The First Immortal of Destiny

Seeing the bone giants detained by the Fairy Flower Valley, Shen Mo calmed his heart and hastened to complete his advancement!

As time passed, his Dao Body’s presence in this world became increasingly tenuous, as if he was undergoing Dao assimilation. Even Zhao Lingyin, standing by him, could hardly perceive his existence with her five senses.

Only the profound Dao sound and the fantastic scene remained unchanged, proclaiming his existence to the ”will of heaven and earth,” expounding his Dao...

At some point, the brilliant Golden Core, which had transformed to perfection, began to evolve like a fetus in a woman’s womb, gradually growing flesh, blood, sinews, and bones. Each drop of blood and every inch of flesh contained limitless profundity and mighty power.

The five viscera and six bowels, the Dantian and Chakras, the skull, torso, and limbs gradually took shape, eventually forming Shen Mo’s likeness, as if he had vanished from the world only to manifest anew.

If one examined carefully, one could perceive subtle differences between Shen Mo now and before.

It seemed as if he had perfectly melded into this world, as natural as a stone underfoot or a wildflower; yet he also seemed out of place, as if he might ascend and depart at any moment.

At the moment of his manifestation, the minds of all conscious beings dwelling in the Primordial Realm were filled with a brief illusion. It was as if they saw an auspicious light traversing the entire expanse, resembling an aurora, resembling the Immortal Path, and also a bridge, vast and mighty, stretching to an unknown destination...

Only Heavenly Monarchs of the Divine Bridge Realm, Class V creatures, and those of higher cultivation knew that this was not a misperception, but someone achieving their Great Path in this world!

At this point, Shen Mo had successfully erected the Divine Bridge, attaining the esteemed status of Heavenly Monarch.

Upon entering the Divine Bridge Realm, Shen Mo felt that both his inner and outer worlds were now vastly different.

「Externally.」

His connection with the mysterious ”will of heaven and earth” had grown much stronger. He could more distinctly perceive the thoughts and emotions of ”all living beings and all things in heaven and earth.”

He could also sense the residual Dao runes in heaven and earth, totaling three hundred and seventy-two.

In other words, besides Shen Mo, throughout the entire Primordial Realm—including the Red Flame Zone, the Heaven Patrolling Zone, and other domains he had yet to visit—a total of over three hundred and seventy creatures had cultivated to this Realm from antiquity to the present day.

Now, an additional Dao rune, left by Shen Mo, had been added.

Even if he were to perish one day, this Dao rune would not disappear; it would persist until the Primordial Realm itself completely decayed and collapsed!

「Internally.」

His Daoist body and mind had undergone a complete rebirth and transformation. With his Essence and Qi having transformed to their utmost limit, his life level had further sublimated, truly and thoroughly transcending the mortal shell.

Many principles applicable to mortals no longer applied to him.

For example, if ordinary cultivators lack anti-aging profound magic or elixirs, their appearance will gradually age. Beyond their appearance, once they pass a certain age, their Essence and Qi will severely deplete, and their bodily functions will continuously decline, thereby presenting an aged state.

However, after becoming a Heavenly Monarch, Shen Mo’s Essence and Qi could always be maintained at their peak state until his three-thousand-year Lifespan was exhausted, achieving true ”agelessness.”

Even in the final year before his Lifespan ended, his condition would be no different from when he was in his prime, not affecting his subsequent cultivation and advancement. If he were to advance to the next Dao Realm on the eve of his Lifespan’s end, he would immediately gain countless more years of Lifespan!

For example, it is difficult for ordinary cultivators to make further progress on their cultivation path if their Dao Body is damaged.

Shen Mo possessed the ”Three-Heads Six-Arms True Immortal Technique” and naturally didn’t have such worries. However, he still needed to promptly use blood essence primality to repair his damaged body. If he suffered severe trauma, injuries that even the ”True Immortal Technique” could not mend, it would affect his Dao path.

