Monster Saint Ji Meng

After leaving Mount Sumeru, Zhen Yuanzi and Hongyun did not accompany Shi Mo to Nine Tripod Iron Fork Mountain, parting ways along the journey.

After returning to Nine Tripod Iron Fork Mountain, Shi Mo first went to inspect the Flat Peach Mother Tree.

"Huh? It's already lush and flourishing, growing quite well! It seems that after repairing the Western Continent's earth veins and connecting the earth vein network, the power of Nine Tripod Iron Fork Mountain's earth veins, along with its earthfire and yang energy, has grown ever stronger. It truly benefits the Flat Peach Mother Tree greatly."

Seeing the Flat Peach Mother Tree atop Eight Treasures Peak, now sprouting many tender green leaves, Shi Mo's eyes lit up.

"I just wonder when it will bloom and bear fruit!" Stroking the Flat Peach Mother Tree's trunk, Shi Mo then frowned slightly. "Although peach trees belong to yang and can restrain yin evils, innate Ren Water flat peaches belong to yin."

"The tree belongs to yang, yet its fruit belongs to yin. As they say, lone yin cannot give birth, and lone yang cannot grow. Now that Nine Tripod Iron Fork Mountain's earthfire aura is so abundant, it seems that to make the Flat Peach Mother Tree bloom and bear fruit, it needs yin-attributed energy for nourishment." Shi Mo muttered softly, unable to help feeling a headache coming on.

"Among the Primordial World's treasures of yin-attributed energy, the most famous should be Three Lights Divine Water. Like Xirang, it can nurture the vitality of all things. But where am I supposed to find Three Lights Divine Water to water the Flat Peach Mother Tree?"

"Besides, who knows how much Three Lights Divine Water the Flat Peach Mother Tree would need to absorb? That's not very realistic." Shi Mo shook his head slightly and pondered.

"The best solution would be an energy source that could gather and provide power continuously, just like the power of earth veins and earthfire. That would be a long-term solution!"

Night happened to be falling. As Shi Mo raised his head to look at the sky, seeing the bright moonlight and the dazzling river of stars in the Primordial World's night sky, delight immediately appeared on his face.

"That's it! Moonlight and starlight are inexhaustible sources of yin-attributed energy. It seems the Monster Clan established its Heavenly Court above the Nine Heavens precisely to cultivate with the power of moonlight and stars. The Monster Emperor Di Jun even created the Heavenly Stellar Formation because of it. And the later Flat Peach Garden was located in the Heavenly Court."

The more Shi Mo thought about it, the more excited and expectant he became. Yet as if recalling something, he frowned again.

"But how am I supposed to draw in and gather the power of moonlight and starlight? And a small amount of it would probably be a drop in the bucket for the Flat Peach Mother Tree."

"So, it would be best if I could gather it just like earth vein power. If only I could set up the Heavenly Stellar Formation." Shi Mo shook his head slightly as he thought.

"I don't even know the patterns governing the movement of the Heavenly Stars. Trying to figure out the Heavenly Stellar Formation would be nothing but a dream!"

"The laws governing the movement of the Heavenly Stars... Right, I can study their patterns in the Primordial World's starry sky, just as I studied the earth veins of the Primordial World!"

With that thought, Shi Mo immediately grew impatient. He hurriedly left Nine Tripod Iron Fork Mountain and flew toward the Primordial World's starry sky.

With Shi Mo's current cultivation, his flight speed was naturally incomparable to before. Before long, he reached the Nine Heavens Gale Layer above the Nine Heavens.

Yet after easily passing through the Nine Heavens Gale Layer and just as he was about to fly into the Primordial World's starry sky, Shi Mo sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching.

"Hm?" Shi Mo frowned slightly. Immediately afterward, he felt fierce winds sweeping through heaven and earth as water mist and clouds gathered. A faint dragon's roar rang out, and within the clouds appeared a strange creature with a dragon's head and a human body, birdlike claws for hands, and feathers growing from its arms.

Holding a trident, he saw Shi Mo and immediately shouted coldly, "Who dares trespass into my Monster Clan's Heavenly Court?"

What an overbearing Monster Clan! Is he Ji Meng, one of the Ten Monster Saints? Seeing the other's appearance, Shi Mo naturally made a guess.

"I am Shi Mo. I wish to pass through on my way to the Primordial World's starry sky. I hope Fellow Daoist will accommodate me," Shi Mo said politely on the surface.

