Perfect World: Dream of the Immortal Era

In the vast, boundless void, two towering figures faced each other, their auras clashing with such fierce intensity that even the space around them began to collapse, unable to bear the burden of their power. The earth lay in ruin beneath them, riddled with burning star remnants and billowing smoke that refused to dissipate.

Suddenly, one of the figures opened its mouth, expelling a stream of primal essence akin to a dazzling streak of light.

In an instant, the essence transformed into a starry river, spewing out countless radiant points like stars, which evolved into a plethora of creatures and battle beasts. Mighty golden mammoths roared to the heavens, while great golden-winged rocs soared into the sky, rising an endless distance, along with Sun Devourers, Gluttons, Undying Nine-Headed Birds, Purple-Gold True Hous, Suannis, and Bians.

There were too many to count, encompassing all races, including many creatures unseen even by the ancient invincibles. Time, in its merciless passage, had long erased their tribes from history's river, yet now, in the spectacle choreographed by the Lord of the Forbidden Zone, they were reborn.

This sight was terrifying beyond measure. The colossal beasts blotted the sky, running and howling, shattering the void and obliterating stars, akin to the cataclysmic eruption of mountains and seas, crushing everything and annihilating worlds.

With a mere thought, myriad spirits were summoned, bringing about heaven's ruin and earth's demise. Such means were truly astonishing.

The other figure was both furious and startled, bellowing to the heavens as it unleashed its supreme techniques, instantly obliterating hundreds of ancient beasts, tearing them asunder.

Yet, there were tens of thousands of ancient beasts charging and trampling over everything, making them impossible to completely vanquish.

Before long, the figure was engulfed, its voice lost amidst the chaos.

When calm finally returned, the figure had vanished entirely, evidently struck to dust by the unleashed spirits.

Subsequently, the spirits transformed into particles of light. Upon close inspection, one would find that these were tiny ancient characters, intricate and profound, each character embodying an entire race's essence.

The luminous particles gathered once more, flowing back into the figure's mouth along with the primal essence, to settle into the depths of its being, nourishing quietly.

At this point, the scene cut off, and the hand of the Lord of the Forbidden Zone withdrew.

Gu Wudi was deeply shaken in spirit, clearly observing that the two entities in the scene were evenly matched, having waged a protracted struggle. Yet, upon the application of the technique to harmonize myriad spirits from essence, one instantly subdued the adversary.

Such methods were immensely powerful and nearly impossible to defend against.

The only flaw is the vast consumption of divine energy; without prior accumulation of power, deploying this in combat would likely deplete a cultivator's mana instantaneously.

Thus, it is crucial to store power in advance, nurturing that primal essence within, and releasing it when contesting opponents. The colossal might therein can sever gods and obliterate immortals.

"This is the scripture of that method. Remember, you must nurture it with utmost diligence, accumulating power. It can only be used as a one-time trump card, a strike reserved for desperate situations. Do not use it frivolously in ordinary conflicts," the Lord of the Forbidden Zone advised earnestly.

Gu Wudi accepted the scripture, nodding in acknowledgment.

"Next, you shall meditate on this scripture within this Hall of Enlightenment. When the innate essence forms, you may initially harness the power of the 'One Qi Transforming Into Myriad Beings' technique before leaving seclusion," the Lord continued, then began to depart.

At this moment, Gu Wudi spoke up to explain the troubles he and Qingyue faced, as well as their plans.

"A Quasi-Immortal King is attacking with an avatar, bolstered by an Immortal King behind him... It's a bit troublesome, but not too concerning. Rest assured about Qingyue's safety. I'll leave some measures with her," the Lord of the Forbidden Zone responded thoughtfully.

Throughout the discussion, he never inquired why Gu Wudi had such entanglements with Immortal Kings and Quasi-Immortal Kings or what secrets he might be hiding. He merely pledged to ensure Qingyue's safety.

Gu Wudi was deeply moved, for if the Lord had asked, he would have been in an awkward position.

Fortunately, the Immortal King's foresight was profound, and much could be discerned at a glance, making lengthy explanations unnecessary.

With the promise received, Gu Wudi sighed with relief, watched as the Lord left, and then calmed his mind, severing stray thoughts to focus on mastering the 'One Qi Transforming Into Myriad Beings' technique.

Time flew by, and before long, half a month had passed. Gu Wudi, immersed in this state of enlightenment, was oblivious to the passage of time. When he finally accomplished the mastery of the technique and consolidated his cultivation to the Second Layer of Qi Refinement, reaching the level of a single thread of Immortal Qi, he emerged from the metallic Hall of Enlightenment, only to find Qingyue had already left.

