The First Immortal of Destiny

Under Qin Wenzhen’s constantly increasing incentives, Shen Mo was tempted.

He was doing well with other resources, but Enlightenment Tea Leaves were indeed extremely rare. If he drank them constantly, he was confident that he could progress towards the peak level after reaching the late-stage of the Golden Core Realm. The Ancient Vine Sect harvested about six pounds of new Enlightenment Tea leaves every year, and they had to offer a portion of it to the Heaven Patrolling Temple. For Qin Wenzhen to promise him three pounds of tea leaves was her limit—she might have even taken out her own share and Ge Qing’s. If he drank sparingly, it could entirely satisfy his yearly demand! However, if he were to withdraw as Sect Master Qin had suggested, he probably wouldn’t be able to obtain even a tiny amount of Enlightenment Tea in the future. After all, he certainly couldn’t ask Lin Zhaozai to cover these losses...

BOOM!

At that moment, the Prohibition outside the Ancestor Hall shattered.

An expression of joy appeared on Lin Zhaozai’s face. Dragging the chains of the Demon-Suppressing Tower, he charged towards Qin Wenzhen, Ge Qing, and the others.

Although it seemed Shen Mo had been conversing with Lin Zhaozai and Qin Wenzhen for a long time, only ten breaths had passed from his arrival until the Ancestor Hall’s Prohibition completely collapsed. He had relied on his Sword Escape Skill to reach the Ancient Vine Sect so quickly. The nearest Golden Core Realm cultivator rushing to their aid was still five hundred li away!

Seeing Qin Wenzhen and the others on the verge of disaster, Shen Mo hesitated no longer and swung the Demon Slaying Sword at Lin Zhaozai.

CLANG!

The sharp, vast, and profound Demon Slaying Sword Style forced Lin Zhaozai back several li.

In the next moment, Shen Mo used Sword Escape to appear before Qin Wenzhen and the others. Amidst their astonished expressions, he activated the Golden Flowery Realm.

As a faint light glowed, Qin Wenzhen, Ge Qing, two Golden Core Realm alien ministers, and the remaining disciples of the Ancient Vine Sect, along with the Ten-Thousand-Year Enlightenment Tea Tree, were all drawn into this spatial treasure!

By doing so, Shen Mo had completely positioned himself against Lin Zhaozai, the Evil Monarch. There was no longer any room for reconciliation between them.

”You... are... looking... for... death!” Lin Zhaozai hissed, his voice dripping with venom.

He had no idea Shen Mo possessed such a spatial treasure. Seeing the remaining members of the Ancient Vine Sect and the Enlightenment Tea Tree spirited away, he could no longer suppress his killing intent.

He murmured quietly, his voice low, but when it reached Shen Mo’s ears, it was like blades piercing his eardrums, heavily striking his soul and causing his head to throb with excruciating pain!

Immediately, Shen Mo focused his mind, and the True Yuan within his body surged. The Divine Soul Contemplation Scripture and the Great Sun Tathagata Heart Scripture began to circulate rapidly. The brilliant Scorching Sun Soul Phase illuminated the heavens, and the pure soil of Green Cloud Peak protected his soul, completely blocking the damage this demonic sound could inflict upon it.

CRACK! CRACK! With an unsettling sound, two new heads and four new arms sprouted from Shen Mo’s neck, shoulders, and back. At the same time, the Green Cloud Umbrella, Soul Refining Flag, Mountain Pearl, Big Dipper Swords, and other magic treasures flew out. Each of his hands grasped one, all radiating an endless killing intent.

Shen Mo also released the Evil-eating Sky Centipede, which hovered vigilantly to the side, exuding a fetid wind and demonic light.

However, the Taiyi Sword, which Shen Mo had recently acquired, remained hidden within his Dantian, reserved as a trump card to deal Lin Zhaozai a vicious surprise attack!

”Senior, you’ve already devoured much blood food and plundered vast resources,” Shen Mo said, shaking the Soul Refining Flag as he spoke. ”Why not withdraw now? Otherwise, when the Heavenly Monarch from the Heaven Patrolling Temple arrives, you won’t be able to escape even if you want to!”

The Blood River churned and surged. Ghost Bride, Master Hong Jue, Thousand-eyed, Yang Chengxiong, and other Class IV Demon Soul Generals continuously materialized from it. Wielding overwhelming Demonic Qi, they swarmed towards Lin Zhaozai, attempting to encircle him.

