controlled her Fleeting Magic Ship to sail over. Seeing that Ge Qing had more to say, Shen Mo duly invited him to board the magic ship for a chat.

After further small talk, Ge Qing finally stated his mind, ”If you have spare time, fellow daoist, please visit my Ancient Vine Sect. Although my sect cannot compare to a great immortal sect, our foundation is not weak. We also have a ten-thousand-year-old spiritual tea tree on our premises. The tea brewed with its new leaves aids in enlightenment, and its effect is comparable to Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures...”

This man was earnestly inviting Shen Mo to be a guest at the Ancient Vine Sect, and his words occasionally carried a hint of wistful regret, as if to say, ”the Ancient Vine Sect had once flourished but was now in decline.”

Shen Mo raised an eyebrow. ”Oh? I’ve formed such a significant grudge with the Taiyi Sword Alliance; I even snatched their sect-guarding Spirit Sword. And you, Elder Ge, still invite me to be a guest at your sect? Aren’t you afraid of offending the Sword Alliance?” he asked, intrigued, while restoring his condition.