Perfect World: Dream of the Immortal Era

Do not underestimate the Lord of the Forbidden Zone just because he only possesses an indestructible obsession. His vision, his experiences, and the unparalleled arts he mastered can all help a prodigy rise swiftly.

It was a matter of destiny for Qing Yue to become his disciple, and there was an inherent causal relationship guiding her path.

Even without Gu Wu Di, Qing Yue would eventually set foot on the Greater Dao Heaven, reaching that Forbidden Zone and encountering its master. At most, Gu Wu Di's influence merely accelerated this process and moved its outcome forward.

Gu Wu Di himself is also qualified to become the pupil of an Immortal King. He broke the long-standing shackles of the Dao Seed Law, using his own body as a seed, merging numerous Perfect Ancient Seeds. Such an astonishing accomplishment aligns perfectly with the standards of the Lord of the Forbidden Zone for accepting disciples.

Becoming his disciple offers tremendous benefits. Not only can one learn a supreme art, but also receive countless useful recommendations and avoid untold missteps. In every aspect, it is all gain and no loss.

“Since that’s the case, let us set off to Greater Dao Heaven now,” Gu Wu Di declared, his eagerness evident.

“Alright, let me bid farewell to my master, and we shall depart,” Qing Yue replied.

After speaking, she approached a solitary grave with a look of sadness, deeply bowing before a wooden plaque engraved with the words 'Grave of a Recluse.' She murmured softly, seemingly expressing her reluctance and longing for her mentor.

After a long moment, Qing Yue collected her emotions and returned to Gu Wu Di's side. The sorrow in her eyes was no longer visible, buried deep within her heart.

Gu Wu Di gazed at her for a while, surprised at her ability to adjust. Usually, women are perceived as fragile, and losing her only relative was a significant blow. Yet, she adapted quickly, not sinking into her grief.

Of course, her sorrow was deep and unforgettable, only repressed within her heart.

Gu Wu Di turned his head, gazing at the boundless tree standing on the edge of the earth in the distance, and spoke.

“Boundless Heaven, the most prosperous heavenly domain of the Primordial Ancient Realm. We will return, but by then, it will be as supreme beings reigning over it.”

His words were resolute, a bold declaration.

The determination within infected Qing Yue, and for a moment, her heart surged with lofty ambition. Simultaneously, her beautiful eyes shimmered as she looked at Gu Wu Di.

"You know, Qing Yue, I am aware that I’m quite the handsome man, but there's no need to keep staring at me like that," Gu Wu Di suddenly quipped.

Qing Yue's expression changed instantly.

“Handsome? Just passable, if you ask me. Besides, you’re still a wet-behind-the-ears kid. Say you’re a 'man' again when you’re taller than your big sister.”

Hearing this, Gu Wu Di's face showed slight embarrassment. Indeed, he wasn't taller than Qing Yue at the moment and was still young.

However, he believed that it wouldn’t take long before he surpassed her.

Subsequently, the two left the valley, flying towards the distant horizon.

There are two ways to traverse between heavenly realms. One is to possess sufficient personal strength, allowing for effortless passage through the barriers of realms; the other is to utilize the inter-realm formations constructed by major sects to journey to another heavenly domain.

Gu Wu Di and Qing Yue, possessing relatively shallow cultivation, naturally opted for the second method. This was the strategy they employed to journey from Great Crimson Heaven to Boundless Heaven.

However, utilizing the teleportation arrays of great powers is not free of charge and demands a high price.

When Qing Yue initially left her valley, her master had already prepared the necessary expenses for her round trip, leaving behind resources in the thatched cottage.

As for Gu Wu Di, it goes without saying that his resources were more abundant than even some major sects, so the two had no concern over this cross-realm matter.

They meticulously planned their route from Boundless Heaven to Great Dao Heaven and set forth for the boundary region of Boundless Heaven.

On the journey, the clever Qing Yue began to inquire about Gu Wu Di's origins, as she couldn't believe a lone cultivator could reach Gu Wu Di's level.

Earlier, she had learned from Pang Ren about Gu Wu Di's impressive achievements—defending against the heirs of the Supreme Palace, the scion of the Great Crimson Heaven sect, and other formidable opponents. He had also passed the trial of the Immortal King's relic, inheriting the legacy of the King of Ten Thousand Tribulations, using himself as a seed.

As of now, no one knew how powerful Gu Wu Di had truly become. Such an extraordinary being, perhaps not even a celestial royal family could produce, how could he be a mere lone cultivator?

