The First Immortal of Destiny

The immortal woman, whose name and Daoist title were unknown, had mentioned in the jade slip that she had a vendetta with Hallow Venerable. Yet she didn’t elaborate on the specifics of this grudge.

However, this still couldn’t dispel Shen Mo’s doubts.

I am, after all, a cultivator of the Divine Bridge Realm. While I am considered a figure of great prominence in the eyes of low-class cultivators, I am but an insignificant bug in the eyes of a True Immortal. My life or death holds no weight to such beings!

Therefore, why did she bother to rescue me from Hallow Venerable’s clutches, instead of simply looking on with indifference, as if watching an insect being crushed? In addition, she even handed me such a treasure, the True Immortal’s Finger.

Moreover, the jade slip mentioned that she had used her magical abilities to interfere with the senses of two True Immortals. The first was Hallow Venerable’s connection to his immortal finger. The second was the Master of Dragon Rearing Pool’s connection to Cao Ren, who had cultivated the [Transforming Dragon Curse].

This clearly shows she’s giving me special consideration; it’s not as simple as her just acting conveniently!

...

Since the unknown immortal woman didn’t elaborate on the reasons in the jade slip, Shen Mo could only speculate about her true intentions based on his ”limited perspective” and the known clues.

Hallow Venerable, a Demon True Immortal, is plotting against Five Dragon Mountain, perhaps even all the major mountains within its range. He’s fostering supporters in various places, rewarding them with valuable treasures, and using the experts under his command to conquer other factions and gather a large number of powerful individuals... It’s highly possible he aims to set up an even more formidable God Slaying Array and kill his True Immortal peers using blood sacrifice magic!

The unknown immortal woman bears a grudge against Hallow Venerable and rescued me just as I was about to be killed by him, bestowing a great kindness upon me. Could it be such a coincidence that this immortal woman is the very great enemy Hallow Venerable is trying so desperately to kill?

The more Shen Mo pondered, the more likely this seemed.

As fate would have it, he had disrupted Hallow Venerable’s plans for Five Dragon Mountain. Regardless of whether the impact on the overall scheme was large or small, it definitely had an impact.

This was evident from Hallow Venerable’s two attempts to target Shen Mo.

The first time, before this Demon True Immortal truly made his move, it was perceived by [Chanjue] Destiny. Shen Mo immediately used Sword Escape to forcefully teleport an immense distance, thus avoiding disaster. Afterwards, Hallow Venerable, still not giving up, sensed Shen Mo’s presence through means unknown to him when Shen Mo appeared near the majestic Immortal Mountain, and launched a second attack with the might of an Immortal.

This was enough to prove that Hallow Venerable indeed placed great importance on his plans for Five Dragon Mountain.

After Hallow Venerable truly made his move, the unknown immortal woman, who was a step behind him, also took action.

Even a True Immortal is not omniscient or omnipotent. Only by establishing a connection of Cause and Effect with the relevant matters can they deduce many key details...

The unknown immortal woman probably only understood the full cause and effect in the brief moment Hallow Venerable acted. She learned that Shen Mo was being attacked by this Demon True Immortal because he had disrupted the Five Dragon Mountain aspect of Hallow Venerable’s plans laid out *against her*.

That’s why she immediately saved Shen Mo, broke off one of Hallow Venerable’s fingers, and gave it to him as a ”greeting gift.”

Then, this immortal woman again took action to interfere with the perceptions of Hallow Venerable and the Master of Dragon Rearing Pool, two True Immortals. She helped Shen Mo resolve the hidden dangers related to True Immortals that he carried and was temporarily unable to resist, thereby bestowing a great favor upon him!

For Shen Mo, this could be considered sowing good seeds and reaping good fruit!

Furthermore, Shen Mo believed that such figures, standing high, could also see far... By bestowing favor upon him like this, perhaps she had seen his potential. So, she granted him this kindness early, planting a good seed, possibly hoping that one day, when he reached the True Immortal Realm, he would help her slay her great enemy, Hallow Venerable!

