The First Immortal of Destiny

At that moment, the gazes of many powerful experts from the Outer Zone were drawn to Chong’a Mountain throughout the Red Flame Zone.

There were Outer Zone creatures from the moderate faction, such as dark ice creatures, Flame Worms, Sky Eyes, and Crane People. There were also Outer Zone Demons like the Thousand-eyed, Smoke Demons, Human-faced Willows, and Light Spot Jellyfish. However, most were Outer Zone races from neutral factions. The Protectors of their forbidden lands were all alarmed by this aura, each employing Spells, Skills, and other methods to peer towards Shen Mo.

After all, he was the first local powerhouse in the Red Flame Zone attempting to break through to the Divine Bridge Realm (the fifth Dao Realm, Class V). Given the terrifying number of human immortals and mortals in this zone, once he successfully became a Heavenly Monarch, he would possess the capital to stand on equal footing with other forbidden lands. This would undoubtedly have a significant impact on the existing power structure.

The Outer Zone great demons, who tyrannized and poisoned the human immortals and mortals in the Red Flame Zone, naturally did not wish to see a local Heavenly Monarch emerge.

However, many Class V great demons still needed to maintain their forbidden lands to prevent assimilation by heaven and earth. They could not easily step out of their forbidden lands; otherwise, even they themselves might be Dao-ized.

Those who were unrestricted and could roam freely in the Outer Realm also had their concerns. After countless years of conflict and slaughter, a balance had been struck among the various factions. Acting rashly would likely invite disaster upon themselves. They were unwilling to eliminate one potential threat only to provoke an even greater calamity.

Moreover, ascending to this realm was exceedingly difficult. Whether he could succeed was uncertain, so there was no harm in observing from the sidelines for the time being.

The forbidden lands that had descended upon the Red Flame Zone made no move, and Shen Mo breathed a sigh of relief.

If several Class V great demons were to act simultaneously, the Riverside Sect’s Mountain Protection Array probably wouldn’t last long.

Fortunately, he had discussed this matter with Big Moro Yao. He knew the probability of Outer Zone great demons intervening was low. Furthermore, as they had not achieved enlightenment in the Primordial Realm, it was difficult for them to be influenced by the ”will of heaven and earth.” For now, it seemed he didn’t need to overly concern himself with Outer Zone great demons attempting to obstruct his advancement.

Immediately, Shen Mo composed himself and focused entirely on elevating his cultivation level, attempting to consolidate his cultivation and strength into a single, unified whole.

His Golden Core began to radiate a magnificent light. This light stimulated his Dao Body, vitality, soul, Path Heart, Qi and blood, and True Yuan to resonate in unison, causing his Soul Body to reverberate with profound Dao sounds.

Furthermore, it activated all his magic and martial arts, cultivation methods, and Skills, causing them to circulate one by one, giving rise to streams of mysterious light.

Within the mysterious light, various visions were faintly discernible. These included a dazzling, ten-thousand-zhang Sword Light; Immortal Spirit Qi as vast as a smoky sea; an eternally surging river of blood; graceful and vibrant exotic beasts; a breathtakingly beautiful pure land for mortals; scorching flames that incinerated all creation; and a distant, brilliant night sky full of Stars... These scenes, though bizarre and motley, appeared remarkably orderly—a myriad of majestic and stirring spectacles that were truly moving.

Each vision represented a magic, a swordplay technique, a Skill, an accomplishment.

Now, all of them manifested in the world. However, unlike the immense displays of the past, they were confined to an area of several li around him. It was as if an independent world had been carved out from between heaven and earth—a cohesive whole. This world contained its own universe, infused with Shen Mo’s unique will, as it confronted, debated, and contended with the ”will of heaven and earth”!

The moment Shen Mo began preparations to erect the Divine Bridge, his terrifying aura alarmed everyone in the Riverside Sect, from the highest to the lowest.

From Golden Core Realm patriarchs like Yuan Heming and Zhou Zhiwei, down to disciples who had recently entered the Body Tempering Realm, all ceased their cultivation, set aside their current tasks, and emerged from their cave mansions. They gazed towards Guanyun Mansion with a mixture of astonishment and delight.