Yet, Gu Wu Di remained tight-lipped. No matter how much Qing Yue probed, he remained unmoved, offering no hint of his origin.

"Up till now, I only know your name, knowing nothing about your background. When we reach Great Dao Heaven, you won't ditch me, will you?" Qing Yue pressed on, unwilling to give up.

Gu Wu Di smiled cryptically and replied, "Who knows? Since there are many who admire a celestial beauty like you, you could fetch a good price, and even if not sold, keeping you as a companion maid wouldn’t be too bad."

Catching his jest, Qing Yue rolled her eyes dramatically.

In the end, she had to suppress her curiosity and redirect her focus elsewhere. She was convinced that Gu Wu Di wouldn't reveal his origins, perhaps due to some inevitable hardship.

Qing Yue stopped raising the issue, giving Gu Wu Di a sigh of relief, as this was a secret only he could know, one that couldn't be told to just anyone.

Soon, the two arrived at their destination: a major city's teleportation array in Boundless Heaven, erected by a leading power.

Centered around the array, a large city had sprung up, hosting numerous cultivators seeking to cross to other celestial realms.

The streets were bustling with people, a scene of endless traffic.

Gu Wu Di and Qing Yue were about to enter the city, planning to use the teleportation array to travel to another celestial realm.

However, suddenly, a foreboding premonition gripped Gu Wu Di's heart, like an unyielding shadow.

Abruptly halting, he clutched his chest, breathing heavily, almost unable to catch his breath.

Seeing this, Qing Yue quickly stopped and anxiously asked, "Are you okay?"

"My chest suddenly feels heavy," Gu Wu Di replied.

Alarmed by his words, Qing Yue felt a slight shock, understanding that for cultivators, such a sign often presaged impending doom.

"Let me read your fortune," she offered, pulling out five celestial tortoise shells and casting them into the sky.

However, they didn't fall to form the expected hexagrams; instead, silence suffused the air.

Gu Wu Di and Qing Yue widened their eyes, stunned by the sudden appearance of a hand reaching out from the void.

It was a powerful hand, broad and enveloped in celestial aura, evoking a feeling of boundless control over heaven and earth. It possessed an extraordinary might, transcending mortal understanding.

Emerging from the empty space, it expertly caught the five celestial tortoise shells, preventing them from touching the ground.

Subsequently, a blurred figure began to manifest, emerging along the line of the hand, as if conjured out of thin air.

In that instant, Gu Wu Di and Qing Yue felt their entire beings tense, instinctively holding their breath.

The strength of this newcomer far exceeded theirs, existing on a higher plane.

"Hmm? The owner of the Celestial Seed looks different than I expected—how intriguing," a detached yet mocking voice issued forth from the obscuring mist.

Gu Wu Di felt an odd familiarity with the voice, as though he had heard it somewhere before. The next second, he thought of a being—one who had defected from the Wang family—a powerful entity.

"Could it be him? The Quasi-Immortal King—Xunyang!" he pondered inwardly.

At this moment, he knew he must feign ignorance; it was his only chance to navigate this peril.

Yet Gu Wu Di realized the situation was far from simple; danger loomed large today.

Back when his being was split into three, many lifesaving tools were granted to his divine form, as he, operating under the name Wang Heng, faced a significantly higher risk of danger than the others. Thus, the most powerful single-use ancient artifacts and an oil lamp housing the will of an Immortal King were all with Wang Heng.

All Gu Wu Di had were a few single-use artifacts at the True Immortal level, capable of unleashing such power in an instant.

But now, he was up against Xunyang, a formidable Quasi-Immortal King and the former leading warrior under Wang Gen's command. The True Immortal level artifacts were powerless against him.

"Ah, celestial tortoise shells, is it? Time has smoothed their edges, rendering them less divine, yet they're not ordinary," the blurred figure remarked, having played with the shells momentarily, offering a rare compliment.

"You have a keen eye, Senior," Qing Yue replied with a smile, attempting to ease the tension. She sensed Gu Wu Di's anxiety and considered the sudden tightness in her chest as an omen of ill will.

"You, young lady, are quite interesting. You have potential for cultivation with that strip of Qing Yue Flame. Your future achievements will not be minor—at least a Female Immortal. Quite promising. I am fond of talent, so I won't kill you. Come with me," the blurred figure said with a light laugh.

Qing Yue could no longer remain composed, her smile faint as she uttered these murderous words, the malice was evident.

"You're joking, senior," she forced a smile.

"I am not joking. You may stay, and depending on your performance, you might even become my consort."

"Consort?"

