The First Immortal of Destiny

At the end of the day, the Taiyi Sword was ultimately a weapon! And the most significant purpose of a weapon was to be held in hand, used to slay demons and enemies. Even if the Taiyi Sword had developed a Sword Spirit and embarked on the path of cultivation, this inherent nature could not be changed. If it wished to continue evolving, it could only pin its hopes on its master, relying on the master’s great killings to continually grow!

After its former master, the first patriarch of the Sword Alliance, passed away, the Taiyi Sword Spirit did not dissipate, but its rank also remained at the top-grade spiritual level, unable to evolve further into the treasured level.

Shen Mo’s persuasion struck right at its weak points.

The Taiyi Sword Spirit remained silent for a while, then resounded with a humming and Divine Sense, ”My former master was a Heavenly Monarch of the Divine Bridge Realm. What qualifications do you have to tame me?”

”Senior Gu Song had profound cultivation, and at this moment, I am naturally far inferior to him.”

”However, I, Shen, have only cultivated for a few short decades, yet I have already stepped into the middle-stage of the Golden Core Realm, and my combat strength is not inferior to anyone below the peak of the Golden Core Realm! Give me another few decades, and it would not be impossible for me to establish the Divine Bridge and ascend to the ranks of Heavenly Monarch.”

”Moreover, not to mention cultivation realms, merely based on the Sword Path, there are few in the world who can compete with me!”

Shen Mo was not bragging. With his Proficiency in the Sword Path at that time, even the living Heavenly Monarchs in the Heaven Patrolling Temple, unless they had specialized in the Sword Path, probably could not have matched him.

Setting aside the Carefree Sword Heart and Sword Path Skills for now, just based on his mastery of the *All-Encompassing Sword Canon*, he had reached the Epic level. Other cultivators could only compete with him if they practiced martial arts and cultivation methods far superior to the *All-Encompassing Sword Canon* and cultivated them to Perfection…

But, where in the world were there so many divine magic and powerful skills, and where were there so many Sword Path geniuses?

Take, for example, Gu Song, the first patriarch of the Taiyi Sword Alliance. He was a man of outstanding abilities who, after achieving success in cultivation, founded the Sword Alliance, an immortal sect renowned for its Sword Path!

And his Proficiency in the Sword Path could be glimpsed from his Lifebound Magical Artifact, the Taiyi Sword.

Just as the Demon Slaying Sword Spirit had comprehended all of Shen Mo’s swordplay, the Taiyi Sword Spirit also had mastery over all of Gu Song’s sword arts and techniques, with a proficiency as deep as Gu Song’s own.

That is to say, while Senior Gu Song had been alive, he had practiced hundreds of types of Sword Path cultivation methods;

Of these, three types of swordplay had reached the ’Transcendence’ level, five had reached the ’Reaching the Peak’ level, and the rest had all reached the ’Integration’ level!

However, because he had come from humble beginnings, the majority of his swordplay techniques were subpar;

Those eight types of swordplay that surpassed the ’Integration’ level were all of profound level, with none reaching the spiritual level!

It was not until he achieved the status of Heavenly Monarch that he compiled the essence of the profound-level Sword Path cultivation methods and created a middle-grade spiritual-level cultivation method, which he also brought to the Perfection stage.

The spiritual-level Sword Path cultivation methods currently possessed by the Taiyi Sword Alliance are the result of countless Sword Path geniuses over two to three thousand years, innovating and continuously improving upon the foundation of Gu Song’s legacy!

Similarly, the *All-Encompassing Sword Canon* was only a profound-level type of swordplay when it was first created;

But it had lofty aspirations. Through the efforts of generations of Riverside Sect disciples who practiced and refined it, it gradually evolved and transformed into a spiritual-level cultivation method.

With the new sword moves created by Shen Mo, its grade had already surpassed ordinary low-grade spiritual-level cultivation methods. Once [Martial Performance] was used to derive it, it could be elevated to the middle-grade or even high-grade level, benefiting future generations!

By this reckoning, the Proficiency in the Sword Path of Gu Song, the first patriarch of the Sword Alliance, and his Sword Spirit, was roughly on par with Shen Mo’s.

Thus, among the living Heavenly Monarchs in the Divine Bridge Realm, how many could truly surpass Shen Mo in the Sword Path?

