The First Immortal of Destiny

The Heaven Sword Sect lacked the ruthlessness to destroy the magic sword of their Main Peak, so they dispatched their Sect Disciples to other immortal sects, seeking external assistance and methods to deal with the disruptive Water Ghost!

Currently, Shen Mo possessed the highest cultivation level in the Riverside Sect. This was why the sect had sent Jiang Yingying and the Yuxin Sword Master, both of whom were old acquaintances of his.

The former needs no further introduction.

As for the Yuxin Sword Master, Shen Mo had once fought alongside him in the Southern Poison Zone against the Corpse Spirit of a Heavenly Monarch!

I am planning to go on a journey anyway, Shen Mo thought. I might as well take a detour to Jing State and see if I can help the Heaven Sword Sect eliminate this menace.

Shen Mo possessed the Uncommon Victory Skill and the Demon-Suppressing Tower. If even he could do nothing about the Water Ghost in the Sword Washing Pool, then the Heaven Sword Sect truly had no need to continue seeking assistance. Their only option would be to destroy the magic sword of their Main Peak!

At a previous high-level meeting of the Riverside Sect, Jiang Yingying had not received a definitive answer, and a heavy stone had since weighed upon her heart.

Now, suddenly hearing Shen Mo agree, immense joy and gratitude surged through her. She quickly put down her chopsticks and wine cup, rose, and thanked Shen Mo.

「Three days later」

The Evil-eating Centipede, carrying Shen Mo, Jiang Yingying, Yuxin Sword Master, and others, appeared in the Jiuye Mountain Range of Jing State, where the Heaven Sword Sect was located.

Dustless Sword Master, Meng Sanchi, and other current high-ranking members of the Heaven Sword Sect were already waiting respectfully at the main entrance. They had even instructed their disciples to command their Flying Swords to form a ten-mile sword path, welcoming Shen Mo into the mountain gate with the highest honors!

Shen Mo first went to a secret chamber to visit the Heaven Sword Sect’s four Golden Core Patriarchs.

They indeed looked quite wretched, like mummies desiccated in a desert for hundreds of years, utterly drained of moisture. The slightest movement caused their bodies to CREAK.

Even though they relied on the power of elixirs to maintain their vitality and cultivation, they endured agonizing torture every moment!

”Fellow Daoist Shen, normally, given our current appearance, it would be inappropriate for us to meet esteemed guests,” one of them conveyed.

”However, since you, Fellow Daoist Shen, and other fellow daoists have come with such sincere enthusiasm to help our Heaven Sword Sect exterminate the Evil Spirit, we cannot repay kindness with ingratitude and endanger you all, our comrades!”

”If, after encountering the Water Ghost, you still cannot expel or annihilate it, the best outcome for you would be to end up like us. Otherwise, you might inexplicably drown under a variety of strange circumstances...”

”You will need to wait until the Heaven Sword Sect makes its final decision to completely destroy the Xianluan Sword. Only then might you be free from the harm of that demonic power. However, it is also possible that even if the sword is destroyed, the Water Ghost evil spirit will not be truly exterminated.”

”Before you act to exorcise this evil, Fellow Daoist Shen, please consider it thoroughly!”

”If you are not absolutely certain... please leave now. We will not hold any grudges. Instead, we will prepare generous gifts to show our heartfelt appreciation for your sincere goodwill.”

The one communicating with Shen Mo via Divine Sense was Situ Huo, the former Sect Master of the Heaven Sword Sect.

Not long after the world underwent a dramatic change, he had formed a Golden Core, stepped down as Sect Master, and was promoted to Supreme Elder, the Heaven Sword Master.

Because all blood and moisture had been drained from his body, even speaking was extremely difficult. Therefore, he could only use sense to transmit sounds and thoughts.

Shen Mo had long heard of this previous Sect Master of the Heaven Sword Sect by reputation, even back when he himself was still insignificant.

During the height of the demonic catastrophe a century ago, Situ Huo had experienced an epiphany on a brutal battlefield, reaching the transcendent realm of Godlike Swordplay. Afterwards, with a single sword strike, he had annihilated a hundred thousand Heavenly Demons.

At that time, his fame and prestige were immense, far surpassing even Fairy Pei Yu!

He was also the only expert in the Red Flame Zone, aside from Shen Mo himself, known to have cultivated their Sword Path cultivation method to the Epic level.

