The First Immortal of Destiny

As Green Cloud Cave settled on Jade Spring Mountain, various streams of spirit light soon began to emerge from the colorful light clusters.

There were high-level cultivators of the Golden Core Realm and Elders of the Spirit Sea Realm. Following them were disciples of the Qi Gathering Realm, maneuvering Flying Swords and magic artifacts, and disciples of the Body Tempering Realm who rushed out on foot.

Within a few days, the number of the Red Flame Sect’s million disciples within the Fairyland had decreased by a third.

They all had different reasons for leaving the Fairyland.

Some disciples were dispatched by the Sect to visit neighboring Xiu Xian Forces or to gather information and purchase shops and other properties in various immortal workshops around Jade Spring Mountain.

Others did not leave the range of the Yin-Yang Five Elements Array but instead went directly to the Blood Snake Ridge stronghold via the high-class Teleportation Array established outside the Fairyland, yet within the Mountain Protection Array. Those with higher cultivation accepted missions to guard the stronghold, while those with lower cultivation undertook the laborious tasks of mining ores and collecting spiritual items.

There were also some disciples who, having no Sect tasks assigned to them, simply wanted to venture out and truly experience the culture and customs of the Immortal Realm.

After all, during their years on Five Dragon Mountain, they had only interacted with the cultivators of Azure Heaven Cave, making it difficult to gain a true, personal experience of the Immortal Realm. Jade Spring Mountain, however, was different. The Immortal Path there was extremely prosperous. The southeastern slope alone hosted countless Xiu Xian Forces, immortal cities, and human kingdoms—a domain far wider and vaster than the entire Red Flame Zone of the past.

The Red Flame Sect members who remained in the Fairyland were mostly low-class disciples with relatively weak strength. However, they were not idle. In addition to their daily cultivation, they also gained experience in various domains such as the Mountain-River Zone, Demon Zone, Thousand Swords Zone, Heart Refining Zone, and Ascending Sea Zone.

Alternatively, they received various tasks from the Deacon Hall and its sub-halls. These tasks included, but were not limited to: planting and caring for various spiritual plants in the Spirit Fields and medicine gardens, mining the Fairyland’s mineral resources in various domains, preparing spiritual medicines that required processing, refining raw materials such as gold, stone, wood, and jade, and undertaking other miscellaneous jobs that allowed them to earn cultivation resources.

A vast Sect with a million disciples required thousands of complex tasks to be handled daily merely to maintain its operations.

Fortunately, under Shen Mo, the Deputy Sect Masters, Peak Masters, Hall Masters, Elders, Deacons, and others each managed their respective duties. This meant Shen Mo, as the Law Master, did not have to personally oversee everything. This prevented him from being inundated with administrative work, ensuring he had time to cultivate.

Not long after the Sect’s gates were erected, various forces from the foot of Jade Spring Mountain’s southeastern slope sent representatives to visit the Red Flame Sect.

For a time, the pavilions, Jade Pools, and scenic gardens specially constructed outside the Fairyland but within the Mountain Protection Array to entertain visiting cultivators became bustling with activity. Small banquets were held every three days, and large feasts every five.

The intentions of these neighbors were not difficult to guess.

In their eyes, the Red Flame Sect possessed enough wealth to acquire the core territory of the Dragon-suppressing Sect. Furthermore, with an Immortal Master of the Divine Bridge Realm and a Class V Imperial Soul entity in residence, they were undoubtedly a significant power. Their visits were naturally intended to fathom the Red Flame Sect’s origins. Based on what they learned, they would then decide how to interact with the Red Flame Sect and its disciples.

It was important to understand that in the Immortal Realm, forces were not only formed by cultivators of the righteous path. There were also those who straddled the line between righteousness and evil, purely evil cultivators, and even sects composed of disguised demons and monsters.

The latter two, if they dared to establish themselves on Jade Spring Mountain, would be collectively attacked by all Xiu Xian Forces.

The forces that existed between righteousness and evil, however, were the most challenging to handle. Jade Spring Mountain’s long history contained several records of such powers causing widespread trouble. For the surrounding Xiu Xian Forces, each such upheaval was a devastating catastrophe.

Of course, although the Red Flame Sect had the Corpse Refining lineage, the Bloody Fiend lineage, and the Marine Race demon cultivator lineage within it, it still fell within the bounds of a righteous immortal sect.

