The First Immortal of Destiny

Chapter 203: Chapter 203 Elegance_1

GUSH! GUSH!

Within Shen Mo’s body, his vital blood and Qi churned like thick, boiling mercury, surging through his limbs and bones in an unceasing, boiling torrent!

He exerted his full strength to activate these two forms of external magic: the ’Dragon Elephant Blood Fiend Body’ and the ’Three-Heads Six-Arms True Immortal Technique’, using his exceptional vitality to resist the tremendous pressure!

BOOM!

RUMBLE!

With each step he took on the stone stairs, his body would emit a resounding boom!

While resisting the oppressive sword Qi of the Heavenly Monarch, Shen Mo’s cultivation, vitality, cultivation methods, and even his proficiency in the Sword Path were all undergoing a strenuous tempering!

[You attempt to ascend Tianshan Mountain. You are oppressed by the sword Qi left by the Divine Bridge Realm Heavenly Monarch. Your cultivation method counteracts this pressure. Your cultivation has improved during this process.]

[You resisted this pressure with your physical body. During this process, you comprehended the intricacies of the ’Three-Heads Six-Arms True Immortal Technique’. Your experience in ’Three-Heads Six-Arms True Immortal Technique’ +130.]

[You continuously circulate the ’Purple Mansion Heart Scripture’...]

Updates continuously appeared on the Destiny Panel.

With each step, Shen Mo knew he had gained another benefit!

The 605th step.

The 606th step.

The 607th step.

...

The 630th step.

The 640th step.

...

By the time he reached the 650th step, Lu Ming, who was trailing behind him, was still around the 600th step.

Not only had Lu Ming failed to shorten the distance to Shen Mo, but the gap between them was actually widening!

Junior Brother Shen’s strength... is unfathomable!

Relying on his Thunder Body and Supreme Thunder Magic, Lu Ming believed he could climb another thirty to forty steps, but compared to Shen Mo, he was completely overshadowed.

He recalled the Newcomers’ Competition, where Shen Mo had once been defeated by his hand.

「Now.」

Half a year later, Shen Mo had surpassed him.

As for Lu Ming, with Shen Mo’s help, he had managed to secure second place under the watchful eyes of several strong opponents.

Even without jealousy, Lu Ming couldn’t help but feel a sense of wistfulness.

「At the foot of Tianshan Mountain.」

The cultivators of the Five Great Sects, whether powerful cultivators of the Spirit Sea Realm or Qi Gathering Disciples, all had their eyes fixed on Shen Mo.

”In past Tianshan Grand Ceremonies, there was a rising prodigy who climbed to the 723rd step!”

I wonder, can Junior Brother Shen break this record?

Many disciples of the Riverside Sect were already celebrating in advance. They believed Shen Mo would secure the top spot, locking in first place for the Riverside Sect among the immortal sects.

Amid their excitement, many harbored a quiet hope.

They hoped that this Junior Brother Shen could create another miracle and break the record for climbing Tianshan Mountain!

”Dream on! Back then, Fairy Pei Yu was a celestial wonder, the likes of whom appear only once in decades. No matter how outstanding your Riverside Sect disciple is, how can he compare to Fairy Pei Yu?”

”Indeed, although my Profound Moon School has performed poorly this time, we have the precedent of a true gem in Fairy Pei Yu. In the future, we might just produce another like her!”

”Looking at this fellow’s current state, it would be a struggle for him to even reach the 680th step!”

Naturally, those who jeered were the elite disciples from the other Four Great Sects.

Many of them had participated in previous Tianshan Grand Ceremonies.

They knew very well how difficult it was to climb even one more step after the 600th...

They had seen Shen Mo single-handedly defeat all the newly-risen prodigies of the various sects. Even so, they didn’t believe he could reach the height of 723 steps, as Fairy Pei Yu once had.

The disciples of the Riverside Sect naturally retorted, but no one questioned Fairy Pei Yu’s achievements!

About thirty years ago, Heavenly Demons still ravaged the Red Flame Country.

Fairy Pei Yu emerged!

With her unparalleled Dao Body, a talent seen only once in a century, she decisively swept aside the prodigies of the other immortal sects at that Tianshan Grand Ceremony.

As a woman, she commanded the respect of countless men.

