The First Immortal of Destiny

In the past, even for beings at the Golden Core Realm level, their weddings, birthdays, funerals, and other significant rituals would not stir up such huge waves!

However, the wedding ceremony between Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin was somewhat different.

The first reason was the timing. Only a little over three years had passed since the world-altering changes, and the situation in the entire Red Flame Zone had undergone a tremendous upheaval.

All forces, including the other Four Great Sects, were in urgent need of a venue to communicate with each other, discuss future development plans, and formulate a series of strategies to deal with the current situation.

Secondly, the main force of the Riverside Sect had just escaped its predicament not long ago, and the high-ranking members of the Five Great Sects had not yet had a chance to meet.

Finally, it was due to Shen Mo’s personal reasons.

To outsiders, he possessed formidable combat strength capable of contending with several Class IV great demons even before his Core Formation.

After forming his core, his strength surged. He must have entered the ranks of the strongest Human Cultivators in the Red Flame Zone. Additionally, he was terrifyingly young and might, in the future, be able to build the Divine Bridge and achieve the revered status of Heavenly Monarch!

Taking this opportunity to build a good relationship with him at this grand ceremony was certainly a justifiable move.

Thus, as the invitations were sent out one after another, the temporarily calm Red Flame Zone, which had experienced the great war between immortals and demons at Golden Light Ridge, was like a tranquil lake into which a small mountain had been cast; ripples spread out rapidly in circles.

Even when sound transmission methods and Teleportation Arrays were ineffective, it took little more than half a month for news to spread throughout the entire cultivation world of the Red Flame Country.

The first immortal sect to arrive was, naturally, the Seven Stars Altar from the same state.

They were followed by various Xiu Xian Forces from Yu State and the surrounding large states. Then came the Heaven Sword Sect, Ghost Corpse School, Profound Moon School, and other major immortal sects. After them were the relatively more distant immortal sects, such as the Five Poisons Cult and Black Fish Gang!

Immortal sects like the Seven Stars Altar and the other Four Great Sects were mostly led by Golden Core Realm powerhouses, who brought half of their sect’s high-ranking members and some Elite Disciples to Chong’a Mountain to attend the ceremony.

Other lesser forces also dispatched their own prominent figures, carrying Heavy Gifts to attend!

Three days before the grand ceremony, nearly four to five thousand guests had gathered at Chong’a Mountain.

If not for the tight schedule preventing many Xiu Xian Forces from rushing over, the number of guests coming to offer congratulations would likely have doubled.

During this auspicious time, Shen Mo found himself with little time to accompany Zhao Lingyin.

As prominent figures from various forces arrived one after another, he and the high-ranking members of the Riverside Sect spent almost every day in the newly built Longevity Hall, discussing various matters with them…

They discussed matters such as how to deal with creatures from the Outer Zone, forbidden lands, and Evil Spirits; the redistribution of industrial interests in various regions; and the restructuring of the Defense Division, among other things!

In a boudoir laid out much like Lake Heart Cottage, Jiang Lingfeng, Ming Yu, Yao Ting, and a bevy of other young women surrounded Zhao Lingyin, whose eyes were tinged with shyness, helping her with her makeup and to don the phoenix crown and offical robe.

”Junior Sister Lingyin was already a peerless beauty. After dressing up like this, I’m afraid even the fairy maidens in heaven would be too shy to look at you,” Jiang Lingfeng teased, immediately drawing agreement from the other young women.

Zhao Lingyin gazed into the Water light mirror. Seeing the beautiful figure in her phoenix crown and offical robe, her cloud-like hair, her face fair as snow and possessing an immortal beauty, the blush on her cheeks deepened!

The others’ praises were no empty words.

Her appearance and posture, even without adornment, were already transcendent and refined. The shyness of a bride-to-be added a different kind of charm to her.

Even if there were true fairy maidens in heaven, they would likely be outshone by her.

At this moment, ethereal and pleasant immortal music, carrying a festive air, drifted in from outside the house.

”The Shichen has arrived! Junior Sisters, let’s escort Junior Sister Lingyin out of her chambers.”

On this day, the sun and moon were in auspicious alignment, and all profound principles were manifest. The mountains and rivers radiated graceful beauty. Ming Zhu were born, and gold and jade were revealed. Grass and trees grew lush and flourishing; fragrant herbs vied in splendor, and auspicious Ganoderma bloomed. Flocks of Luan birds and phoenixes gathered, and propitious clouds stretched across the heavens!