She left him a transmission message, informing him that, through the Lord of the Forbidden Zone's recommendation, she had gone to join his sixth disciple—the female immortal named Biyu.

Although the Rebirth Sutra had allowed her a complete transformation, unlocking the treasure buried within the Qingyue Flame, her cultivation was still too low. With such a fledgling level, establishing herself in the realm of cultivation was challenging, especially as a strikingly beautiful woman, which easily attracted complications. By seeking refuge with Biyu, who had already become an Immortal, she could rise more swiftly and ensure her safety.

Upon hearing the contents of the message, Gu Wudi felt at ease knowing that the Lord had already arranged matters concerning Qingyue, eliminating the need to worry about whether Xuny yang would pursue her.

Even if the Lord of the Forbidden Zone was but a remnant will, a Quasi-Immortal King could not easily challenge him. Xuny yang's leader, Ao Sheng, would certainly not personally confront him in the Heavenly Path Domain.

After all, this domain was guarded by the Seven Kings of the Borderlands. Any outsiders had to announce themselves in advance, or it would be deemed an invasion. Moreover, Ao Sheng had a strained relationship with the Borderland clans, making his personal arrival even less likely.

Besides, Ao Sheng was a supreme Immortal King, revered as a "Colossus" in the Immortal Realm, how aloof and proud! To him, only other Immortal Kings merited attention, everyone else were mere ants, and he would not personally involve himself in hindering Gu Wudi, not even for the son of an Immortal King whom he wouldn't bother noticing.

At most, it was from Xunyang's account that Gu Wudi heard a young man in the Primal Ancient World had merged with the Wang Family's Celestial Seed, which might be related to Wang Heng. He offhandedly suggested to do as needed about it.

Unless one day Gu Wudi, like Shi Hao, faced the Immortal King Tribulation, Ao Sheng might personally intercept and target him. Or perhaps Gu Wudi might catch Ao Sheng's attention, sensing the entanglement of karmic threads.

Having resolved Qingyue's troubles, Gu Wudi found his task much simpler; he only needed to manipulate the particle seed, change his appearance, and even if Xunyang stood before him, might not recognize him.

“Have you exited your retreat? Come, sit.” In front of a thatched hut, the Lord of the Forbidden Zone gestured for Gu Wudi to sit across from him.

“Elder, I'm leaving. I came to bid you farewell.”

“No hurry, sit first.”

They sat across a tea table, and the Immortal Page immediately served a cup of bitter tea to Gu Wudi.

As he looked at the deeply red tea leaves at the bottom of the cup, Gu Wudi's expression changed slightly, recalling the unsurpassed bitterness and astringency.

Then again, outsiders wished to drink such tea but couldn't.

If drinking this bitter tea meant becoming a disciple of an Immortal King, countless beings would rush for the chance.

Without hesitation, not waiting for the Lord of the Forbidden Zone to speak, Gu Wudi drank the bitter tea in one gulp. Better short pain than long agony; to slowly sip it would be worse than gulping it down in one go.

“Bitter? Astringent? Remember this sensation. In the future, whatever you face will surpass it a hundredfold, a thousandfold. Once you surmount all hurdles and hardships, I'll brew you another cup of tea, and perhaps by then, it will taste entirely different.” The Lord of the Forbidden Zone spoke with profound meaning.

Hearing this, Gu Wudi's thoughts drifted far and wide. Suddenly, the bitter tea didn't seem so bitter or astringent, and a desire to taste another sip arose in his heart. Yet, when he lifted the cup, he realized he had already emptied it in one go.

Gazing at the empty cup, he felt a sense of regret and simultaneously an enlightenment of sorts.

At this moment, he understood the good intentions of the Lord of the Forbidden Zone.

“This disciple has learned his lesson.” Gu Wudi felt gratitude in his heart, referring to himself as a disciple.

The Lord of the Forbidden Zone said nothing, merely smiled without a word. Who wouldn't want a disciple capable of creating an unprecedented, world-shaking system?

Afterward, Gu Wudi bade farewell, and with two true immortal attendants seeing him off, he departed the low mountain range.

Standing before the ancient path that teamed with illusions, Gu Wudi felt overwhelmed with emotion, as if this journey had been a dream.

This time, he no longer needed to hold a celestial weapon or drift along on a sacred wood in the River of the Lunar Shade. The beings on the outskirts of the Forbidden Zone had long been waiting to respectfully see him out of the Crossroad of Yin and Yang Forbidden Zone.