Hearing the Dao sounds emanating from Shen Mo’s Soul Body and seeing the immortal light that seemed to drain all other colors, the faces of all the sect’s cultivators showed expressions of fascination and longing. What they heard, saw, and felt seemed to be the very ”Great Path” they had arduously pursued for so long.

Varying degrees of realization surfaced in everyone’s heart. Long-standing dilemmas regarding cultivation were suddenly resolved, as if by a flash of inspiration. Many cultivators whose progress had stagnated felt a loosening, as if they had consumed miraculous elixirs. Magic and martial arts that had always seemed unattainable now became crystal clear, as if they had received a sudden, enlightening blow.

Even more notably, Chen Mengze, whose connection with Shen Mo was profound, had already cultivated to the peak of the Spirit Sea Realm. However, he had consistently failed to transform his Essence and Qi to condense a Golden Core. At this moment, he suddenly had a revelation, hastily returned to his cultivation mansion, and began attempting a breakthrough!

Similar situations were continuously unfolding within the Riverside Sect, all thanks to Shen Mo’s discourse on the Dao with the ”will of heaven and earth.”

「After an unknown period」

The Dao sounds emanating from Shen Mo’s Soul Body grew increasingly ethereal and profound, and the presence of the fantastic scene became more distinct.

Simultaneously, a divine bridge, imperceptible to the naked eye and undetectable by spiritual sense—perceivable only by Shen Mo himself—began to form. It originated from his Golden Core and the fantastic scene, majestically spanning twelve thousand li, its other end reaching towards an unknown destination.

Shen Mo, however, vaguely sensed that the other end of the bridge seemed to lead to a boundless, starry cosmos; perhaps to an immense, majestic giant tree that supported a world; or possibly to an ancient, mysterious stone tablet covered in Dao runes...

「Just at this moment.」

Elder Ji, who had been listening to the Dao sounds and observing the mysterious light from a distance near Guanyun Mansion, suddenly snapped out of his reverie. A wild madness filled his eyes as he activated his escaping light and charged towards the array core at the southwest corner of the Mountain Protection Array.

Although Elder Ji only possessed a Spirit Sea Realm cultivation, his attainments in the Array Path were considerable. He had once accompanied Guo Xun to the Wando Archipelago to set up a Teleportation Altar, and he had also followed Shen Mo to the Southern Poison Zone to decipher the Array Path barriers within the tomb of an unnamed Heavenly Monarch.

When Shen Mo was reconstructing and reinforcing the Riverside Sect’s Mountain Protection Array, it was impossible for him to personally handle every detail. Consequently, a portion of the array bases and some Dao runes had been constructed under Elder Ji’s supervision.

The instant Elder Ji moved, Shen Mo, whose spiritual sense already enveloped most of Yu State, detected it immediately.

Has it begun? Shen Mo muttered to himself, not particularly surprised, as if he had anticipated this.

Instantly, a Sword Light shot from his fingertip, shattering Elder Ji’s protective magic and magic treasures. Then, Shen Mo reached out, and a giant hand manifested from magic seized Elder Ji, pulling him close. Without a word, he applied the Heart Palm to him.

The phantom of the Heart Moon Fox submerged into Elder Ji’s Dao Body, causing him to shudder violently. He regained clarity for a brief moment, but soon descended into mania once more, struggling relentlessly to break free from Shen Mo’s control.

Before Elder Ji could recover, over a hundred more Riverside Sect disciples suddenly went berserk. Some charged towards the array core of the Mountain Protection Array, while others attempted to destroy the Formation’s foundation stones...

CLANG!

Shen Mo unleashed a ’Fairyland Sword Light.’ Instantly, with a thunderous roar, the Demon-Suppressing Tower materialized in the very center of the mountain gate.

After imprisoning Elder Ji in the first chamber of the tower, Shen Mo used his Divine Sense to transmit an order to all Sect Disciples at or above the Spirit Sea Realm. Immediately, numerous escaping lights soared upwards. They intercepted and apprehended the frenzied disciples, casting them into the Demon-Suppressing Tower.

”Trying to destroy my Riverside Sect’s Mountain Protection Array? I’m afraid that won’t be so easy,” Shen Mo said with a faint smile, his intense gaze fixed on the leaden clouds filling the sky.