Now, things were different. Even if he were severely injured by more powerful and extraordinary entities, making it difficult to expel residual foreign energies or repair his damaged body, it would not hinder the improvement of his cultivation level!

Many such wonderful changes have occurred, too many to list.

Moreover, Shen Mo’s various cultivation achievements had become perfectly integrated.

His Dao Body, vitality, power of Qi and blood, soul, soul power, sword heart, sword intent, and various other factors determining his combat strength were no longer distinct but had become highly unified. The level of his True Yuan surpassed ordinary Mana; calling it ”celestial spiritual power” would not be an exaggeration.

Whether he cast magic or executed martial arts, their power and effects were far superior to when he was at the peak of the Golden Core Realm, conservatively estimated to have increased by more than fivefold.

Furthermore, having already erected the Divine Bridge, as long as Shen Mo was not in a Spiritless Land, he no longer needed to worry about his True Yuan being depleted during battles. With a mere thought, he could use one part of True Yuan to draw upon ten parts of nature’s spiritual energy.

Simultaneously, he could even harness heavenly calamities and Earthly Tribulations to defend against and slay his enemies!

This was also why Class V creatures from the Outer Zones could easily turn an area into a Spiritless Land during intense battles. Only when they reached a point where they could no longer draw upon Spiritual Qi or harness the might of heaven and earth would they stop fighting and call a truce.

What amazed Shen Mo even more was that the Destiny Panel had become a part of his Dao fruit.

Before becoming a Heavenly Monarch, although the Destiny Panel existed within him and was highly bound to him, it ultimately felt like an external object.

Entities surpassing Divine Bridge Heavenly Monarchs, such as the terrifying magnate of the Immortal Path behind the Dragon Rearing Pool, could very likely detect the Destiny Panel’s existence and possess the means to strip it away. Therefore, ever since Shen Mo obtained this ”opportunity,” he had kept it a closely guarded secret, not revealing the slightest hint even to those closest to him. He deeply feared that exposing the Destiny Panel’s existence would bring an immense calamity upon himself!

Now, as he achieved the Heavenly Monarch status, the Destiny Panel had completely integrated with his being.

Even if, in the future, Shen Mo unfortunately fell into the hands of terrifying entities like the master of the Dragon Rearing Pool, and even if his three souls and seven spirits, his cultivation methods, and his Skills were all stripped away layer by layer through extraordinary means, they still wouldn’t be able to seize the Destiny Panel!

With a mere thought, Shen Mo understood all the changes within and outside himself, and for a moment, he was filled with myriad emotions.

”After sixty long years of arduous cultivation, I’ve finally reached this stage today!”

”The path to immortality is undeniably arduous and immeasurably long. I can be considered halfway there. From now on, I must never forget my initial aspiration and continue to strive and temper my resolve...”

With this thought, Shen Mo made a slight mental adjustment, and the surrounding profound Dao sound and fantastic scene all converged within him.

When he looked again, he had returned to his unremarkable form!

Zhao Lingyin, who had been waiting nearby, along with the tens of thousands of Sect Disciples of the Riverside Sect, had all sensed the radiance of the Divine Bridge that had previously seemed like an illusion. Now, seeing Shen Mo’s current unrestrained presence, they quickly understood what had happened, and joy bloomed on their faces.

”Congratulations, my husband, on successfully forming the Divine Bridge as you wished. The hope of long life is now within reach...”

Zhao Lingyin’s eyes brimmed with a smile as she formally offered Shen Mo a Daoist salute in congratulation.

”Congratulations to Patriarch Shen on achieving the Heavenly Monarch status! Longevity is now within reach!”

In an instant, the more than one hundred thousand Sect Disciples of the Riverside Sect all turned towards GuanYun Mansion. Some kowtowed, some made Daoist salutes, and others clasped their hands in respect, their congratulatory shouts soaring to the heavens and shaking the earth.