The First Immortal of Destiny

”Aside from the anomaly in Spiritual Qi, this place doesn’t seem to be much different from the Outer Realm!” mumbled Peng Leyao as she put her magic sword away.

Not only her, but Shen Mo and the other five people shared the same initial reaction.

The Turbid Qi here was slightly denser, but it did not hinder everyone’s recovery of their True Yuan.

The blood-red land was populated by various kinds of flora and fauna. While the appearances of the snakes, insects, birds, and animals were strange, they were able to procreate normally. Occasionally, a few exotic demonic beasts could be found. Their bodies pulsated with demonic power mixed with the bloody stench of Bloody Fiend, but aside from being more savage, there was nothing else unusual!

However, shortly after the Fleeting Boat had traveled hundreds of miles, the sky suddenly darkened.

While the magic ship still floated above the clouds, an even higher, thick layer of ominous dark gray clouds, tinged with an unsettling dark red, enshrouded the sky.

The origin and cause of these black and red clouds remained unknown.

They abruptly obscured the heavens, forming a thick cloud layer that anyone wishing to leave the ancient battlefield of immortals and demons would have to pass through.

”BOOM!”

Violet-black lightning, akin to an electrical serpent, exploded within the mass of clouds.

Even Shen Mo, who had attained the Golden Core Realm, felt his heart pound due to this lightning. Its power was evidently much fiercer than anything found in the Outer Realm.

If one were struck by this bolt of lightning, unless the cultivator possessed a Thunder Body, they would be severely injured if not killed!

Lady Scarlet also sensed the terror of the violet-black lightning. Without uttering a single word, she guided the Fleeting Boat to descend continuously, to avoid attracting lightning strikes and encountering an unwarranted catastrophe.

As the magic ship descended, Shen Mo’s five senses detected several Spirit Sea Realm cultivators who had just entered the ancient battlefield from the Outer Realm.

The entrances and exits to the ancient battlefield of immortals and demons were all located in the Ninth Heaven, but they were distinctly different from portals as commonly understood.

When entering, one would generally be above the clouds, beneath the outer void. However, to leave, one had to escape beyond the Ninth Heaven, heading directly towards the deep void. Although one could eventually leave, when and where they would finally escape relied purely on luck!

Therefore, the few Spirit Sea Realm cultivators within Shen Mo’s sensory range had a run of terrible luck.

Just as they had entered the ancient battlefield, they were engulfed by the terrifying violet-black lightning...

If they wanted to descend, their escape speed couldn’t possibly outpace the thunder and lightning; if they attempted to fly upwards to escape the ancient battlefield, the dense cloud layer filled with lightning would still stand in their way.

Thus, these Spirit Sea Realm cultivators unanimously chose the former, plummeting towards the surface at their fastest escape speed!

”BOOM!”

Another bolt of lightning exploded in the sky. A flash of violet-black light burst across Shen Mo’s vision, causing a slight, sharp pain in his Mind Sea. He immediately activated Soul Magic to protect his shaken soul.

As his five senses returned to normal, the figures of the several Spirit Sea Realm cultivators, who had been in different locations within his sensory range, had vanished completely.

Only a few wisps of black smoke lingered where they were last seen, slowly dispersing. It was evident they had been struck by the violet-black thunderbolt and turned into dust, with not even remains left!

At that very moment, more figures appeared—cultivators who had also just entered from the Outer Realm.

However, Shen Mo no longer had the leisure to worry about their fate. His [Chanjue] Destiny began to frantically alert him of an approaching danger.

”Cast your defenses quickly! Lightning is about to strike!” Shen Mo sent a Divine Sense message to Lady Scarlet and the others on the Fleeting Boat, warning them.

At the same time, he brought forth the Green Cloud Umbrella.

Pouring his True Yuan continuously into it, he erected a spirit light shield.

His hands didn’t stop moving, repeatedly casting the Wall Palm, setting up layers of protective barriers outside the Green Cloud Umbrella!

Lady Scarlet, Song Han, and the others, upon hearing Shen Mo’s warning, were first startled. Then, they all deployed various measures—either bringing out magic treasures, employing magic, or activating talismans—weaving a complex and splendid protective web above the magic ship.

”BOOM!”

Just as everyone had set up their defenses, the thunderbolt struck down towards the Fleeting Boat.

Shen Mo’s Wall Palm bore the brunt of the attack. The Wall Water Badgers, shaped like copper walls and iron ramparts, let out mournful cries before collapsing and dissolving amidst the purple-black thunderbolt.

However, after being blocked by the Palm, the terrifying might of the thunderbolt was somewhat diminished and weakened.

Then, the purple-black thunderbolt, with irresistible force, annihilated the protective net laid down by Lady Scarlet and the others. Magic treasures exploded and melted, magic spells collapsed and dissipated, and talismans turned to ash!

All of this happened almost in the blink of an eye.

The thunderbolt, its power partially diminished, then struck the Green Cloud Umbrella.

Spirit light flashed on the surface of the umbrella, its mysterious patterns flowing incessantly. The naturally formed True Intention of the Cycle of Life and Death absorbed and transformed part of the destructive power, thus greatly enhancing its defensive capability.

CRACKLING!

The purple-black electric light burst and shattered, turning into smaller electric snakes. They writhed wildly on the surface of the umbrella before gradually fading away.

”Whew!”

Lady Scarlet patted her high chest and let out a long sigh of relief.

”This time, it was thanks to Shen’s early warning and for bringing out such a powerful defensive magic treasure,” she said.

”Otherwise, we all might have suffered substantial injuries!”

”Shen, how did you discern that the previous thunderbolt would strike us?” she asked.

Shen Mo, without closing the Green Cloud Umbrella and still holding its handle, used the [Spiritual Wisdom] Skill to enhance its spirituality.

Facing Lady Scarlet’s question, he smiled humbly and said, ”My five senses are sharper than ordinary people’s, so my perception of danger is clearer!”

However, in his heart, he found it strange that his [Chanjue] Destiny, which had foreshadowed this deadly peril, had given such a short warning this time. After careful consideration, he figured it must be related to the nature of the ”Thunderbolt’s Heavenly Might.” Before the purple-black thunderbolt formed in the thunderclouds, it could strike anywhere; it was entirely random, without any prior sign. Thus, even his [Chanjue] Destiny could not determine if this heavenly might would fall upon him. Only when the lightning took shape and their auras were locked onto did [Chanjue] sense the danger and immediately alert him! If this guess was correct, then in the future, when encountering crises that hovered between ”existence and non-existence,” he would have to be extremely vigilant to avoid being caught off guard.

Just as he was pondering this Special Destiny, it once again warned Shen Mo of impending danger!

This time, however, it was normal, giving Shen Mo enough time to react.

After the thunderbolt, a torrential rainstorm followed.

However, the rain that poured from the dark red clouds had a terrifyingly corrosive effect.

Shen Mo personally witnessed a lone Golden Core Realm expert, hundreds of miles away, being battered by the poisonous rain. All his defensive measures were corroded away. Finally, amidst tragic cries of agony, his Flesh and Blood peeled off, and his soul perished, leaving only a skeleton radiating a faint yellow glow.

Even this skeleton didn’t last for the duration of a breath before it rapidly decayed into muck, mixing with the mire on the ground.

Under the downpour, rocks and soil were corroded into a pitted mess. The original flowers, birds, fish, and insects instantly perished. The world fell into a deathly silence, leaving only the WHOOSHING sound of the rain.

What was even more troublesome was that the purple-black thunderbolt and the corrosive torrential rain covered an immeasurably vast area!