The First Immortal of Destiny

Shen Mo initially wanted to avoid the areas marked as dangerous and taboo zones.

However, the Spirit Storage Rat repeatedly emphasized that the treasures there were of high value, possibly equivalent to ten to twenty days of their earnings.

Furthermore, as the two of them searched, the easily accessible ores in the vicinity had nearly all been collected.

To achieve better returns, they had to venture deeper into the ruins.

I still haven't obtained any Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures containing the extreme of dark.

If I miss this chance, I'm afraid it will become even harder to find in the future.

In any case, since we have to go deeper into the ruins, we might as well take a look as we pass by. If it truly is exceedingly dangerous, we can reconsider then.

Hmm, I should first consult with Senior Sister Chen and see what she thinks...

After some discussion, Chen Mengze had no objections.

Her thoughts and attitude were, relatively speaking, more proactive than Shen Mo's, even somewhat radical.

"How can there be no danger on the path of cultivation?" Chen Mengze held her sharp sword and, with one strike, cleaved a wandering Hungry Ghost into scattered ghost qi. "If you don't constantly temper yourself within your capabilities," she said, "then when a crisis beyond your ability to bear arrives, you will only be left to regret it in vain!"

Shen Mo was momentarily speechless.

He knew Chen Mengze carried a blood feud and placed immense importance on increasing her cultivation and strength.

At present, he was merely in Qi Gathering Realm Layer II and unable to make any promises. Comforting or dissuasive words would be meaningless. The best method was to keep quiet and help her earn more Spirit Stones, making her journey on the path of cultivation and revenge smoother!

"Senior Sister Chen, let's go. We'll head over and assess the situation first," Shen Mo said.

He summoned the Dragon Sparrow Sword, called out to her, and then took the lead, flying north.

…

A distance of seven miles was not too far.

Even for mortals, it wouldn't take long to cover at a full sprint.

Not to mention Shen Mo and Chen Mengze, who were flying on their swords, arriving almost in the blink of an eye.

When they were still two or three miles away, they stopped.

Before them stood a grand mansion with high gates, occupying a vast area and looking unusually magnificent.

Viewing it from a high vantage point, there was no shortage of pavilions and towers inside; they could even see exquisite carvings on them.

Since entering the Ghost Nation Ruins, they had seen many broken walls and dilapidated Ghost Villages. However, this was the first time they had seen such a mansion, reminiscent of a wealthy and noble residence in the mortal world and showing no signs of decay. It suddenly felt extremely eerie!

"Do you see the 'double happiness' character on the main gate?" Chen Mengze communicated via divine sense.

Shen Mo nodded.

Not only was the mansion gate plastered with a 'double happiness' character cut from white paper, but the red lanterns hanging in various places were also adorned with white 'double happiness' paper cutouts.

If the white paper were replaced with bright red paper, Shen Mo had no doubt this would be a scene of a wealthy mortal family hosting a wedding banquet.

"Within a three-mile radius of this mansion, there seem to be no ghosts like the Hungry Ghost," Shen Mo noticed another anomaly.

"Lazybones, can you go in and steal the treasure?"

Such a place was likely protected by formations and prohibitions, so Shen Mo asked the Spirit Storage Rat.

In response, the little fellow shook its head like a toy drum. "I dare not. The monsters inside are very scary. I will be eaten."

So timid... No wonder they often say, 'as timid as a mouse.' Shen Mo scoffed internally.

However, he didn't insist. The Spirit Storage Rat was a major source of his wealth, and there was no need to get it killed here for a single treasure.

"Senior Sister Chen, let's conceal ourselves first and see if we can wait for other cultivators to go in and scout the path."

Although the Spirit Storage Rat was timid, Shen Mo, as its master, wasn't much better. He even harbored the malicious thought of sacrificing others to save himself!

"Yes, that's a good idea. Rushing in rashly could easily lead to trouble," Chen Mengze said, descending.

The two found a place to hide.

「After about an hour.」

Five Ghost Corpse School cultivators entered their field of vision.

Disciples of the Ghost Corpse School were mostly clad in black robes and carried a coffin on their backs, making them easy to identify.

Among them, two were in the Qi Gathering Realm, and three were in Body Tempering Realm Layer IX.

This level of cultivation was neither high nor low in the Ghost Nation Ruins, but with the power of their respective Ghouls, they were more than capable of self-preservation against ghosts such as Hungry Ghosts or Drowned Ghosts.

They were seen stopping at a distance, gathering together to discuss something.

A moment later, one of the Body Tempering Realm disciples opened the coffin on his back and released a Ghoul.

This Ghoul was incomparable to the one Shen Mo had seen refined by Xun Tian, the prodigy of the Ghost Corpse School.

But it was more than sufficient for scouting!

Under the Ghost Corpse School disciple's control, the stiff-bodied Ghoul walked step by step towards the grand mansion.

However, before it could get close to the mansion, the main gate, adorned with the 'double happiness' character, slowly opened.

SQUEAK!

Amidst the piercing sound of the gate opening, a procession of figures in bright red emerged.

Is this... a wedding procession? Shen Mo was somewhat taken aback.

Looking closely, the figures emerging from the gate wore a variety of attire.

Aside from the non-uniform clothing of rogue cultivators, many also wore the uniforms of immortal sect disciples.

However, all their clothes were dyed red with fresh blood, making them look like a festive wedding procession at first glance.

Moreover, they held not magic artifacts or talismans, but suonas, gongs, drums, and wedding flags. Those with gongs beat them, those with suonas played them, and those with flags waved them... It was a very lively scene!

In their midst, they surrounded a large red wedding palanquin.

As the wedding procession passed by the Ghoul, the Ghoul, meticulously refined by the Ghost Corpse School disciple, actually began to bleed from its seven orifices. The blood flowed unceasingly, quickly dyeing its clothes red. Then, it was no longer under the Ghost Corpse School disciple's control; as if it had developed its own consciousness, it spontaneously joined the ranks of the wedding procession.

In the blink of an eye, this Ghoul had become a member of the wedding procession.

Witnessing such a bizarre scene, these Ghost Corpse School cultivators dared not release their Ghouls again. Instead, they attacked the wedding procession with their magic artifacts, talismans, and magic.

Their attacks took effect. Members of the wedding procession were struck one after another; some fell to the ground, unable to advance, while others were torn limb from limb.

However, the wedding procession did not stop and continued to advance toward the five Ghost Corpse School disciples.

Seeing this, the two Gas Gathering Disciples at the head also realized the situation was dire!

They both made their move, attacking the large red wedding palanquin in the center.

It was unknown what material the large red wedding palanquin was made of. When magic and talismans struck it, they were like stones sinking into a mire, failing to even tear its fabric cover.

"We should retreat!"

The two Gas Gathering Disciples from the Ghost Corpse School had thoughts of retreating. Each grabbed one of the other disciples, and they hastily fled into the distance on their swords.

The one left behind was the Body Tempering Realm disciple who had lost his Ghoul.

Apparently, he was the least favored in their small group of five!

However, he did not resign himself to death. Instead, he took out a Lightness Talisman, slapped it onto his leg, and sprinted away from the mansion, in the opposite direction of the approaching procession.

At that moment, the curtain of the large red wedding palanquin slowly began to open!