Perfect World: Dream of the Immortal Era

Gu Wudi was already aware of these matters, but Qingyue found herself shocked to the core, wondering what path Ao Gu had walked to end up with such a fate.

A moment later, Ao Gu’s figure vanished, replaced by a woman in a yellow dress. She was extraordinarily beautiful, with a peerless allure. Her eyes seemed to harbor countless words, yet she remained silent.

"Her name is Jin Zhen, from the Golden Crow Clan of the Immortal Realm. Her talent was incredible. At the time, I believed she could surpass me, but she ultimately perished." The Lord of the Forbidden Zone sighed deeply, bitterness etched across his face, his eyes filled with profound nostalgia.

It was evident that the way the woman in yellow looked at him was not with the respect one shows a mentor but with undisguised affection.

He reached out, attempting to caress her silky hair, yet the moment he touched it, it shattered like an illusion.

Next, a third being appeared, a seemingly fragile young boy.

"His name is Ruofeng, a seemingly delicate young boy, but his talent in magical powers was extraordinary, far surpassing ordinary people. I once taught him the Art of Immortal Slaughter." The Lord of the Forbidden Zone spoke.

"Sadly, like Ao Gu, he died on that path."

Subsequently, the fourth figure appeared, a handsome young man with eyes that sparkled brilliantly and radiant confidence, as though destined to soar over the world.

"His name is Zhaoyang, from the Human Race. His comprehension was truly exceptional, at times even leaving me in awe." The Lord of the Forbidden Zone couldn't help but smile, clearly impressed with this young human named Zhaoyang.

"I taught him the Nine-turn Heavenly Technique, and he nearly comprehended the tenth transformation, reaching the supreme realm. Yet in the end, he failed and chose to tread that same path, and only the news of his soul lamp extinguishing reached us."

"The Nine-turn Heavenly Technique..." mused Gu Wudi, recalling the clash between Shi Hao and the Void Beast, a confrontation of Six Paths against Nine Turns, like the clash of horns.

Unexpectedly, the Lord of the Forbidden Zone mastered such an ancient technique, demonstrating his unsurpassed scholarly acumen.

The few major techniques he imparted could indeed be considered invincible arts, each capable of sustaining a great power for countless generations.

The fifth entity emerged, expressionless, tall, profound, and reserved, his eyes seemed to devour everything.

"He hailed from the Taotie Clan, his talent rare. I regarded him as a kindred spirit and taught him the Universe Furnace Technique. Yet, a thousand years ago, he came here to bid me farewell, disregarding my dissuasion to embark on that path.

Recently, his soul lamp extinguished, indicating he met with misfortune, perishing in the vast oceans." A look of sorrow crossed the Lord of the Forbidden Zone's face. Earlier, he sat alone at the table, savoring the bitter tea, immersed in melancholy for this young Taotie.

When the news of his demise arrived, although he had long anticipated it, the pain was immense, for he had regarded him as his own.

"They were the pinnacle talents of their respective eras, all with the potential to reach the supreme domain, but ultimately, at the end of their paths, they could advance no further, choosing to fulfill my wish, embarking on that road of no return.

"I know, they didn't have to do this originally. They honored me as their master, hoping to fulfill my lingering wishes." The Lord of the Forbidden Zone spoke with a hint of sorrow.

In this world, there is nothing more tragic than a white-haired person sending off a black-haired one. But for him, it was even more sorrowful, as he continuously bid farewell to the living in his departed state.

The sixth being appeared—a woman of unparalleled beauty, dressed in green, surrounded by radiant light like rain, floating as if she were ascending to immortality.

"She is Biyu, a woman of extraordinary talent, who arrived here thirty thousand years ago. Today, she has become a True Immortal, residing within the realm of the Great Dao." The Lord of the Forbidden Zone explained.

The seventh person followed, marked by a brilliant golden light. A robust figure approached step by step, with hair of pure gold, a handsome face, a strong physique, and an aura of wild power, with golden divine flames flickering around him.

"He is called Dugu Tian, hailing from the Saint Clan, one of the four strongest races. Seven thousand years ago, he traveled from the Immortal Domain and became connected with me. I taught him the Fist of Life and Death, which allows him to harness the power of the Saint Clan's bloodline to its fullest.