Qing Yue's expression changed slightly. Wouldn't that make her a caged bird? Over her dead body would she let such a thing happen.

"He, on the other hand, can't escape death today no matter what," the shadowy figure pointed at Gu Wu Di.

"Why must you kill me, senior? We have no past grievances. Even if you must kill me, at least let me die with understanding," Gu Wu Di asked angrily.

"Why kill you? Heh, because you've merged with a remarkable seed, someone wants your head," came the cold reply. "Didn't your father offend someone? Or become enemies with certain people? Are you truly unaware, Young Master Heng?" With these words, the fog around his face shifted, revealing the face of a middle-aged man. Sword-like brows and starry eyes adorned his face, a faint smile playing on his lips, yet his gaze was cold and ruthless, chilling anyone to the bone.

"Young Master Heng? What is the senior talking about? Surely you have the wrong person?" Gu Wu Di was utterly confused and sincerely innocent.

He used his body as the seed, transforming all particles within him into Tao seeds, thus having complete control over his physical self.

Even if Xunyang, a quasi-Immortal King, had overwhelming power, pinpointing his flaws was nearly impossible.

"Hmm? Did I mistake someone else?" Xunyang murmured hesitantly.

He prided himself that no mortal could deceive him, the disparity was too great; any fluctuation in the other's state would be detected.

Yet, the one before him, merged with the celestial seed, seemed truthful; he wasn't Wang Heng.

"Mistakes aside, I'd rather err on the side of caution than let you go. Having merged with this ancient seed, you're destined for today's demise," Xunyang declared coldly.

"Whether or not, I will find out for myself," he said, reaching towards Gu Wu Di's brow.

On the other side, Qing Yue was anxious, wanting to intervene, but she couldn't move at all; being within a quasi-Immortal King's domain equated to losing freedom.

Gu Wu Di was in a similar predicament; however, he could activate the storage artifact Wang Gen had melded into his bones, allowing him to use several single-use ancient artifacts with the power of a full-force attack of a true immortal, just by a mere thought.

Still, he knew it was nothing more than a tickle to someone as powerful as Xunyang.

At this moment, he could only gamble on Wang Gen having left him with a backup plan.

A massive hand reached down, seemingly slow but truly swift, leaving time in its wake, arriving instantly at Gu Wu Di's brow.

He already sensed the terrifying aura emanating from the enormous hand, a chill that pierced his soul.

At the critical moment, an eternal light burst forth from Xunyang's ancient spirit, radiating a dark hue and emanating a vast soul force that enveloped him instantly.

The powerful quasi-Immortal King was immediately taken aback, wanting to pull back, but it was too late.

A terrifying rule belonging to an Immortal King spread out, completely suppressing him.

Xunyang was shocked to find his cultivation level was suppressed to only the level of Dao-seeding. He used all his strength to break free but was immobilized.

At this time, Ancient Invincible regained his composure. His gamble paid off, not wasting those disposable ancient artifacts.

"Clang!"

A massive halberd appeared out of nowhere, wielded by Ancient Invincible. He looked coldly at Xunyang, who was suppressed by the Immortal King domain, with killing intent surging.

"This halberd... does it have the aura of the Immortal Vine? Are you Wang Heng?" Xunyang reacted.

"Yes, it's me. Xunyang, you ungrateful traitor, today next year will be your death anniversary," Wang Heng spoke coldly and swung the great halberd forward.

"Ungrateful? Heh, I'm just saving myself.

You're too naive to think suppressing me with an Immortal King domain can kill me? You're only at the Dao-seeding level too." Xunyang laughed, completely unfazed.

However, the next moment, when the great halberd in Ancient Invincible's hand descended, Xunyang realized something was wrong.

This halberd was too heavy, bearing the heavens, unbelievably weighty, with grey and white flames twining on its blade, emitting a clear radiance.

"You..."

Xunyang was appalled, doing all he could to resist, but the gap was too vast. Even his proud quasi-Immortal King body was useless, crushed to the depths by the Immortal King domain.

"Ah!"

A miserable scream echoed as Xunyang was cleaved by the halberd, smashed into a pulp, his primordial spirit collapsing along with his body.

Afterward, two different flames burned ferociously, with the Immortal King domain's aid, reducing the remains to ashes.

"Buzz!"

The black domain disappeared, and everything frozen in time resumed its motion, time returning to its normal flow.

Ancient Invincible retracted the halberd, gazing at the spot where Xunyang once stood, his face gloomy and solemn.

Taking advantage of the Immortal King's domain, he obliterated this manifestation of Xunyang, which was but a mere shadow and not his true form.