Gazing into the distance, where the majestic mountains and rivers stretched, with peaks gathered like a throng, this was the Grand Dao Heaven of outstanding heroes and the intersection of the Three Realms. It would also be the place where Gu Wudi attained his Dao. He strode swiftly through the verdant mountains and clouds, his heart swelling with a sense of grandeur.

…

In Hunyuan City, on Mount Shangcang, under the gaze of all present, Wang Heng emerged from the collapsed ancient temple. He had long withdrawn the ten layers of void above his head, reverting to a state of simplicity, as if returning to the purity and innocence of nature.

Yet no one present thought of him like that, for this vibrant young man before them had already ranked among the top ten in the Immortal Domain, destined to make a name that resonated throughout the realm.

Zhunxi King Hun Hong approached with congratulations, lavish in his praise.

Some true immortals residing on Mount Shangcang were also roused, rushing over, nodding repeatedly at him.

At this moment, the Black King squeezed in, proudly chatting and laughing with the true immortals, boasting extravagantly of Wang Heng's accomplishments while claiming a large share of the credit.

Wang Heng found it both amusing and vexing, yet he didn't mind. On the contrary, he was grateful to the Black King, for without its earnest persuasion for Unending Immortal King to bring him along, he might never have caught this opportunity.

Without Unending's shelter and the conveniences it provided, how would he have fared alone in the Immortal Domain? Certainly, he would not have become one of the top ten.

Once the crowd dispersed, the Black King and Wang Heng were led to another ancient temple.

Before Wang Heng could catch his breath, he received a summons from the Immortal King.

The fortune-hewn domain had ultimately captured the attention of Hunyuan Immortal King, the master of Mount Shangcang. Naturally, Wang Heng wouldn't defy the Immortal King's will, preparing at once to follow the true immortals of Mount Shangcang to the Immortal King's Palace.

At this moment, the Black King conveyed, "No need to be nervous. With Wuji here, you'll be fine. Moreover, when the Hun Yuan Immortal King gave you the ancient scripture of Hun Yuan earlier, it was because he had faith in you. This time, calling you over is likely a way to assess your worth before deciding whether to make a further investment.

Heh, this is something I have seen countless times. In the Immortal Domain, where the factions are well-defined, it's all too common. However, to have the Immortal King make a move, you must have the capital. Not everyone qualifies for this privilege.”

Wang Heng nodded, then followed the True Immortal of the Heavenly Mountain through the passage.

Legend has it that this towering mountain fell from the heavens, concealing endless secrets. The current master of this mountain, the Hun Yuan Immortal King, resides at its peak, symbolizing the highest echelon.

Their journey to the Hun Yuan Palace was essentially a climb up the Heavenly Mountain. Here, even true immortals cannot fly, forced to rely on their footsteps.

They ascended this supreme region of the vast universe step by step like ordinary mortals.

Ahead, chaotic energy surged as a massive grand palace stood majestic within it. Its imposing presence seemed to suppress even time itself, eternal and indestructible. Any being lacking Immortal King-level strength would feel insignificant in front of this palace, realizing their own smallness and insignificance.

With a heart full of reverence, Wang Heng walked into the grand palace step by step.

The Hun Yuan Immortal King, who had been waiting for some time, sat high on a stone chair surrounded by swirling chaos energy, ancient and mysterious. His eyes were deep, imbued with an indescribable majesty that sent a chill down one’s spine. Beside him, another stone chair of equal height stood on the side, signifying the distinction of host and guest.

Seated there was the towering figure of Wuji Immortal King, a guest on the Heavenly Mountain. Seeing Wang Heng enter, Wuji nodded slightly at him.

Wang Heng, not tense to begin with, was used to meeting Immortal Kings, and knew that Hun Yuan held no malice towards him. However, Wuji Immortal King’s gesture greatly boosted his confidence, stabilizing his steps.

"Wang Heng greets Uncle Hun Yuan and Senior Wuji," he saluted the two Immortal Kings with great respect.

"Hmm,” the Immortal Kings nodded in acknowledgment.

"I heard that you have evolved the Cave Heaven realm into a brand new direction through creation. Could you demonstrate it for us?" Hun Yuan spoke with a gentle smile, his tone amiable.

Hearing this, Wang Heng was flattered and surprised. An Immortal King engaging with him in such a manner really showed the level of importance attributed to him.

He hurriedly humbled himself, then activated the twelve celestial worlds, allowing the two Immortal Kings to observe.

The enormous primordial spirit world appeared like a nascent universe—mysterious and boundless. In contrast, the flesh celestial world and the ten external celestial worlds seemed much smaller, revolving around the primordial spirit like stars encircling the moon.