The First Immortal of Destiny

Yuan Heming, Yuan Jing, and Chen Mengze, the three Golden Core Realm figures, each had their respective duties.

However, Zhou Zhiwei, the former patriarch of the original sect, had no interest in the positions of Deputy Sect Master or Peak Master. He chose to become a Purple Robe Elder, content with a life of leisure.

Shen Mo would not treat such a founding figure of the sect poorly. Both his monthly stipend and esteemed status were identical to those of the original Supreme Elders of the Riverside Sect. Similarly, other Purple Robe Elders—whether they were Golden Core Realm cultivators from immortal sects, rogue cultivators, Demon Kings from the Marine Race, or Spirit Sea Realm cultivators who had advanced through seniority or meritorious service—all received exceedingly generous treatment.

As for the four main peaks—Heaven Sword Peak, Profound Moon Peak, Ghost Corpse Peak, and Seven Stars Peak—the positions of Peak Master were filled by Golden Core Realm cultivators from the original Four Great Sects.

The Peak Master of Heaven Sword Peak was Xu Liang.

The Peak Master of Profound Moon Peak was Feng Wushuang.

The Peak Master of Ghost Corpse Peak was Thunder Corpse Master.

The Peak Master of Seven Stars Peak was Li Chouniu.

Xu Liang was the Senior Brother of Situ Huo, the former Sect Master of the Heaven Sword Sect, and the Master of the Dustless Sword Master. His proficiency in the Sword Path was inferior to Situ Huo’s. However, his cultivation Realm was significantly higher, making him a late-stage Golden Core Realm powerhouse.

Originally, Shen Mo had intended to appoint him as the Deputy Sect Master of the Red Flame Sect, representing both the Heaven Sword Sect and, by extension, the Four Great Sects. However, Xu Liang graciously declined. Along with two other Golden Core Realm cultivators from the Heaven Sword Sect, he strongly recommended Situ Huo for the role, arguing that Situ Huo, having managed the Heaven Sword Sect for many years, possessed greater experience in handling sect affairs.

Consequently, Situ Huo became the Deputy Sect Master of the Red Flame Sect, while Xu Liang became the Peak Master of the Red Flame Sect’s Heaven Sword Peak.

Feng Wushuang, a mid-stage Golden Core Realm cultivator, was the de facto controller of the Illusionary Mirror and the grandmaster of Fairy Pei Yu.

Decades ago, she had invested several times more effort into Fairy Pei Yu’s development than even Fairy Pei Yu’s own Master had.

Therefore, when Feng Wushuang learned that Shen Mo had slain the Heavenly Demon responsible for Demon-corrupting Fairy Pei Yu, she was profoundly moved, choking back sobs. She implored Shen Mo to disperse the Demon Soul General known as ”Fairy Pei Yu,” as she could not bear the thought of Fairy Pei Yu’s soul and body being controlled by another.

Shen Mo frankly explained that preserving the ”Fairy Pei Yu” Demon Soul General might one day allow for the reconstruction of her Soul Body.

Only then did Feng Wushuang relent.

Shen Mo had not deceived her with empty words. The path of cultivation was one of transforming the impossible into the possible. If such a day truly arrived, reconstructing a True Spirit for Fairy Pei Yu would not be out of the realm of possibility.

However, even Shen Mo himself was uncertain if he could ever reach such a supreme, profound, and true ultimate state in his lifetime.

Thunder Corpse Master was a mid-stage Golden Core Realm cultivator. His Destined Ghoul had possessed a Thunder Body in life and had cultivated to the peak of the Golden Core Realm.

Through many years of his ritualistic refinements, the Thunder Corpse had attained power comparable to that of a late-stage Golden Core Realm entity. If Thunder Corpse Master were to engage in a Magic Duel with Xu Liang of the Heaven Sword Sect, the outcome would be uncertain.

However, a Ghoul was, ultimately, a tool for Magic Duels. It was akin to Profound Moon Peak’s Illusionary Mirror or Heaven Sword Peak’s Xianluan Sword, rather than a reflection of Thunder Corpse Master’s personal cultivation Realm. Thus, he was ineligible for the position of Deputy Sect Master of the Red Flame Sect and could only humbly accept the role of Peak Master of Ghost Corpse Peak.

Li Chouniu was a mid-stage Golden Core Realm cultivator. His Spells were exceptionally potent. It was under his direction that the Seven Stars Altar had been established to cast a curse that damaged a toe bone of the Evil Monarch Lin Zhaozai.

Do not dismiss this achievement as minor. You must understand that Lin Zhaozai, as an enlightened Heavenly Monarch, possessed immense resistance to unconventional powers and had, at his peak, cultivated to the late-stage of the Divine Bridge Realm.