Shen Mo was merely saying this for effect. Given how far the situation had progressed, how could this Evil Monarch possibly retreat without a fight?

As expected, Lin Zhaozai let out a cold laugh and inhaled sharply.

The invisible pulling force that Shen Mo, Lady Scarlet, and the others had encountered within the Demon-Suppressing Tower reappeared, even more terrifying than before. However, Shen Mo’s strength had also increased, and critically, they were not inside the Demon-Suppressing Tower, so he could freely use his Sword Escape Skill.

With a flicker of Sword Light, Shen Mo escaped tens of li in the blink of an eye, freeing himself from the sucking vortex. The Ghost Bride and the other Demon Soul Generals, however, continued to surge towards Lin Zhaozai. At Shen Mo’s command, they unleashed their respective magic and Skills, and a vast tide of strange light engulfed Lin Zhaozai.

However, most of the attacks landed on Lin Zhaozai’s glass-like magic barrier, merely stirring ripples without harming him in the slightest!

A relatively weaker Demon Soul General was pulled to Lin Zhaozai’s side. Lin Zhaozai briefly reverted to his skeletal form. As soon as the Demon Soul General neared him, it suddenly exploded into a dense, somber cloud of bloody light and Demonic Qi, which fell upon the skeleton and was absorbed completely in an eerie manner.

Instantly, Shen Mo’s expression changed slightly. He discovered that on the Soul Refining Flag, the soul mark of the Class IV Demon Soul General swallowed by the skeleton had completely dissipated! This meant that the Demon Soul Generals, who were in a sense ’immortal,’ could be utterly destroyed by Lin Zhaozai’s bizarre methods. Even if I expended more True Yuan, I wouldn’t be able to re-condense that one.

Realizing this, Shen Mo slashed out with fierce sword Qi towards the skeleton that was Lin Zhaozai. To buy time, he ordered the other Demon Soul Generals to self-destruct...

PUFF!

PUFF! PUFF!

Without the slightest hesitation, the Demon Soul Generals instantly shattered their Soul Bodies, completely dissipating between heaven and earth.

However, by doing this, I only lost the True Yuan used to form their Soul Bodies. Their soul marks haven’t dissipated, and I can still re-condense them in the future!

As expected of an Evil Monarch! His cultivation methods and Skills are so bizarre they perfectly counter the Soul Refining Flag!

Shen Mo thought to himself and directly recalled the Soul Refining Flag into his Universe Bag.

Lin Zhaozai possessed profound attainments in evil cultivation methods. Even if his strength is no longer at its peak, his Realm and foundation remain. Unfortunately, the Soul Refining Flag is also an evil cultivator’s magic artifact. Using it against him is like attacking an enemy’s strength with my own weakness. The only outcome would be the complete loss of the powerful Demon Soul Generals I’ve painstakingly collected and nurtured over the years. It would even provide Lin Zhaozai with blood food, inadvertently strengthening him. I’ll have to use other methods to deal with him.

Immediately, with a slight shift in his consciousness, Shen Mo swapped his [Indestructible Body] Destiny for [Uncommon Victory].

After several upgrades, the damage bonus from [Uncommon Victory] against demons and evil creatures has reached a considerable level. It’s more suitable for the current situation than [Indestructible Body].

BOOM!

At Shen Mo’s urging, the seven Big Dipper Swords quickly formed a Sword Array, enveloping the skeleton that was Lin Zhaozai with overwhelming momentum.

Although this Evil Monarch has escaped his primary confinement, he’s still bound by chains and even burdened by the Demon-Suppressing Tower. His movements and Escape Skills are far less agile than mine. The Big Dipper Sword Array might seem cumbersome, but that’s only relatively speaking. It shouldn’t be difficult to trap Lin Zhaozai!

The next moment, Lin Zhaozai transformed from his skeletal appearance back into his human form.

RATTLE! RATTLE! He yanked the chains, swinging the Demon-Suppressing Tower like a meteor hammer and smashing it fiercely towards the Big Dipper Sword Array!

A dazzling light erupted.

Amidst earth-shattering tremors, the Sword Array was shattered. The seven inch-long Dao swords flew back into Shen Mo’s sleeve with a mournful cry. The Demon-Suppressing Tower also shattered into three pieces from top to bottom, crashing down like giant boulders and crushing several mountain peaks.

More critically, apart from the Prohibition chains, Lin Zhaozai was now free of all other restraints!