Now, he stands at the pinnacle of the Supreme Realm, ready to challenge the Immortal Dao. Currently, he is among the top ten in the Immortal Domain." Mentioning Dugu Tian, the Lord of the Forbidden Zone smiled, evidently satisfied with this young man.

"What does it mean to be in the top ten of the Immortal Domain?" Gu Wudi and Qingyue asked simultaneously.

"It is a tremendous honor, signifying the ten most extraordinary individuals in the Human Domain across all realms within the Immortal Domain. Each possesses exceptional qualities beyond imagination.

To my knowledge, Dugu Tian is the only one in the Supreme Realm who has made it into the top ten." The Lord of the Forbidden Zone replied.

"The ten most outstanding beings in the Human Domain..." The two understood the weight of this title.

It is important to realize that the Immortal Domain is vast, filled with talent and prodigies far beyond the depths of the primordial ancient world. To select ten beings from such an expansive Immortal Domain undoubtedly places them among the elite.

"Recently, there has been a change in the top ten of the Immortal Domain. A new being has displaced one of the original ten, which is astounding because usually, replacements occur only after entering the Immortal Dao, allowing others to step up, but it is rare for someone to directly displace another." He remarked with emotion.

"May I ask, who is this person?"

Gu Wudi inquired.

Qingyue also looked over with curiosity.

"Interestingly, this young being comes from my world and is the offspring of a fellow Daoist." The Lord of the Forbidden Zone gazed into the distance, eyes deep in thought.

"His name is Wang Heng, you should be quite familiar with him. His father—Daoist Wang Gen—just recently slew an Immortal King in the Imperial City, making his name known across the lands.

Alas, Daoist Wang was also cursed by the otherworldly Immortal King and returned severely injured.

Such a time for his child to venture into the Immortal Domain is quite thought-provoking, especially considering the number of enemies he has there."

Gu Wudi kept a calm demeanor upon hearing this, but inside, his heart was in turmoil.

Wang Heng, that was his divine body, sent to the Immortal Domain. It hadn’t been long since he went there, yet he's already among the top ten? He felt a sense of gratification; the stronger the divine body, the more formidable the fusion would be in the future.

In comparison, he's not doing badly himself, having pioneered the myth of using the body as a seed. However, he reminded himself that complacency only leads to regression; he must not slack off and should keep progressing.

"I wonder how Gen is doing now, having ventured into that otherworld alone, everything starting from scratch, the toughest journey," he murmured to himself.

Beside him, Qingyue recalled a previous assassination attempt.

That quasi-Immortal King, before being engulfed by the Immortal King's domain, had mentioned the name "Young Master Heng," seemingly referring to Gu Wudi. Could it be...

She shook her head, dismissing the thought as unrealistic, mere baseless speculation.

The cultivation systems of the Immortal Domain and the Primal Ancient Realm are different. Gu Wudi is clearly on the path of the primordial realm's Dao seed method, while that Wang Heng is cultivating in the Immortal Domain; they are unrelated.

Gu Wudi thought, the Wang Heng from the Immortal Domain didn't come, but the "Wang Heng" of the Primal Ancient Realm did, which in essence results in the same thing, each being a third of a Wang Heng.

Suddenly, the tone of the Lord of the Forbidden Zone shifted, looking towards Gu Wudi and Qingyue, saying, "Although Wang Heng didn't come, the presence of you two exceptional talents alone graces my humble abode."

"We dare not accept such praise."

"Esteemed elder, your words are too generous," they both promptly demurred politely.

"No exaggeration, just speaking the truth. Both of you have the extraordinary potential to achieve the status of an Immortal King.

Particularly, Gu Wudi’s path to the Immortal King has already begun to reveal itself, if I’m not mistaken, it's the use of the body as a seed.

Some beings, unable to find a suitable primordial seed, sought to use their forms as seeds to seize the world. Even fellow Daoists who've reached the Immortal King status have tried to open new pathways, thus breaking through shackles and pushing further, proposing the concept of using the body as a seed."

“Yet, epoch after epoch passes, and no living being has succeeded. The countless bloody truths have proven it to be a dead end. Even I believed this path was impassable. I never expected you to prove otherwise.” The Lord of the Forbidden Zone sighed, his gaze filled with wonder as he looked at Gu Wudi.

“At the very least, you’ve made the unprecedented, crucial first step.”

