The First Immortal of Destiny

"Finally, it's melted!" Shen Mo murmured, his spirits lifting.

In past forging sessions, he had utilized the Earthly Fire within Stars Peak, which hadn't required much effort.

Now, relying solely on his own Mana to fuel the Nether Fire, he felt somewhat strained despite his thorough preparations.

Fortunately, the pitch-black finger bone was eventually refined into Spiritual Liquid.

A small globule of ink-black liquid floated quietly above the Nether Fire.

The liquid seemed alive, slowly rotating and swirling.

He hadn't noticed it before, but now Shen Mo clearly saw that the light around the Spiritual Liquid from the finger bone seemed tainted by the blackness, appearing somewhat dim and dark.

Without further delay, he reached out and tapped the Big Dipper Sword embryo.

"OM!"

The sword embryo vibrated and slowly floated below the black liquid of the finger bone.

While the Nether Fire blazed beneath them, Shen Mo's hand seals moved in a swift and intricate dance, like fluttering butterflies.

Seal after seal was applied.

The black liquid from the finger bone dripped like ink from a pen nib onto the small body of the sword embryo.

With each drop, Shen Mo saw a wisp of black light silently seep into the sword embryo, dyeing it an ever deeper shade of black.

One drop, two drops, three drops.

The Big Dipper sword embryo grew as black as night. Under Shen Mo's seals, intricate runes began to manifest upon its surface.

Once all the black liquid from the finger bone had dripped in, the Big Dipper sword embryo suddenly trembled and erupted with an incredibly potent aura of darkness.

This was entirely different from the Kill Life sword intent of the Dragon Sparrow Sword.

It was a stillness and gloom like that when the sun and moon have set, and night veils the celestial dome.

For a moment, Shen Mo even had the illusion that night had fallen.

Recalling the Nether Fire into his Dantian, Shen Mo gestured, and the still-warm Big Dipper Sword spiraled into his palm.

"Excellent, it successfully evolved to Profound Level High-grade!"

Shen Mo toyed with the Dao sword, unable to tear his eyes away.

Its blade, about the length of his finger, darted nimbly between his fingertips, resembling a lively little black fish.

[You have, through Forging, upgraded the Profound Level Low-grade "One of the Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Embryos" to the Profound Level High-grade "Yaoguang." You have gained new insights into the Forging Path. Forging Experience +30.]

Now possessing a sword intent, it was no longer a mere Dao sword prototype.

Naturally, it now had a name.

Having assimilated the extreme of dark, the sword embryo had transformed into 'Yaoguang'—one of the seven swords of The Big Dipper Sword.

The other six sword embryos would also receive names upon their transformation.

With a casual gesture, the remaining six sword embryos flew out.

At Shen Mo's mental command, they quickly formed a Sword Array.

After carefully assessing it, Shen Mo found that the power of The Big Dipper Array had increased by about fifty percent.

And its Mana consumption was only about ten percent higher.

This was without even considering the extraordinary changes that would occur once the Sword Array was fully completed.

If Shen Mo could upgrade all the remaining sword embryos to Profound Level High-grade right now... the entire Sword Array's power could surge by seventeen times!

The Mana consumption would be just under double what it was previously.

Furthermore, as the experience bar for the "Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation" and Shen Mo's own Cultivation Realm advanced, the Sword Array's power would continue to grow.

"My efforts in searching for various Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were not in vain."

"The Big Dipper Array has not disappointed me."

Just as Shen Mo was testing the Sword Array, he suddenly sensed a streak of Sword Light landing nearby.

"BOOM!"

Sword Qi raged, accompanied by a deafening explosion that seemed capable of obliterating everything in its path.

Large sections of dilapidated house walls were blasted away like leaves in a gale.

Simultaneously, Chen Mengze's sharp cry rang out.

Will this never end? Shen Mo's expression darkened.

He was all too familiar with this sword momentum and aura; it was the "Punish Demons" sword intent of that Heaven Sword Sect disciple.