”Fellow Daoist Situ, you need not worry,” Shen Mo reassured him. ”Since I have accepted this task, I naturally have the means to deal with that Evil Spirit!”

Shen Mo offered a few words of comfort to Situ Huo. Then, surrounded by Dustless Sword Master, Yuxin Sword Master, Meng Sanchi, Jiang Yingying, and other high-ranking members of the Heaven Sword Sect, he ascended the Xianluan Sword Main Peak.

When they reached the entrance of the cave where the Sword Washing Pool was located, all the Heaven Sword Sect disciples halted.

Only Dustless Sword Master, as previously arranged, continued to lead Shen Mo toward the Sword Washing Pool. He had initially intended to stay and accompany Shen Mo in exterminating the Water Ghost evil spirit, but Shen Mo, with a sweep of his sleeve, forcibly sent him out of the cave.

”Just wait outside for my good news!” Shen Mo instructed casually.

As the concerned party that had invited powerful reinforcements to handle an extremely bizarre and perilous crisis, the Heaven Sword Sect naturally couldn’t completely stand aside. Hence, Dustless Sword Master had prepared to stay.

However, Shen Mo didn’t much care about such formalities.

Dustless Sword Master lacked the means to expel or annihilate the Evil Spirit; his presence would be of little use and might even prove a hindrance.

Moreover, Shen Mo had once won Heaven Sword Sect’s ”Sacrificial One Sword” from Dustless Sword Master in a wager. A bond had been formed due to that, so there was no need to let him take the risk of accompanying him!

Other cultivators who had come to assist, such as the Golden Core experts from Seven Stars Altar, Profound Moon School, and Ghost Corpse School, had mostly abandoned any thought of attempting after seeing Situ Huo and the others.

The only exception was Patriarch Gold Corpse Master of the Ghost Corpse School. His original Dao Body had been destroyed in a bloody battle with a Class IV Big Heavenly Demon, and he now resided within his own gold-armored ghoul. Since this ”Dao Body” was a ghoul, it did not fear the strange power of the Water Ghost evil spirit. Thus, he had waited at the Sword Washing Pool and confronted the Water Ghost.

Unfortunately, despite exhausting all his methods, Gold Corpse Master ultimately failed to expel or annihilate the evil spirit here and could only leave the Heaven Sword Sect resentfully.

Now, Shen Mo was the only one in the cave housing the Sword Washing Pool.

I’m curious to see, he thought, how does this Water Ghost of the Sword Washing Pool compare in strength to the evil spirits of the Suspended Fairy Mountain and the Heaven Patrolling Boat?

Shen Mo sat cross-legged beside the Sword Washing Pool, the Taiyi Sword resting horizontally on his knees. He had activated his two Destinies, [Danger Perception] and [Uncommon Victory], and stared unblinkingly at the pool of water before him.

The Sword Washing Pool covered about five acres—not excessively large, yet not small.

The water continuously gushing from the central springhead, along with the outflowing mountain streams, collectively formed the intricate patterns of a magic artifact. These patterns permeated the interior of the entire Main Peak magic sword, acting as the artifact’s crucial core.

Merely altering the Sword Washing Pool’s appearance slightly would greatly impact the Xianluan Sword’s power.

If it were completely destroyed, this exotic treasure—which served as both the Heaven Sword Sect’s Main Peak and a Flying Sword—would be damaged and rendered useless. The only recourse then would be to salvage some spirit gold deposits from its remains for forging.

Moss grew all around the pool, alongside jade stones used for sharpening swords.

Sunlight streamed in from the cave entrance, offering a clear view of the pool’s bottom. Clear spring water bubbled up from below, washing over and churning the fine sword fragments submerged within. This created a mesmerizing, dream-like shimmer of iridescent colors.

After sitting still for a moment and seeing no sign of the Water Ghost, Shen Mo couldn’t resist picking up his Taiyi Sword and carefully whetting its blade on a jade sharpening stone.

Accompanied by the rhythmic WHISHING of the blade on the stone, Shen Mo felt an inner calm, his Sword Heart growing somewhat clearer.

However, the Heaven Sword Sect had prepared this Sword Washing Pool for disciples below the Golden Core Realm. Furthermore, Shen Mo had already cultivated pure Sword Intent and condensed his Carefree Sword Heart, so the benefits for him were negligible.

Just then, a LOUD SPLASHING sound suddenly echoed from the pool water...

An indescribable, eerie figure materialized out of thin air in the Sword Washing Pool!