“Thank you for your praise, senior. I merely stand on the shoulders of giants to achieve success,” Gu Wudi responded. As he spoke, a gray flame rose from his body—a flame fueled by the myriad sins of the world. As long as these sins remain, the flame shall not extinguish.

“The Myriad Sins Flame, so that’s what it is,” the Lord of the Forbidden Zone mused.

“Its original owner was truly an extraordinary being. However, he disappeared after just a few unparalleled epochs, vanishing like a fleeting shadow,” he continued.

“The Myriad Sins King was precisely such a being. He sought to break through limitations and establish a new system. Thus, he embarked on a journey, resolute in using himself as the seed. But the unpredictable skies brought him down on this path.”

“The courage of Myriad Sins King is commendable. Many Immortal Kings lack the resolve to break and then reform, nor do they possess the courage to venture down such a road.”

“Senior, what kind of path is it exactly?” Qingyue asked curiously.

The Lord of the Forbidden Zone, in his white robes, said nothing. He simply waved his hand.

Suddenly, the heavens and earth fractured, the universe tore apart, revealing a quiet and serene scene before them.

Gu Wudi and Qingyue opened their eyes wide as they gazed at the scene displayed by the Lord of the Forbidden Zone.

The sky was dim, enveloped in heavy fog, exuding an intensely oppressive feeling.

Amidst such an environment, a grand dam lay across the landscape, gray and worn, with many fractures, like an eternal existence. One could faintly hear waves crashing against the dam.

Upon closer inspection, they saw an immortal being lying unmoving on the dam, surrounded by an immortal aura, with glistening blood trickling out, seemingly having perished not long ago.

Not far from it, other fresh corpses lay scattered, like a battlefield.

Suddenly, the two felt a shiver as they witnessed a lone being. Clad in white, resembling snow, he exuded otherworldly grace as he steadily approached the dam, finally crossing over into the world beyond.

“Rumble!”

Thunderous sounds erupted from beyond the dam, as if roaring waves were boiling or battles were waged by unknown beings.

Days passed, one after another… ten years…

The passage of time brought profound changes, the world transforming from oceans to mulberry fields.

Suddenly, there was movement at the dam. A blood-stained hand clung to its edge, struggling to crawl over.

It was none other than the Lord of the Forbidden Zone, looking nothing like the confident figure he once was. His hair was disheveled, his eyes hollow, his face covered in blood, his body riddled with bleeding wounds that refused to heal, different hues of terrifying blood seeping out. Even his brow furrowed deeply, like a porcelain figurine on the verge of shattering.

He wobbled to his feet, stumbling several times before he finally left the dam's world and disappeared into the horizon.

“What kind of path is this? Even the seniors have failed.” Qingyue was in shock.

A powerful celestial king had returned in defeat; what lay beyond the dam was horrifying and yet, deeply intriguing.

“Once you reach that level, you will understand. Knowing beforehand will only bring you unnecessary troubles.

I will not force you to tread that path. In fact, I warned the five fallen youths, advising them against venturing too early.” The Lord of the Forbidden Zone did not elaborate further.

Hearing this, Qingyue suppressed her doubts. To uncover these secrets, she realized she must continue to grow stronger.

Gu Wudi, however, understood what lay beyond the dam—a boundless ocean of realms where countless formidable figures contended, battling for supremacy.

Every being was an elite of one or several epochs within their realm, any one of whom could effortlessly annihilate everything under the heavens.

“You shall stay here for a while henceforth.

Qingyue, I shall impart upon you the Rebirth Scripture. This scripture shares an affinity with the perfect flame that merges with you.

As for you, Gu Wudi, I need to observe your path more closely before making my decision,” declared the Lord of the Forbidden Zone.

These words brought immense relief to Qingyue. Her journey had been to align with this mighty force of the Forbidden Zone, seeking protection against the pursuit of immortal beings.

Now, she succeeded, her talents winning over a celestial king.

“The Rebirth Scripture—what sort of scripture is it? How does it relate to the Qingyue Flame?” Qingyue pondered about the "Rebirth Scripture" mentioned by the Lord of the Forbidden Zone.

A powerful ancient scripture from a celestial king was invaluable to her, as her deceased mentor had not left behind any otherworldly scriptures, perhaps to prevent her from repeating his destiny.

Gu Wudi, though somewhat expecting this outcome, was still exhilarated to hear that a supreme being—suspected to be a celestial king in life—was willing to bestow their grand teachings upon him.