The First Immortal of Destiny

Seeing this, Shen Mo summoned the Soul Refining Flag, waving it towards Peng Chenshu.

Blood-red light rolled off the flag, spreading out.

It quickly wrapped around Peng Chenshu's body.

Shen Mo wasn't trying to refine him into a Soul General with the flag, but rather to lend him a helping hand.

Pulled by the spiritual energy, Peng Chenshu suddenly shot forward, dragged along with his sword.

"Thank you, Junior Brother Shen! If I make it out of this alive, I will repay you generously!" Peng Chenshu, with a mix of lingering fear and grateful relief, quickly sent a telepathic message to Shen Mo before plunging into Death Jaw.

Just as Shen Mo was about to follow, rushing into the nearby entrance of the pass, the Ghost General, to his surprise, abandoned the slaughter of the cultivators further behind. Its figure instantly appeared beside Shen Mo, face to face.

Through its armored mask, Shen Mo seemed to understand its emotion.

It was furious, enraged that its prey had been snatched from its grasp.

"Sword Array, activate!"

With the Dragon Sparrow Sword beneath his feet, Shen Mo was unable to deploy the Supreme Clarity Sword Technique.

He figured that even if he used the same sword strike that had killed Master Hong Jue, it wouldn't even slightly injure a Spirit Sea Realm Cultivator, let alone the Ghost General—a Class III late-stage ghost. His strongest sword style would barely scratch it. Thus, Shen Mo chose to defend only! Using The Big Dipper Array as a defensive formation to block the Ghost General. If he could just hold it off for a brief moment, Shen Mo could rush into Death Jaw and escape its clutches.

CLANG!

CLANG!

CRACK!

The brilliant sword light struck the Ghost General but shattered and exploded, scattering into specks of light.

Carrying traces of sword light, the Ghost General's pale hand reached for Shen Mo's heart.

PFFT!

The Blue Soul magic robe and Red Carp inner armor were as fragile as paper, quickly torn apart.

Shen Mo could even feel the Ghost General's cold fingertips gradually sinking into the flesh and blood of his chest.

At this critical moment of life and death, the results of Shen Mo's relentless cultivation of the Dragon Elephant Blood Fiend Body were fully demonstrated.

The Bloody Fiend Pearl within him spun wildly!

His formidable physique meant that every inch of skin, every piece of flesh, every bone in his chest desperately resisted the Ghost General's attempt to tear out his heart.

Meanwhile, the Dragon Sparrow Sword beneath his feet, empowered by the Sword Control Spirit Technique, radiated a dazzling spirit light, pulling Shen Mo's body, inch by inch, away from the Ghost General's grasp.

The Ghost General seemed somewhat surprised. Had it been anyone else, it would have long since torn open their frail body and gouged out their steaming heart. Unexpectedly, the cultivator before it possessed an astonishingly tough physique. For a moment, it found itself unable to cleanly and efficiently rip out the heart to savor the heart's blood and flesh.

Just as it was about to exert more force, it suddenly felt its hand grasp empty air.

At this moment, Shen Mo's body had completely entered Death Jaw.

The Yaoguang Sword and the six sword embryos that had remained outside also followed his spiritual energy signature and drilled into the white mist.

...

This was a huge loss!

Standing on the Dragon Sparrow Sword, Shen Mo nearly fell from mid-air.

He had merely intended to casually help Peng Chenshu of the Heaven Sword Sect, never imagining he would directly attract the Ghost General's attention. He had almost been killed by its brutal assault.

Fortunately, the entrance to Death Jaw had been very close by at the time. Had it been any further, Shen Mo wouldn't have dared guarantee his survival.

A large hole was torn in the chest of his Blue Soul magic robe, reducing its defensive power by thirty percent. Fortunately, this middle-grade profound-level magic robe had a Self-healing rune forged into it, allowing it to absorb Spiritual Qi and slowly repair itself. Given the damage, it would take about three days to recover if Shen Mo didn't intervene.

The Red Carp inner armor was mostly shattered, with barely any defensive power remaining. If not reforged, this inner armor would be useless, likely unable to block even the most basic magic.