Of course, all of the above were merely Shen Mo’s conjectures.

The minds of mortal women are difficult to fathom, the minds of Immortals even more so; how much more inscrutable must an immortal woman be?

After pondering in place for a long while, Shen Mo decided to stop dwelling on the matter.

This majestic Immortal Mountain before me could very well be that immortal woman’s sanctum. I should find a place to settle down first. When my Realm improves in the future, sooner or later I’ll be able to make contact with such an existence and ask her personally about the reasons behind all this!

...

This mountain was known as Jade Spring Mountain!

Legend had it that a celestial spring resided at its peak, producing a type of celestial spring water called Tribulation Crossing Jade Water.

The water from this celestial spring was jade-green in color and possessed extraordinary properties. It could extinguish the Formless Fire Tribulation—one of the Three Disasters and Six Tribulations—that originated from the Yongquan points on the soles of the feet of cultivators at the Divine Bridge Realm and above. It was an extremely rare and precious Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure, and the Immortal Mountain was named after it!

Jade Spring Mountain, the nearby hills and great mountains, and even the regions above the clouds on its slopes, were home to hundreds of millions of creatures. The majority were humans (both immortals and mortals) and pure-spirited yao like immortal cranes and spirit apes. Furthermore, countless cultivation sects, large cities, major towns, and human kingdoms were situated there.

Disregarding the overall strength of the beings here, in terms of sheer numbers alone, even if the entire Primordial Realm were brought over, it probably couldn’t compare to this one Immortal Mountain!

Given the prosperity and flourishing of the Immortal Path on Jade Spring Mountain, there was surely a True Immortal-level luminary of the Immortal Path presiding over it. However, despite Shen Mo’s inquiries for a long time, he couldn’t find out the actual name or Daoist title of Jade Spring Mountain’s Immortal. He only knew that the cultivators on the mountain respectfully referred to this Immortal as the ”Jade Spring Fairy.”

However, Shen Mo felt no response even after reciting ”Jade Spring Fairy” several times.

If this isn’t because the Jade Spring Mountain Immortal is deliberately avoiding me, then this title isn’t her true Daoist title. Instead, it’s likely a respectful appellation the mountain cultivators created for her convenience, naming her after the mountain.

The latter seemed more probable.

By using a respectful title as a reference, when the cultivators in the mountain discussed the Jade Spring Fairy, they wouldn’t cause her to sense it by directly invoking her name or Daoist title. This not only avoided bothering the ”Jade Spring Fairy” in her cultivation but also prevented them from incurring the Immortal’s wrath and bringing disaster upon themselves for any slight disrespect in their words!

Shen Mo could understand this point. Taking himself as an example, if he were to attain the Formless Realm one day, he would possess the unfathomable divine power of ”clairvoyant consciousness, formlessness, conforming to situations to enact transformations, and manifesting in response to things.”

Whether someone directly called his name ”Shen Mo” or recited his Daoist title ”Qingyun Immortal Master,” it would cause him to sense it!

However, if someone addressed him with respectful titles like ”Master Qingyun of Green Cloud Cave,” ”Law Master of Red Flame Sect,” or ”Master Qingyun,” he wouldn’t sense anything. By this logic, he could probably directly refer to the ”Master of Dragon Rearing Pool” in the future, without having to be exceptionally cautious about avoiding words like Dragon Rearing Pool.

「Several months later, at the foot of the southeast slope of Jade Spring Mountain.」

Two streaks of light, one golden and one blue, descended one after another before a dilapidated mountain gate. Once the light dissipated, the figures of Shen Mo and an old Daoist in a linen robe were revealed.

”Senior Qingyun, this is the core area of the mountain sect I wish to sell. Are you satisfied with it?” The old Daoist in the linen robe bowed slightly, saluting Shen Mo with cupped hands while pointing towards the dilapidated mountain gate.

The next instant, a peculiar light flickered in Shen Mo’s eyes. His powerful spiritual sense swept out, thoroughly scanning everything inside and outside the mountain gate.