The First Immortal of Destiny

「Crane City.」

Located at the foot of the southeast slope of Jade Spring Mountain, it was hundreds of thousands of miles away from Dragon-suppressing Slope, where the Green Cloud Cave resided.

Even a cultivator at the early-stage of the Golden Core Realm, using their fastest escape speed and flying nonstop, would still need several days and nights to travel from Dragon-suppressing Slope to Crane City. However, Golden Core Realm cultivators are not Divine Bridge Immortal Masters; their True Yuan is limited, making it difficult to fly hundreds of thousands of miles in one go. Moreover, if they encountered any dangers during such an attempt, they might perish on the spot. Thus, it generally takes about half a month to cover this distance.

It’s like a strong and healthy mortal who, when sprinting, can cover several miles in a very short time. If he could maintain such speed for an extended period, he could even run over a hundred miles in two hours. Obviously, this is unrealistic. Under normal travel conditions, covering a hundred miles would typically take an entire day.

Whether cultivators used artifact controlling or escaping light for flight, it was the same; they couldn’t possibly maintain their fastest escape speed at all times.

Shen Mo’s Standing, Zhao Lingyin, Qian Xiaofeng, and the others used the Heaven Patrolling Boat during their journey. Although its flight speed was slow, it had the advantage of being able to travel day and night and could carry those with lower cultivation levels, such as Qian Xiaofeng and Lu Taorui.

They were already in the second year of their experiential journey when they entered Crane City.

This giant city, where immortals and mortals lived together, could comfortably accommodate ten million inhabitants, with ample space remaining for various small immortal sects, Xiu Xian Forces, and rogue cultivators to settle. It was incredibly bustling and prosperous.

The city was established by an ancient sect known as the ”Celestial Crane Sect,” which resided on the southeast slope of Jade Spring Mountain.

The Celestial Crane Sect boasted a history of nearly ten thousand years and possessed an incomparably profound foundation. It was still protected by a Formless Realm Immortal Master. However, this sect patriarch usually spent his time cultivating in the cave paradise passed down from the founding master. He rarely ventured out, only making an appearance when a significant incident occurred within the Celestial Crane Sect or the immortal cities under its jurisdiction that the disciples could not handle.

With the bustling Crane City under the protection of a Formless Realm Immortal Master, it naturally attracted numerous Xiu Xian Forces from the surrounding areas. They flocked to the city, establishing immortal workshops and markets within the immortal city.

The Golden Core Realm disciples sent out by the Red Flame Sect had already spent a large sum of money to purchase an entire vacant plot in the city. They were preparing to build immortal workshops and establish shops to trade various spiritual items, resources, magic artifacts, and Elixirs.

Zhao Lingyin was quite concerned about this. As soon as they entered Crane City, she dragged Shen Mo to see the immortal workshop that was still under construction. Only when it grew dark did they casually find a cave mansion to rent for their stay. They planned to visit other immortal markets the next day to see if they could find some novel alchemy ingredients, high-class elixir recipes, and finished Elixirs.

BUZZ!

Shen Mo’s Standing flickered with a faint spirit light. The illusory body, condensed by magic, became more substantial in the blink of an eye.

His entire aura had also become incredibly profound and vast. Even without deliberately displaying the might of his Divine Bridge Realm, it exuded a formidable pressure that could intimidate others.

Zhao Lingyin, who was beside him, was already accustomed to such scenes. During the year and more she had spent on her experiential journey, Shen Mo had used his Skill, Reverse Yin and Yang, several times to project his real body over. After all, no matter how extraordinary the Standing was, being an illusion conjured by magic, it was still unable to cultivate ”The Sutra of Cloudy and Rainy from Wushan” with her.

But what Shen Mo did next made her a little surprised.

She saw a faint Sword Light flash at his fingertips, and the corpse of a Thousands Insects Evil Corpse, along with a vast amount of neatly arranged alchemy ingredients, appeared before the two of them.

”Husband, what are you going to do?”

