Perfect World: Dream of the Immortal Era

“Is the source of this commotion known to you, Gu Benefactor? If it is some celestial artifact now in your possession, I shall say no more. Rest assured, our Ancient Monk lineage shall not covet the treasures of our esteemed guest.” At this moment, an elder monk spoke up.

He was a formidable Supreme, with a luminous halo behind his head and his entire being suffused with a rich Buddhistic light, exuding an aura of peace and serenity.

He appeared every bit the accomplished monk.

Gu Wudi was still in the stage of refining essence into qi, a minor cultivator, and a guest aboard this treasure ship filled with eminent monks. His speech naturally needed restraint, favoring truthfulness.

Of course, even if he lied, these monks might not discern it. After all, having become one with his essence, every particle of his ancient seed was under his control, revealing no flaws. Nevertheless, the Ancient Monk lineage was not to be underestimated; what if they had some unique method to distinguish truth from falsity, like the path of karma?

“Master, if I may speculate, the faint celestial light you witnessed was produced by me and not some buried celestial treasure on this island.

Just a moment ago, I was in seclusion, absorbing a strand of primordial celestial light, which greatly advanced my cultivation, manifesting a second strand of celestial qi. It's possible that in my obliviousness, a dazzling aura was inadvertently emitted, projecting beyond the island.

You must know, my acquisition of that primordial celestial light was the reason I was pursued to this place.”

As he spoke, Gu Wudi concentrated his thoughts, and two pure, potent strands of celestial qi emerged, weaving around him and casting him as a youthful true immortal.

The sight of these two pure celestial strands astonished everyone. The monks could sense the unfathomable depth of Gu Wudi's presence, exuding an aura as if detached from worldly existence, beyond mortal realms.

Even the young novice monks, who chanted sutras daily, with pure hearts and minds free of distractions, paled in comparison.

The ability to cultivate two strands of celestial qi testified to this youth's extraordinary innate talent. If achieved through his own strength, it was even more commendable; such a gift for cultivation was rare in the entire ancient world.

“I see, since this is the case, we shall depart immediately.” The celestial monk steering the ship didn't hesitate for a moment, opting for belief, though whether he truly trusted Gu Wudi or had already scoured the island’s reality with his mighty divine sense was unknown.

“Boom!”

The treasure ship turned around, braving colossal waves, setting course for the boundless ocean. The colossal “Buddha” inscription on its hull vibrated with light, the sound of sutras incessant, as a protective shield was activated to ward off the eerie qi drifting through the void.

“Two strands of celestial qi! The young benefactor is remarkable; I wonder which master taught him.

Hmm, the young benefactor’s cultivation level is rather peculiar. By rights, with two strands of celestial qi, he should be at least at the Dao Seed level, yet there isn’t even the sign of a budding Dao Seed, nor the root tendrils of a Dao Seed visible.”

“Strange, this humble monk cannot discern what ancient essence the benefactor has merged with.” Initially, the enlightened monk, who stood within the realm of Supremacy, refrained from probing Gu Wudi’s cultivation out of courtesy.

However, once the two strands of celestial aura emerged, he attempted to observe Gu Wudi's state, only to witness an incredible scene that sparked endless confusion in his heart.

All the monks, hearing these words, extended their spiritual senses, ultimately arriving at the same conclusion as the enlightened monk – they could not comprehend what realm Gu Wudi had attained.

At this moment, an experienced immortal monk gravely uttered, “Using oneself as the seed,” followed by a shocked gaze directed at Gu Wudi.

Among the celebrated talents of the Thirty-Three Heavens of the Primitive Ancient Realm, he was familiar with almost all names, yet none resonated with “Gu Wudi”. To speak bluntly, it was a name of no repute.

But who could have imagined that an obscure young man would unexpectedly master a path believed only theoretical, and moreover, manifest two strands of celestial aura? It was truly staggering.

“Using oneself as the seed?”

Among the monks, those elder ones who had heard of this blocked path widened their eyes in astonishment, looking at Gu Wudi with incredulity.

“You are correct, esteemed masters, the path I tread indeed involves using oneself as the seed.” Gu Wudi openly admitted.

Having decided to engage with the Ancient Monk lineage, this path would inevitably be uncovered by the monks; there was no need to conceal it.

Moreover, there was no longer a need for concealment, as he now possessed a backing worthy of reveal – that of an Immortal King. Thus, he feared no longer.

“Hiss!”

The elder monks exchanged glances, involuntarily drawing sharp breaths, feeling today's encounter to be surreal.