By now, Chen Mengze had already engaged him.

He flicked his finger.

The little black fish-like Dao sword Yaoguang, along with the six Big Dipper sword embryos, shot forth, carrying Shen Mo's fury as they howled towards the Sword Light.

In the blink of an eye, a menacing Sword Array had formed, trapping the figure in mid-air.

"The Big Dipper Array—Conversion!" Shen Mo's voice was laced with ice.

In our previous bloody battle, this person escaped using a Grade III talisman. He managed to save his own skin, yet he's still not satisfied and comes rushing to his death... Very well, I shall grant him his wish!

The six sword embryos in the Sword Array were being towed by the Qi of the Dao sword Yaoguang.

The Sword Lights they unleashed were all imbued with a somber aura, like starlight cascading from the Milky Way against the pitch-black night sky. Against this backdrop of mystery and silence, they appeared even more dazzling.

Within a single breath, the seven-star Sword Light had struck the cultivator within the array thousands of times.

This Heaven Sword Sect disciple indeed had some skill. His heavy sword whirled, unleashing powerful sword Qi, and with flashes of spirit light, he deflected a large number of the Sword Lights.

The few that landed on him were all nullified by his talismans, inner armor, magic, and other defenses, but that was the extent of his capabilities!

CLANG!

CLANG, CLANG!

Under the Sword Array's relentless assault, he was like a piece of raw metal on an anvil, continuously hammered by blows both large and small.

It was as if hundreds, even thousands, of hammers were striking him all at once.

Shen Mo was confident that within ten breaths, all the power of his opponent's talismans and magic artifacts would be exhausted, his heavy sword magic artifact would be ground to scrap, and his physical body would be minced.

"Wait! Junior Sister Chen, are you Junior Sister Chen from the Riverside Sect?"

Several figures riding swords arrived one after another.

Just as they were about to attack Shen Mo and rescue their fellow sect brother trapped in the Sword Array's confines, the woman in the lead suddenly cried out.

Chen Mengze had just clashed with Geng Zheng, employing her newly acquired brocade magic artifact.

Hearing this, Chen Mengze peered through the hazy silk of her artifact at the leading woman and exclaimed in pleasant surprise, "Senior Sister Jiang! What are you doing here?"

Three people had arrived in total, all dressed as Heaven Sword Sect disciples.

The one among them with the highest cultivation was precisely the Senior Sister Jiang whom Chen Mengze had mentioned—Jiang Yingying.

Last year, when Chen Mengze had left the mountain for experience, she had coincidentally met Jiang Yingying, an inner disciple of the Heaven Sword Sect. Similar in age and cultivation, they quickly became close friends, like sisters.

Who would have thought their reunion would be under such circumstances!

"Don't deliver a killing blow!"

Chen Mengze snapped back to her senses and hurriedly called out to Shen Mo.

It wasn't just her; even the three Heaven Sword Sect disciples could see how formidable this Sword Array was. If the confrontation dragged on, Geng Zheng, trapped within, would likely meet a grim end!

Shen Mo had been watching Jiang Yingying and the others closely ever since they arrived, already prepared for this.

Hearing Chen Mengze's "hint," a faint smile touched Shen Mo's lips.

With a wave of his sleeve, The Big Dipper Array thundered. Amidst a cacophony of CLANGING metal, it transformed into seven Sword Lights that Shen Mo recalled into his sleeve.

As for the Heaven Sword Sect disciple, Geng Zheng, his heavy sword was now riddled with nicks and gashes of all sizes, looking utterly battered.

His robes were also tattered, leaving him in a state no better than a beggar on the street.

Geng Zheng's face was a mixture of green and white. He retrieved a fresh robe from his Universe Bag, put it on, and then flew on his sword back to Jiang Yingying's side.

He's one to admit defeat gracefully, at least!

"Senior Sister Jiang, this is my fellow sect brother, Shen Mo..." Chen Mengze began her introduction.