Unexpectedly, Ji Meng merely glared and roared, "Insolence! The Primordial World's starry sky is where the Monster Emperor cultivates in seclusion. How can you barge in simply because you wish to? Leave at once, or do not blame me for taking action."

"The Monster Emperor's place of secluded cultivation?" Shi Mo frowned upon hearing that, inwardly grumbling. Could Di Jun's cultivation really occupy the entire Primordial World's starry sky?

Seeing Shi Mo frown in silence without any intention of leaving, Ji Meng's figure flashed as he swung his trident and charged at Shi Mo.

Ji Meng attacking the moment he said he would made Shi Mo's expression darken, his face turning rather unpleasant.

"Go!" With a thought, Shi Mo unleashed the Wind-Fixing Pearl. Its invisible might immediately froze the surrounding space, stilling all energy fluctuations.

Bang! The instant the Wind-Fixing Pearl collided with the trident, Ji Meng's body jolted, and he was sent flying backward in a sorry state.

"What?" Ji Meng stared at Shi Mo in shock, then fixed a burning gaze on the Wind-Fixing Pearl as it flew back into Shi Mo's hand. "What a formidable spirit pearl!"

Having forced Ji Meng back with one strike, Shi Mo felt no joy. Instead, he frowned and glanced into the distance before turning into a streak of light and fleeing.

"Trying to run?" Ji Meng sneered as he came to his senses and gave chase.

Although Ji Meng possessed dragon blood and excelled at flight, he was ultimately still a step slower than Shi Mo, who used the Wind-Fixing Pearl's power to travel.

Yet after swiftly shaking Ji Meng off, Shi Mo did not relax. Instead, he frowned and fully activated the Wind-Fixing Pearl, shattering every obstruction of energy and even space as he plunged at top speed toward the Primordial World below.

When he had fought Ji Meng, he had sensed another powerful aura approaching. Now, that aura was pursuing him ever faster. Clearly, its owner meant him ill.

At such speed, it's most likely the Demon Master Kunpeng. Once he gets entangled with me, I'm afraid I won't be able to escape. Thinking this, Shi Mo felt both frustrated and helpless.

I really should have checked the almanac before leaving today! I've run into trouble both times I've gone to the Heavenly Court. Could it be that I'm simply incompatible with it?

Sensing that cold, sharp aura rapidly closing in, Shi Mo cursed inwardly as anger welled up in his chest. Gritting his teeth, he abruptly turned and stopped.

At the same time, the sky seemed to darken as an enormous figure descended from above. Sharp claws slashed directly down at Shi Mo.

Feeling terrifying coldness spread from those claws as if it would freeze space itself, Shi Mo hurriedly activated the Wind-Fixing Pearl within his body with all his strength. At the same time, his body transformed into a ten-thousand-zhang stone giant.

Boom! Shi Mo threw a punch. The instant his fist collided with those enormous claws, his fist and arm froze rapidly, while countless cracks spread over them like a shattered tortoiseshell, reaching all the way to his chest.

Shi Mo's entire body shook violently. Then his body rapidly shrank as he crashed toward the Primordial World below like a cannonball.

Both of us are Daluo Golden Immortals, yet Kunpeng's mana is this pure and terrifying. Could he be born of a Chaos Godfiend? What powerful flesh and strength! Shi Mo was secretly shocked. The moment he landed, he burrowed directly into the underground earth vein network.

"Hm?" In the next moment, accompanied by an astonishingly frigid wind descending from the sky, a black-robed Daoist with a hooked nose appeared in the air above where Shi Mo had landed. Sensing Shi Mo's aura rapidly fading into the distance underground, he could not help frowning.

"So it really was him! He excels at earth escape, and his cultivation has improved so quickly! There is still a long time before Purple Heaven Palace's second lecture. Why did he go to the Heavenly Court again? Could it be that he fears running into Minghe again, so he headed there early?"

Only after a while did Ji Meng catch up. Seeing the black-robed, hooked-nosed Daoist, he respectfully bowed. "Demon Master!"

"What was that man doing in the Heavenly Court just now?" Kunpeng asked with a slight nod.

"He said he wished to pass through the Heavenly Court to reach the Primordial World's starry sky. Demon Master, don't you think he's rather strange? Why would anyone go to the Primordial World's starry sky for no reason? It's dark and desolate there, with nothing but starlight and meteors," Ji Meng said with a smile.

Kunpeng was slightly stunned upon hearing this. Then he narrowed his eyes, revealing a thoughtful expression.