The Taiyi Sword Spirit seemed somewhat moved. The sword body ceased its collisions with The Big Dipper Array, hovering quietly within the formation as if lost in thought.

After a moment, it transmitted its thoughts back: ”Although I was defeated by you previously, I am still utterly unconvinced in my heart!”

”You had a powerful Spirit Pet to aid you. It not only wore down my first layer of sword Qi but also used a potent poison to defile my sword body, causing me to lose my peak sharpness. Furthermore, you sacrificed your Origin Power using a Secret Technique, which enabled you to wound me in a single strike.”

”If you want me to be truly convinced, we must compete again!”

”This time, we will compete solely on the merits of our Sword Path. If you lose, you must let me go. If you win… what harm is there in acknowledging you as my master?”

Hearing the Taiyi Sword Spirit’s challenge, Shen Mo smiled faintly and readily agreed to its request.

However, he did not act personally. Instead, he opened his mouth and expelled a sharp sword light. As the light receded, the Demon Slaying Sword appeared before him.

”This sword is my Lifebound Magical Artifact and has also developed gnosis. Its proficiency in the Sword Path is comparable to my own!”

”You are both Spirit Swords, so a duel between you would indeed be fair…”

”However, you are ultimately a Supreme Spirit Sword. The solidity and sharpness of your sword body far surpass that of the magic sword I possess. Therefore, I must establish three conditions with you.”

”First, in this confrontation, your sword bodies must not collide. The contest will be decided by swordplay alone.”

”Second…”

After Shen Mo had finished stating all the conditions, the tip of the Taiyi Sword trembled slightly, as if nodding, and mentally conveyed its agreement to his terms.

The next instant, Shen Mo, along with the Demon Slaying Sword, The Big Dipper Array, and the Taiyi Sword within the array, vanished from the Cultivation Room. When he reappeared, he was already tens of thousands of feet high in the sky above his temporary mansion.

”The Big Dipper Array, Conversion!”

Shen Mo chanted an incantation for the seal, his fingers forming a sword technique as he pointed towards the Sword Array. Instantly, the array, which had originally covered an area of several feet, expanded dramatically, enveloping a space hundreds of miles in all directions.

This was the battlefield Shen Mo had designated for the two Spirit Swords. It was not surprising that he was being so cautious…

If the Taiyi Sword were to escape the Sword Array and transform into a streak of light to flee, he might not be able to catch it.

Once it managed to hide back within the Taiyi Sword Alliance, protected by their Mountain Protection Array, Shen Mo could only lament helplessly!

”Go! Show your fellow senior Spirit Sword what you’re made of. Dull its sharpness a bit.”

Shen Mo flicked the Demon Slaying Sword with his finger. Amidst its ringing cry filled with surging battle intent, he sent it into The Big Dipper Array.

BUZZ!

As soon as the Demon Slaying Sword entered the battlefield, a sky-piercing sword intent erupted from it. Profound, majestic, and irresistibly sharp Reincarnation Sword Qi slashed towards the Taiyi Sword.

The Taiyi Sword, in turn, unleashed terrifying sword light, meeting the fearsome assault of its younger kin!

...

That day, above the Hidden Phoenix Mountain Range, where numerous temporary mansions and cave mansions were located, dazzling sword lights continuously flared, and the faint sound of clashing metal, like stone striking gold, drifted down.

The many high-class cultivators residing there felt a constant sense of unease.

It was as if two razor-sharp treasured swords hovered above their heads, ready to fall at any moment. It also felt as if two supreme Sword Path experts were recklessly unleashing terrifying sword moves in an unending collision…

Some could not bear it any longer. They activated their escaping lights and flew to the Ninth Heaven. However, upon seeing the handsome figure in the sky, their expressions changed drastically in fright. After offering a hasty apology, they scrambled back to the ground.

「Not long after.」

All the cultivators in the Hidden Phoenix Mountain Range soon learned that the celestial anomaly was Shen Qingyun, the newly appointed alien minister of the Ancient Vine Sect, practicing his techniques. None dared to utter another word of complaint!

This commotion persisted for several days before gradually subsiding into silence.

Shen Mo then returned to the Cultivation Room with the Demon Slaying Sword and the Taiyi Sword. In this contest, the two Spirit Swords had fought to a standstill, ultimately ending with the Taiyi Sword voluntarily conceding defeat.