At this time, upon the ever-lit Chong’a Mountain, treasured canopies adorned layered terraces, and the four seasons shone with bright beauty. Golden ewers held the wine of immortality; brilliant glass jugs stored elixirs of longevity. The peach trees were fragrant with blossoms that bloomed once in a thousand years, their precious cloud-essence fruits taking ten thousand years to ripen.

Snow-white cranes danced upon the steps, while spirit immortals sang and danced. Luan birds soared with emerald plumage, and colorfully-robed maidens played Xiao flutes. The Jade Pool welled with springs of sweet dew; jade trees were adorned with grains of celestial fragrance. Exquisite pavilions and belvederes dazzled with radiant light, while elegant halls and chambers seemed embroidered with mist and rosy clouds.

Drumbeats and music resonated like heavenly sounds; phoenix flutes and dragon Xiao pipes were played. Flying immortals played wind instruments and kept time with clappers. The Golden Crow (sun) and Jade Rabbit (moon) seemed to parade upon crystal platters, while jade horses and azure oxen leaped forth from gardens of Lingzhi.

All these marvelous spectacles, all these beautiful images, made Chong’a Mountain seem like a true paradise on earth!

An auspicious cloud supported a phoenix chariot, which slowly glided over. Standing on the chariot was a divinely matched couple. Their elegant grace and perfect union involuntarily drew gasps of admiration from all.

The ceremony for cultivators becoming Dao companions was much simpler than those of mortals.

But, ultimately, the core ritual of kowtowing to Heaven and Earth could not be avoided. First, they kowtowed to the Great Path; second, to Heaven and Earth; third, to parents and elders; fourth, to the ancestral masters of all generations; and fifth, to their Dao-aligned partner…

Zhao Lingyin was an orphan, and Shen Mo’s parents had passed away many years ago.

Therefore, during the segment for paying respects to the elders, Chen An, the Inner Door Deacon, and Wu Gong, an alien minister of the sect, received the bows in their stead.

Wu Gong was a Grade IV Alchemist. Under normal circumstances, even a Peak Master would treat him amiably, so he was quite composed in this situation, though his face was filled with sighs and emotion!

Chen An, however, was somewhat uneasy. If it were just Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin bowing to him in private, it wouldn’t be a significant issue. After all, he had watched Shen Mo grow up over the years, cared for him deeply, and treated him like a son or nephew. Even now, with Shen Mo being a Golden Core Realm expert, Chen An felt he could accept his bow. The problem is, all these prominent figures are watching! The sect’s other two Supreme Elders, Yuan Heming and Zhou Zhiwei, along with Peak Masters, Hall Masters, Elders—all of much higher status than me—and numerous Golden Core Realm and Spirit Sea Realm cultivators observing the ceremony... they are all standing, while I alone sit in the seat of honor. It’s immense pressure!

Of course, after this, not even the two patriarchs of the Riverside Sect would treat Chen An as an ordinary disciple, let alone other Elders and disciples.

That Chen An could stand in for Shen Mo’s parents under these circumstances and accept the reverent bows from him and Zhao Lingyin spoke volumes of his importance to Shen Mo.

If anyone, seeing Chen An as merely an Inner Door Deacon, were to slight him, they would most likely offend Shen Mo, this newly promoted Supreme Elder with profound cultivation level and extraordinary methods.

After kowtowing to Heaven and Earth, it was time to banquet the guests from all directions.

Course after course of delicious delicacies, platter after platter of fresh Spirit Fruit, and pot after pot of Jadescent Nectar were presented by the male and female disciples of the Riverside Sect who had been assigned the task.

Shen Mo, Zhao Lingyin, and others naturally sat with the Golden Core Realm experts and high-ranking members of the Five Great Sects.

Then, according to strength and status, the guests were seated in order, from nearest to farthest.

The nearer areas were occupied by Spirit Sea Realm Cultivators from the various forces. Seizing this rare opportunity, Spirit Sea Realm Cultivators continuously came forward to toast Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin.

At the furthest end sat the outer disciples of the Riverside Sect. Despite being seated farther away, their tables were amply supplied with various delicacies, fruits, and spiritual wines!