Even Shen Mo, who wielded the demonic artifact Soul Refining Flag and commanded countless Demon Soul Generals, would not indiscriminately order the Demon Soul Generals to devour the mortals and cultivators on Jade Spring Mountain. After all, he was not an Immortal Master of the evil path; he steadfastly adhered to his original nature, maintaining a clear Path Heart.

This point, however, did not need to be elaborately explained to the cultivators who came to pay their respects, lest it arouse unnecessary suspicion and panic.

Visitors at the Golden Core Realm and below were usually received by one of the three Deputy Sect Masters: Yuan Heming, Situ Huo, or Ming Cang. Shen Mo would only appear personally to meet with Immortal Masters of the Divine Bridge Realm.

After this busy period, Shen Mo chose the Blood Snake Ridge stronghold as his place for closed-door cultivation. He began to focus wholeheartedly on his practice, aiming to gradually restore and enhance his cultivation level.

He chose this location for his seclusion because it was also convenient for cultivating the Demon Soul Generals within his Soul Refining Flag.

The ordinary Soul Generals in the blood flag lacked the ability to strengthen themselves by consuming blood food. However, the Demon Soul Generals retained some characteristics of Heavenly Demons. For instance, Minor Heavenly Demon Soul Generals could Demon-corrupt ordinary Soul Generals, transforming them into Mutant Demon Soul Generals. These Mutant Demon Soul Generals could then consume worldly creatures—excluding Heavenly Demons—to continuously enhance their strength and Realm.

The blood flag contained a total of one hundred thousand Demon Soul Generals. By enhancing their power and cultivating several more Class V Demon Soul Generals, the might of the God Slaying Array—when deployed with a million ordinary Soul Generals—would ascend to an exceptionally terrifying degree. It might even become powerful enough to contend with an Immortal Master of the Formless Realm.

At Blood Snake Ridge, and in the even more remote untamed lands beyond, countless demons and monsters existed—perfect fodder for strengthening the Demon Soul Generals.

If he were to cultivate in seclusion within Green Cloud Fairyland on Jade Spring Mountain, not only would it be inconvenient to dispatch the Demon Soul Generals beyond the mountain, but the sheer scale of their activity would also be astonishingly conspicuous, easily attracting unwanted attention.

”Go!”

At the Blood Snake Ridge stronghold, Shen Mo sat quietly atop a pavilion within the grand array. He channeled his Mana and vigorously shook the Soul Refining Flag.

In an instant, a dazzling sanguine light flared, and the Blood River churned.

Tens of thousands of ferocious Demon Soul Generals, led by Class V Demon Soul Generals such as Fairy Pei Yu, roared as they struggled forth from the Blood River, unleashing overwhelming demonic-baleful light that swept out in all directions.

Thankfully, after forming the Divine Bridge, my Mana increased dramatically, and I can even draw upon the power of heaven and earth to coalesce Soul Generals!

If not, merely coalescing the fourteen Class V Demon Soul Generals would drain all my Essence and Qi, let alone summoning the other hundred thousand Demon Soul Generals of the first four classes and the million ordinary Soul Generals. If I were to force it, I would only suffer a backlash from the demonic artifact, leading to my demise and the scattering of my cultivation.

However, with my current cultivation level, I still cannot completely suppress a Class VI Demon Soul General.

When my cultivation reaches the Divine Bridge Peak, I can consider attempting to cultivate nine Class VI Demon Soul Generals. Whether used individually or as array cores to establish the God Slaying Array, they would vastly increase my combat strength!

With these thoughts in mind, Shen Mo allowed the Soul Refining Flag to hover before him. He extended a portion of his consciousness to monitor the ten leading, top-tier Demon Soul Generals, ensuring they didn’t cause any unforeseen trouble.

Simultaneously, he silently began to circulate the *Chaotic Yuan and One Qi* cultivation technique.

With each breath, the almost inexhaustible Spiritual Qi of the Immortal Realm came billowing towards him.

His ”Flawless” Skill filtered out all Demonic Qi and Turbid Qi, leaving only an extremely pure Qi of Primal Spirit, subtly infused with a trace of Clear Spirit Qi.

This energy, appearing milky-white, constantly converged within a ten-foot radius around Shen Mo. As he breathed, it flowed into his body, undergoing profound and mysterious transformations, converting into the power of Chaotic Yuan and incrementally elevating his cultivation level.