The First Immortal of Destiny

"Be careful then!" Zhao Lingyin earnestly advised, then paused and hesitated before adding, "My Master returned from the Alchemists Alliance, and... he wants to see you."

Her Master, Alien Minister Wu Gong, had gone to the Alchemists Alliance branch to study ancient Elixir formulas. Because the outside of his meditation chamber was protected by layers of Prohibitions, he only received news of the Tianshan Mountain disaster a short while ago. Subsequently, Wu Gong put his research on ancient formulas aside and bade farewell to the other Alchemists. He then used Flying Escape to hasten back to Tianshan City. However, by then, Zhao Lingyin had already safely returned to the city. Upon learning that Shen Mo had saved his treasured disciple, Wu Gong wanted to invite Shen Mo for a meeting to personally express his gratitude.

Once Shen Mo understood Alien Minister Wu's intentions, the inexplicable unease in his heart vanished.

「Three miles away from the Demon Slaying Hall, there was a small courtyard.」

With flowing water, pavilions, flowers, plants, and bamboo, the environment was quite tranquil. As a Grade IV Alchemist of the Riverside Sect and a Spirit Sea Realm powerhouse, Wu Gong's temporary lodgings would naturally be of high quality. However, the inner disciples who came for the demon-slaying missions didn't receive such favorable treatment. The immortal market area within Tianshan City was limited. To live comfortably, they either had to spend more Spirit Stones to rent a spirit courtyard brimming with Spiritual Qi, or live among the secular mortals, which came with numerous restrictions and considerable inconvenience!

Shen Mo sat opposite Wu Gong in the pavilion. Zhao Lingyin sat to one side, her slender wrists moving gracefully as she brewed spiritual tea for the two of them.

The atmosphere felt a little strange to Shen Mo! This Alien Minister Wu, after expressing his gratitude, fell silent. He merely drank his spiritual tea, sizing Shen Mo up and down with an inscrutable gaze.

After another short while of silence, Shen Mo put down his teacup, rose, and bowed. "Since Mr. Wu has no further instructions, this junior shall take his leave..."

"Ah! Don't be in a hurry," Wu Gong said. "Sit for a while longer."

Helpless, Shen Mo could only sit down again with a sigh and pick up his teacup to continue tasting the tea. Then, Wu Gong once again said nothing, his piercing gaze making Shen Mo's skin crawl.

After about the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, Zhao Lingyin couldn't bear it any longer. She snatched Alien Minister Wu's teacup, her willow-like brows slightly furrowed. "Master, what are you doing? Junior Brother Shen still needs to go to Tianshan Mountain to slay Heavenly Demons. Don't delay him."

Wu Gong chuckled dryly twice. "My dear disciple, it is your Master's fault..." Immediately, his expression turned solemn, and he said to Shen Mo, "Young man, your innate talent and strength are quite good! It's just that you're lacking in terms of backing and background. Firstly, you don't have a prominent Immortal clan to rely on. Secondly, you haven't taken a powerful figure within the sect as your Master. You made such a splash at this Tianshan Convention... In the future, I fear you will face many tribulations! Be careful in all matters; don't follow in Fairy Pei Yu's footsteps."

Hearing her Master's words, Zhao Lingyin couldn't help but feel anxious and secretly inquired via Divine Sense: "Master, do you mean someone will be jealous of Junior Brother's achievements? And try to harm him?"

Wu Gong replied via Divine Sense, "You silly girl, now that you have someone in your heart, all your thoughts are on him. When your Master lost the ancient Elixir formula, I didn't see you this concerned!"

Zhao Lingyin's pretty face flushed slightly. She glanced at Shen Mo without any change in her expression and began to mutter softly via Divine Sense, "I didn't..."

Wu Gong saw all her subtle actions and looked at her with an amiable smile, continuing via Divine Sense, "Then tell your Master, where did the first batch of Grade IV Elixir you refined go? And some time ago, every ten days to half a month, you would leave Lake Heart Cottage. You'd disappear for two or three days; who were you meeting? You clearly didn't want to accompany your Master to Zhong State, so why did you later change your mind? Furthermore, just now when I was subtly testing this young man, you, my disciple, were already rushing to defend him…"

As Zhao Lingyin's Master, how could Wu Gong fail to notice her unusual behavior? He simply felt that her no longer being fixated on those few low-grade Elixirs was a very good thing. That's why he hadn't interfered much!