Then, she steadily climbed the heights of Tianshan Mountain!

Only when she stepped onto the 723rd stone step did she finally stop.

Her presence.

Her achievements.

They stunned everyone!

Keep in mind that before her, for decades, hundreds of prodigies from the immortal sects had failed to surpass the 700th step of Tianshan Mountain!

She was truly unprecedented.

And in the thirty years that followed, even those of astonishing talent who reached the 700th step never managed to climb more than ten additional steps.

One could say, no one since has matched her feat!

Therefore, Fairy Pei Yu is universally recognized by the Five Great Sects as the most exceptional genius of the Red Flame Country in nearly a hundred years!

It was even rumored that in the early stages of the Qi Gathering Realm, she could slay a peak Class II Heavenly Demon.

In the following five years, Fairy Pei Yu successfully advanced to Layer IX of the Qi Gathering Realm. Her strength became so great that she could contend with an early-stage Class III Big Heavenly Demon.

Tragically, her genius was short-lived!

She didn’t live to see the Heavenly Demon Path close five years later.

She perished in the final Demon Tide and never returned!

Therefore, don’t be fooled by Profound Moon School’s poor performance this year.

Thirty years ago, its disciples carried themselves with immense pride, often looking down on others.

Zhao Lingyin, standing with the elite disciples of the Riverside Sect, naturally heard their arguments.

Looking up at Shen Mo again, her eyes, gleaming with excitement, also held a hint of anticipation and nervousness.

Zhao Lingyin felt her current mood was akin to successfully refining a batch of Dragon Tiger Formless Pills: she knew she had successfully created a Grade IV Elixir and was incredibly overjoyed. However, until the furnace was opened, she wouldn’t know the elixir’s quality—whether it was flawed or superior. Thus, her joy was tinged with suspense.

Seeing her like this, many of her male senior martial brothers couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy.

They wished they could storm up Tianshan Mountain, drag that fellow Shen Mo down, and take his place.

「As for Shen Mo on Tianshan Mountain.」

He was unaware that his every step captivated the hearts of everyone below the mountain.

My mana is exhausted!

His feet stomped heavily on the stone steps, kicking up wisps of sword Qi that swirled around his legs.

Due to millennia of being scoured by sword Qi, each stone step was as hard as spirit gold.

Over eons, they had even absorbed traces of the True Intention of the Heavenly Monarch’s Sword Path.

They were ideal materials for forging Flying Swords.

If one could chisel off even a piece, it would undoubtedly fetch a high price!

Of course, anyone who dared to damage the stone steps on Tianshan Mountain would have to be prepared to be blacklisted and hunted down by the Five Great Sects.

It’s time for Senior Sister Lingyin’s Dragon Tiger Formless Pill.

Shen Mo’s movements seemed extremely strenuous, yet he was incredibly determined!

He opened his Universe Bag, took a Dragon Tiger Formless Pill from the jade box, and placed it in his mouth.

As the Elixir dissolved in his stomach, a warm current surged through his limbs, Qi Sea, and Chakras. Its medicinal efficacy continuously converted into mana, replenishing Shen Mo’s depleted Dantian.

The spiritual fatigue from the climb was also soothed and nourished.

Shen Mo felt his spirits lift, and he continued his ascent!

One step!

Two steps!

Three steps!

The six hundred and sixty-first step.

The six hundred and sixty-second step.

The six hundred and sixty-third step.

...

At this moment, it wasn’t just Zhao Lingyin, nor just the disciples of the immortal sects on the flat ground below.

Even the numerous Spirit Sea Realm experts on the suspended stone platform held their breath, their eyes fixed unblinkingly on the solitary figure struggling up Tianshan Mountain!

The six hundred and ninety-ninth step.

The seven hundredth step!

An uproar suddenly broke out!

The elite disciples on the flat ground below erupted instantaneously.

”The seven hundredth step... He actually climbed to the seven hundredth step!” Elder Huang Changqing’s face quivered with excitement.

Years ago, he had been one of the elders leading the Riverside Sect’s team.

He had personally witnessed Fairy Pei Yu of the Profound Moon School ascend to the seven hundred and twenty-third step of Tianshan Mountain.

「Now.」

Elder Huang felt as if he were vaguely witnessing that unparalleled presence once more!