Puzzled, Zhao Lingyin glanced at the carcass of the Thousands Insects Evil Corpse and quickly turned her head, unwilling to look at the disgusting and hideous appearance of such demons.

Although extraordinary materials derived from demons could be used for concocting Elixirs, only a very small fraction could be used to concoct Elixirs of the righteous path. Most would result in Flesh and Blood Evil Elixirs that only benefited evil cultivators and demons. Hence, typically, the flesh and blood from a demon’s corpse were used by disciples of the Bloody Fiend lineage to enhance their vitality, and their extraordinary organs were used to refine magic artifacts.

Zhao Lingyin, however, possessed a Green Wood Spirit Body and was skilled in using medicinal ingredients processed from spiritual plants to concoct potent Elixirs. Thus, she rarely studied demon corpses.

Not to mention a demon like the Thousands Insects Evil Corpse, whose body and soul were formed from hundreds of millions of poisonous and vile insects. This was somewhat analogous to the evil monsters of the Cancering Realm, yet even more disgusting and hideous. It was only natural that Zhao Lingyin felt repulsed.

”Didn’t I tell you before? I offended a Demon True Immortal, and when he attacked, I was saved by an unknown female immortal...”

Shen Mo quickly recounted the origin of the True Immortal’s Finger to Zhao Lingyin. He then detailed his experience of refining the True Immortal’s Finger, the near-distortion he suffered, the subsequent sharp increase in his cultivation level, and his speculations about the true identity of the Hollow Venerable.

”So, Husband, you want me to help you develop a new Elixir to suppress the negative effects that emerged when you refined the severed finger?”

Zhao Lingyin’s eyes brightened, and her face filled with eagerness and anticipation.

She had always been fascinated by the Alchemy Path. The prospect of developing a new Elixir to assist her husband’s cultivation filled her with even more joy and anticipation.

Shen Mo nodded with a smile. Then, he began to explain the information he had gathered about the characteristics of this type of demon after analyzing and studying the Thousands Insects Evil Corpse using various methods.

His own mastery of the Alchemy Path was significantly higher than Zhao Lingyin’s; he was the foremost Alchemist in the Red Flame Sect in terms of alchemical skill.

However, what Shen Mo excelled at most was the alchemy refinement process itself.

With the help of the Destiny Panel, he could quickly master the refinement method for a brand new Elixir and practice it to an unparalleled level of skill. He could surpass Alchemists of the same rank in both the success rate of Elixir concoction and the quality of the finished Elixir.

However, when it came to understanding the medicinal properties of various herbs and plants, or to developing entirely new Elixirs, he was far inferior to Zhao Lingyin, who possessed the Green Wood Spirit Body and exceptional talent.

With Zhao Lingyin’s assistance, progress was quickly made in the development of the new Elixir.

The Dao companions, Shen Mo and Zhao Lingyin, named this Elixir the ”Exorcism Pill.” Its mechanism was inherited from the Grade III Exorcism Origin Pill.

However, the Exorcism Origin Pill was specifically used to neutralize and eliminate pill’s poison. Its grade wasn’t high, and even if consumed in large quantities, it couldn’t suppress or weaken the corruption and distortion inflicted upon Shen Mo by the foreign power. After all, this power originated from the primal Essence and Qi of the Hollow Venerable and contained the Dao Mark of this Demon True Immortal!

The Exorcism Pill, though similar in principle to the Exorcism Origin Pill, incorporated many top-quality medicinal ingredients and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures in its refinement process. Its grade was as high as Grade six, almost reaching the limit for worldly Elixirs. An increase of just one more grade would place it in the ”Immortal Pill” category, making it effective even for those at the True Immortal level.

After continuous research and improvement, and after Shen Mo braved many risks to refine the True Immortal’s Finger to test its medicinal effect, the Exorcism Pill was eventually perfected. Improving its medicinal effect and grade based on this foundation would require immense effort for each step.

Zhao Lingyin also benefited immensely from this. Her attainments in the Alchemy Path improved significantly, enabling her to join the ranks of Grade V Alchemists!