They were merely sailing the Lost Sea, by chance boarding a young man with ties to the Ancient Monk lineage on an island. Unexpectedly, this young man had traversed the legendary path of using oneself as the seed…

Were it not for the immortal monk Wu Zhen's confirmation that Gu Wudi was a normal cultivator, they would surely suspect him to be a manifestation of evil from the Lost Sea.

Indeed, the words “using oneself as the seed” bore tremendous weight.

Historical records of the Ancient Monk lineage detail that an immortal monk once explored the feasibility of this path. Naturally, the perfect ancient essences of heaven and earth were limited. With too many monks and too few resources, many talented cultivators could only rely on bestowals from elders. Such post-birth essences yielded limited accomplishments, and the method of path-essence had inherent flaws. Should one manage to use oneself as the seed, one would be unbound by the great paths of heaven and earth.

However, repeated failures led the immortal monk to abandon such attempts, as the price was too steep, claiming the lives of many prodigious monks of the lineage on this path.

In the end, the path was thought to be a dead end, a route to nowhere. But the appearance of Gu Wudi shattered that notion, revealing that using oneself as the seed was indeed a viable path.

"Remarkable! Gu Benefactor has accomplished what was thought impossible. His future achievements are unforeseeable," sighed the Supreme Monk, his eyes filled with admiration.

Around them, the enlightened monks were equally impressed, praising Gu Wudi's unprecedented accomplishments. As for the young monks and novices, they were puzzled, eagerly seeking explanations from their elders regarding using oneself as a seed.

The overseeing Monk Wuzhen approached Gu Wudi with kindness, casting aside any pretenses of seniority, treating Gu Wudi as an equal. After all, anyone who could navigate the path of using oneself as a seed and cultivate two celestial energies was destined to be at least a True Immortal, if not regarded as an Immortal King candidate. Moreover, Gu Wudi bore the blossom of Buddhist Dao, making him truly an affinity with the Ancient Monk lineage. This naturally brought Monk Wuzhen closer to him.

After a session of conversation, Monk Wuzhen realized Gu Wudi hailed from the famous Life Forbidden Zone within the Heavenly Realm - the Yin-Yang Cross Forbidden Land, as a disciple of its master. It was no wonder he was so extraordinary.

The other monks bore expressions of sudden understanding. They could never believe that an unknown, wandering practitioner could achieve such feats alone.

"The Yin-Yang Cross Forbidden Land... I remember it was once the center of attention in the Heavenly Realm for a long time, unmatched in glory.

"Master Ancestor Spirit, a powerful figure, often visited the forbidden zone, sharing a friendship with its master. However, when the Ancestor Spirit left the Ancient World, only then did the Yin-Yang Cross Forbidden Land grow silent."

Gu Wudi shook his head.

"No, just a supreme being. My master says that once outside the forbidden zone, everything must be achieved by oneself."

"I see," nodded Wuzhen.

Wuzhen then extended an invitation to Gu Wudi, asking him to visit the ancestral land of the Ancient Monk lineage, located near the fringes of the Heavenly Realm. Gu Wudi naturally did not refuse, accepting the invitation immediately.

If his guess was correct, the so-called ancestral land of the Ancient Monk lineage would one day become the Celestial Beast Forest.

Mount Sumeru is merely a distraction cast by the Ancient Monk lineage to draw attention. The true sacred ground lies at the edge of the Great Dao's borderlands.

It is there they forged the Reincarnation Pool and opened the Six Paths, aiming to craft a cycle of human reincarnation.

However, the creation of such a cycle inevitably touches upon issues of life, death, illness, and aging, potentially inviting criticism from the world. Therefore, the Ancient Monk lineage has always been very discreet about this endeavor.

The reason Gu Wudi is eager to go is because of the Reincarnation Pool.

In the past, a highly esteemed ancient monk claimed that if someone from the Ancient Monk lineage shed their own Buddha nature and entered the Reincarnation Pool for body forging without dying, they would be able to prove their path to Immortal Kinghood.

Eventually, someone did achieve this, proving their path and becoming renowned as the Sage-Immortal King in later generations.

As a result, the Reincarnation Pool became a test of quality for Immortal King candidates. Many cultivators yearn to replicate the unparalleled myth created by the Sage-Immortal King. However, it turns out that there is only one Sage-Immortal King; he is unique.

Gu Wudi has long been fascinated by the Reincarnation Pool and wishes to give it a try.

Furthermore, the Ancient Monk lineage holds a cosmic sage root—the Ancient Bodhi Tree. Meditating under this tree can lead to enlightenment. It is said that the Sage-Immortal King overcame his final hurdle beneath this Bodhi Tree to attain kinghood, adding to its legendary status.