Questioned thus by her Master, Zhao Lingyin was both embarrassed and irritated. She simply poured out the spiritual tea from his cup and refilled it with bland spring water.

Wu Gong sighed, but his face was full of smiles as he picked up the cup of spring water and began to sip it appreciatively. "Ah, a daughter eventually leaves the nest."

Shen Mo was unaware of this conversation the master and disciple were having via Divine Sense. Yet, he felt that Wu Gong's warning was not without reason! His direct mention of Fairy Pei Yu implied that this Alien Minister Wu vaguely knew some of the truth behind Fairy Pei Yu's fall; there was definitely something suspicious about it. He just couldn't say it plainly!

As for matters within the Riverside Sect, he wouldn't dwell on them for now. Considering the importance Zhou Shili currently placed on him, coupled with his newly achieved great merit, no one within the sect should dare to risk universal condemnation by using underhanded means to harm him at this moment. On the other hand, it was likely that many from the other four major immortal sects had taken notice of him. Moreover, after cultivators were Demon-corrupted, the Heavenly Demons also obtained their memories. It was hard to say if they would specifically target him!

However, Shen Mo was not afraid. So what if he didn't have a prominent Immortal clan or a powerful Master as backing? The Destiny Panel was his greatest support! After cultivating diligently for some more time, once his cultivation Realm reached the late-stage of Qi Gathering and he had upgraded his various abilities, his own strength would be comparable to a Layer I Spirit Sea Realm expert! At that point, if any villains dared to plot against him, he would directly slay them and offer them as a sacrifice to his Soul Refining Flag!

Of course, these thoughts didn't mean Shen Mo would act recklessly in the future! Where caution was needed, he would remain cautious. When it was time to lay low, he would continue to lay low. Maintaining his previous excellent style wasn't embarrassing, and more importantly, it wouldn't violate his true heart! After all, the 'Carefree' sword intent he had comprehended aptly reflected his personality and aspirations.

After bidding farewell to Zhao Lingyin and her Master, Shen Mo mounted his Demon Slaying Sword and flew straight towards Tianshan Mountain.

Compared to half a day earlier, the once ubiquitous demonic shadows had greatly diminished in number. However, the Demonic Qi remained dense! It pervaded the area within a hundred-mile radius around Tianshan Mountain. Fortunately, this area was rugged and the land not particularly fertile. Not many ordinary people resided here; otherwise, this demonic calamity alone would have claimed countless mortal lives.

Shen Mo looked up. He could see numerous disciples from various immortal sects transforming into streaks of light, weaving through the Demonic Qi. They constantly unleashed magical spirit lights, battling the Heavenly Demons.

With seventy to eighty years of experience in bloody battles against the Heavenly Demons, the various major and minor immortal sects actually possessed many methods to counteract the Heavenly Demons' corrupting influence. Previously, many disciples who attended the Tianshan Convention, including Inner Door elites like Wan Wu, were Demon-corrupted one after another. This was primarily because they were caught off guard by the sudden demonic calamity. They were also at a numerical disadvantage, which led to such heavy losses!

Now, however, the cultivators who had come to slay demons were all prepared and would not be so easily Demon-corrupted during combat. Elixirs such as the Qingxu Pill, Demon Suppressing Pill, and Taixu Pill, as well as various talismans like the Mind Concentration Talisman, Demon Suppressing Talisman, and Ice Heart Talisman, could all, to a certain extent, prevent one from being Demon-corrupted by a demon head!

As for Shen Mo, he was even less afraid of the Demon Dyed Divine Power. Not only had he comprehended sword intent and cultivated the *Soul Contemplation Sutra*, but he also wielded the Soul Refining Flag. He had thoroughly studied the minor Heavenly Demon Soul General and the mutated Demon Soul General. For Heavenly Demons below Class III to attempt to Demon-corrupt him was undoubtedly wishful thinking!

With a low cry, Shen Mo transformed into a brilliant Sword Light and plunged into the dense demonic shadows.