Ordinary Spells could not harm such an individual; merely attempting to cast one would result in a backlash against the caster.

Of course, with cultivation methods like the Reverse Dragon Curse and the Great Sun Tathagata Heart Scripture, and Skills like Immunity and Crystal Brahma Flame protecting him, the current Shen Mo would hardly be harmed even if Li Chouniu set up an altar and cursed him face-to-face.

If Li Chouniu were to achieve the Heavenly Monarch Realm through the Path of Curse, he might then be capable of cursing and killing the present Shen Mo.

Beyond these four main peaks, there was also the Myriad Phenomenon lineage, which had gathered a large number of smaller immortal sects and rogue cultivators. Its Peak Master was Shen Mo’s ”old acquaintance,” Prince Yongzuo.

After the cataclysmic changes in the world, the Five Great Sects had completely lost their grip on the Red Flame Zone. Furthermore, the emergence of numerous forbidden lands brought with them a variety of new cultivation resources. This led to the rise of several new Golden Core Realm cultivators in the Red Flame Zone, Prince Yongzuo being one of them.

Theoretically, his Lifespan should have been exhausted long ago. However, he had refined his burial Underground Palace into a magic treasure and, using a Secret Technique, transformed himself into an existence akin to an Artifact Spirit, thereby extending his life to the present day.

The benefit was that he gained longevity. The drawback was that he became trapped within the Underground Palace magic treasure, unable to leave it by even half a step.

When he paid respects to Shen Mo, interacted with others, or managed affairs within his peak, he relied on a Standing to move about externally, while his Dao Body remained buried deep beneath Myriad Phenomenon Peak.

It went without saying that Ming Yu, the Master of Ascending Lake, shared a profound connection with Shen Mo.

The remaining Golden Core Realm cultivators were respectively appointed to auxiliary positions within the nine peaks and one lake, or as Hall Masters and Purple Robe Elders.

High-ranking members from the Four Great Sects, experts from smaller sects, and rogue cultivators all received their respective positions or were designated as Red Robe or Yellow Robe Elders. The elders from the former Five Great Sects and other Spirit Sea Realm cultivators obtained the status of Yellow, Green, or Blue Robe Elders.

Those below the Spirit Sea Realm, unless they had no hope of ever opening their Spirit Sea and could serve as sect Deacons, were all classified as inner or outer disciples.

The selection and assessment of core disciples, Elite Disciples of the nine peaks and one lake, and inner and outer disciples all followed the established precedents of the Riverside Sect, with only minor adjustments and no significant alterations.

There was one more point: originally, regardless of their status or cultivation Realm, members of the Riverside Sect would receive supplemental monthly wages and merits from the sect.

After all, Shen Mo ultimately hailed from the Riverside Sect, and he felt it necessary to provide this consideration.

However, this supplement would gradually diminish over time until it was eventually discontinued. Even the grace of a Heavenly Monarch is said to end after three generations, a period of roughly a Sixty Year Cycle.

This approach both showed consideration for the original members of the Riverside Sect and avoided planting seeds of internal division.

As for the billions of mortals and hundreds of millions of creatures from the Marine Race who had migrated into the Fairyland, everything remained as before. The Dungeons, fragments of forbidden lands, and cave paradises integrated into the Green Cloud Cave, along with mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes relocated from various parts of the Red Flame Zone—including diverse flora, fauna like Vermilion Scaled Feathered Beings, and insects—had transformed most areas within the Fairyland to resemble the native Red Flame Zone.

This was sufficient to accommodate the billions of mortals and Marine Race creatures, allowing them to thrive and multiply, and also adequate for millions of cultivators to practice their cultivation and hone their skills.

There was one key difference: although secular government offices were preserved, disciples of the Red Flame Sect would be dispatched to assist in their management. This was similar to the former integration of the Defense Division and government offices, all under the jurisdiction of the Dust Hall.

For the Sect Disciples tasked with overseeing the mortal realm, this also served as a form of training.

Of course, because this place was Shen Mo’s Fairyland, a blessed land, it was highly unlikely that uncontrollable evil cultivators or demonic beasts would appear. The duties of disciples venturing down from the mountains for experience shifted from ”Slaying Demons and Eliminating Devils” to ”shepherding all people under Heaven on behalf of the Heavenly Monarch,” enabling them to live and work in peace and contentment, and to bear more children with the Talent for cultivation.

If they wished to engage in ”Slaying Demons and Eliminating Devils,” they could venture to the Demon Zone in the northwest corner of the Green Cloud Cave. That area teemed with ferocious demonic beasts, as well as a large number of captive Outer Zone Demons.