Gu Wudi feels that if he is fortunate enough to achieve enlightenment under the Ancient Bodhi Tree, a significant advancement in cultivation is guaranteed.

The mysteries of the Bodhi Tree extend far beyond this. Legend tells that the endless ages of accumulated heritage, scriptures, and the repository of the Ancient Monk lineage are all engraved in the void connected by the Bodhi Tree. One can access supreme Buddhist teachings by using this ancient tree as a medium.

Such a treasure of opportunity is one not to be missed. As for whether he can obtain the opportunity, that is a matter to be decided once he arrives.

A flower of Buddha and Dao grows atop his head, signifying his affinity with the Ancient Monk lineage. He has cultivated a path using his body as the seed, backed by the Yin-Yang Crossed Forbidden Zone, so there should be no danger on this journey.

The world says that the ancient monks are compassionate, merciful to the world, not harming even an ant. This is indeed true, as most ancient monks are very kind. However, Gu Wudi knows that this lineage does not kill easily, but once they start, it results in a massacre of billions.

For instance, Amida from the later generations of

The ancient monks disembarked one by one from the ship, followed by Gu Wudi. Once everyone was ashore, Wu Zhen waved his hand, and with a gust of wind, the massive treasure ship vanished, tucked away into his sleeve.

Then, the group of ancient monks formed a long line, each with palms pressed together, as they marched deeper into the coastal area, heading directly towards the ancestral land of the Ancient Monk lineage.

Gu Wudi walked at the rear, among the young monks, fitting better with them than with the elder monks he had conversed with on the treasure ship.

“Gu Benefactor, have we met before?” Suddenly, a young monk walking behind Gu Wudi spoke up.

“I don’t think so. I was cultivating in the Forbidden Zone and only recently emerged. This is my first encounter with the monks of the Ancient Monk lineage.” Gu Wudi was startled internally, but maintained his composure outwardly.

“I feel as if we’ve seen each other somewhere,” Kongjue mused, frowning slightly and tilting his head in thought.

Gu Wudi took a few more glances at Kongjue. This young monk was different from the other novices; he had an innate spiritual wisdom, known among the ancient monks as intuitive root. Back when he was still Wang Heng, Gu Wudi had met Kongjue in the Purple Bamboo Forest. Now, meeting him again as spirit and mind detached, to feel this subtle connection was impressive.

This demonstrated Kongjue’s extraordinary nature. In time, he could grow to be a formidable immortal monk.

“Haha, perhaps it’s the flower of Buddha’s path above my head that seems familiar to you, friend. The world is vast, and I am not the only one fated to meet the ancient monks.” Gu Wudi intended to guide and simultaneously conceal.

Indeed, upon hearing this, Kongjue immediately thought of an unparalleled prodigy he had met at the South Sea Purple Bamboo Forest gathering of prodigies.

“Gu Benefactor is right; it is indeed the Buddhism flower. This humble monk once met a young prodigy who was impressive enough to remain unfazed after listening to the Sutra of Salvation.”

“The Sutra of Salvation? Is that your branch’s paramount scripture? That being is truly remarkable,” Gu Wudi feigned surprise.

“Yes, that benefactor was surnamed Wang, a celestial king’s progeny with unparalleled spiritual essence.” Kongjue reminisced with admiration.

“If Benefactor Wang were to embrace Buddhism and study our ancestral scripture, the Sutra of Salvation, with his spiritual essence, he could possibly enlighten all beings,” Kongjue said wistfully.

Gu Wudi felt stirred. Indeed, the Sutra of Salvation was a heavenly-defying method. An immortal monk king had used it to enlighten peerless fierce beasts like the White Jade Dragon Elephant and the Fearless Lion. If his divine self could obtain the Sutra of Salvation, its power would be unimaginable.

However, the Sutra of Salvation was the ancestral scripture of the Ancient Monk lineage, impossible for outsiders to obtain unless they shaved their heads and took vows.

Gu Wudi had no desire to become a monk; he was solely interested in the treasures, techniques, and methods of the Ancient Monk lineage.

After over ten days of arduous journeying, they finally neared their destination. This place bordered the Sacred Herb Mountain Range. In a vast circle of a million miles, it was lush with towering ancient trees, exuding vibrant life.

Looking at the scene before him, Gu Wudi couldn't help but have the words "Heavenly Beast Forest" flash through his mind. Of course, at this moment, there were no "Heavenly Beasts" here.