On Shen Mo's chest, five bloody holes remained. In the deepest one, his white jade-like ribs and torn skin, flesh, and fascia were visible to the naked eye. Red, green, and white mingled in a chaotic, gory mess.

GULP!

Shen Mo swallowed a Grade II Elixir, a Sweet Dew Pill.

As the Bloody Fiend Pearl spun, the vigorous blood and Qi in his body surged and contracted, carrying the medicinal power to wash away the residual sinister ghostly Qi in the wounds.

With gurgling sounds, the five bloody holes began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye.

At this time, the Yaoguang Sword, leading the six Big Dipper Sword embryos, appeared out of thin air and zipped into Shen Mo's sleeves.

Shen Mo turned his head, looking intently towards where the small swords had come from—the place where he had appeared.

He saw only an ordinary, unremarkable patch of empty space, completely identical to the surrounding area, with no strange phenomena whatsoever. Even when wearing Bright Vision, he couldn't detect any trace of spatial fluctuations or the residual spirit light from formations that might indicate a teleportation.

A scorching sun hung in the sky.

As the warm sunlight fell on him, Shen Mo squinted and began to ponder.

The nature's spiritual energy here is inferior to the Outer Realm, probably only about thirty percent. It's also mixed with a trace of ghostly Qi. Though not as dense as within the Ghost Nation Ruins, this concentration is still highly abnormal. Also… my cultivation and memories are normal. This probably isn't the type of trial I can leave simply by awakening or coming to my senses.

Shen Mo's mind focused on his Destiny Panel.

[Destinied Lord: Shen Mo]

[Cultivation Method: Purple Mansion Heart Scripture, Junior (8,650/9,000); Heavenly Origin Technique, Elite (122/8,000)]

[Martial Arts: Supreme Clarity Sword Technique, Master (5,120/16,000); Sword Control Spirit Technique, Junior (1,355/6,000); Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation, Junior (2,964/6,000)]

[Lightness Magic: Thunderclap Rapid Step, Senior (9,823/15,000); Immortal Wind Cloud Physique, Senior (686/1,000)]

[External Magic: Dragon Elephant Blood Fiend Body, Dragon Body (30/100)]

[Soul Magic: Divine Soul Contemplation Scripture (yet to be condensed)]

His cultivation methods and magic, as well as his combat techniques, were still intact; they hadn't been sealed or rendered unusable.

Furthermore, talismans, Special Destinies, the Soul Refining Flag, and many other means were also unrestricted.

His own status, the Destiny Panel, and his Skills were all as usual.

Shen Mo finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

Then, he opened the information feedback page and began to check the numerous complex prompts one by one.

[You began to circulate the Dragon Elephant Blood Fiend Body, and the Bloody Fiend Pearl continuously absorbed the soul cores of Hungry Ghosts. The vital essence of Soul Ghosts gradually transformed into nutrients for your physique, and your physique was somewhat enhanced.]

[Through arduous cultivation, your Dragon Elephant Blood Fiend Body has improved. Dragon Elephant Blood Fiend Body experience +1.]

...

[You observed the fierce battle between the Ghost Bride and the disciple of the Ghost Corpse School, and your comprehension of combat has deepened.]

[During your fierce battle with the Ghost Bride, you unexpectedly gained an opportunity. Destiny Point +1.]

[You attempted to refine the Ghost Bride with the Soul Refining Flag. The Ghost Bride was powerless to resist, and you successfully refined a Soul General.]

[In the process of refining the Ghost Bride, you unexpectedly gained an opportunity. Destiny Point +1.]

...

[You have glimpsed the mysteries of Death Jaw. You had an insight, and your understanding of the Forging Path has deepened. Forging experience +200.]

[You trapped Master Hong Jue by executing the Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation. In the process of deploying the formation, your comprehension of the Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation deepened. Big Dipper Seven Star Sword Formation experience +200.]

...

[You have entered the Death Jaw Dungeon and unexpectedly gained an opportunity. Destiny Point +1.]