Perfect World: Dream of the Immortal Era

The young human who had struck down the prodigy of the Gemini Royal Clan did not stop there. Once more, he took action decisively, and with just a few punches, he killed another young prodigy from the royal clan.

Even though this royal youth had deployed the supreme immortal ancestral art, he still fell to blows from Heng Jin, his brains splattered and his spirit reduced to ashes.

The terrifying force of impact stained half the arena crimson with blood.

The elder seated beneath the protective bubble felt his heart skip, and the smile at his lips froze.

Slaying a single royal youth was enough to prove the enormous potential and extraordinary talent of the young human.

But to continue slaying the second, third, or even the fourth...

The nature and significance would transform drastically. Even the affluent War God Academy would feel the sting.

After all, if there were no surprises, these young royal prodigies were destined to enter War God Academy to further their training and become its cultivators.

If too many of these talented beings were killed, the overall strength of this cohort of Qi-Devouring stage practitioners would plummet, affecting the academy's ranking in the annual inter-dimensional academy competition, and thereby impacting the academy's reputation and resource distribution.

Thus, the elder of the War God Academy, sheltering beneath the bubble, could no longer tolerate the massacre initiated by Heng Jin. If allowed to continue, the caliber of this cohort's Qi-Devouring stage practitioners would be drastically diminished.

Just moments ago, he was muttering praises for Heng Jin's ruthless efficiency, yet now he hoped Heng Jin would lay down his "sword." Simultaneously, he also wished those opposing Heng Jin would recognize their limits and not be so stubborn—spouting off the moment they saw a human and losing their lives as a result.

As he contemplated, upheaval broke out once more without the arena. Yet another royal youth had fallen, meeting an end identical to that of the earlier Gemini youth, headless and only a torso remaining.

Owing to Heng Jin's formidable prowess now ingrained in people's minds, they could not help but attribute this to him, casting him as the prime suspect.

After all, the royal youths mostly knew each other and would not take such drastic actions unless there was a mortal enmity. Moreover, the strength gap between the royal youths was not significant, and given the rule of forbidding further action upon declaration of surrender, it was implausible for one to fall.

Only this mysteriously entered, enigmatic human youth seemed to break the mold, possessing the strength to slaughter royal youths of the same realm.

Hence, the answer seemed clear.

Witnessing the earlier warning given to the Gemini royal by the academy, the bearer of the headless body dared not utter threats, but quietly departed amidst the clamor.

"My heavens, that human youth has gone on a killing spree, slaying two royal prodigies in succession."

"Incredible—could this creature really be from the human race?"

"I have a premonition that this human will stir up monumental disturbances in future years."

...

Many voiced their evaluations and astonishment, expressing their shock. Yet, those who delivered their clan's prodigies for this selection were deeply unsettled and anxious.

They knew too well the temperament of their clan's prodigies—who viewed any human with condescension and scorn.

Encountering Heng Jin would inevitably lead to hasty remarks, resulting in their doom.

At this juncture, they could only hope for better fortune for their clan's prodigies, praying they would avoid such encounters.

Still, before long, more dire news circulated—a headless body was carried out, surfacing before everyone's eyes.

Menacing, cold, black armor emanated the aura of dark immortal gold. Undoubtedly, the armor worn by the headless body incorporated unparalleled immortal material, dark immortal gold, exceedingly extraordinary.

Yet, this still did not avert the tragedy; it could not save his life.

“Is this... the young master of the Night Clan?”

The onlookers were shocked, their hearts skipping a beat.

The reason was simple— the Night Clan had a formidable lineage, with an ancestor who was a quasi-immortal king, mighty beyond compare, and had hope of ascending further to become an immortal king. At that time, the Night Clan would transcend from a royal lineage to an imperial clan.

Now, the young master of this clan, a nascent immortal seed, had perished in the academy selection, which was undoubtedly a significant event.

“No need to guess, it must be the work of that Killing God.”

Someone spoke up, referring to Heng Jin as the “Killing God.”

Soon, the moniker “Killing God” spread like wildfire, even reaching the cultivators in the distant Blackwater City. They learned of a human youth in the War God Academy who had slain royal clan members, as if the Killing God had descended upon him.

A strong figure of the Night Clan stepped forward expressionlessly, eyes bloodshot, filled with threads of crimson, as they picked up the body of their young master and silently departed.

Despite their ancestor being a quasi-immortal king, they could not act recklessly in the War God Academy, for behind the academy stood a true immortal king, beyond challenge.

“The Night Clan's grievances are ineffable. According to reports, the youth was a rare atavist, inheriting the ancestral bloodline's power perfectly. Therefore, the Night Clan spared no expense in nurturing him, even appointing him as their young master, with a future bright beyond measure.

But who could have foreseen, he would ultimately fall in the selection?”

Foreign cultivators sighed collectively.

Should the Night Clan's young master have survived, his acceptance into the War God Academy was assured. Unfortunately, he was ill-fated, for he encountered Heng Jin.

The elder beneath the bubble now felt heartache and regret, for a prodigious talent had been lost just like that.

As he contemplated the upcoming rounds, he finally resolved to intervene.

“This can't go on.”

He murmured to himself.

Then, a projection of him leisurely rose and flew towards the inner sanctum of the War God Academy's mountain gate.

The immortal who had set up the bubble world had already returned after arranging it.

Now, if the elder wished to alter the selection process, he required this immortal's consent.

Deep within the War God Academy, in front of an immortal palace, the elder's projection approached step by step, bowing deeply towards the mist-shrouded palace.

“Greetings, Immortal Lord.”

“Hmm, the selection should still be ongoing. Is there an urgent matter that warrants your projection's presence?”

The dignified voice of the immortal emanated from within the palace, a vast, majestic force spreading outward.

“Reporting to the Immortal Lord, during this selection, there appeared a promising talent from the human clan, a rarity seen once in a million years, with potential to aspire to immortality.”

“Oh, a prodigious human talent? Certainly rare, but why have you come for this reason?”

The immortal queried with suspicion.

“Respectfully, Immortal Lord, this human youth... has already slain three royal prodigies, and the selection has several more rounds to go. This junior fears...”

The elder's projection paused.

Finally, the immortal grasped the situation, responding coldly, “You wish to alter the selection to have this human youth advance prematurely?”

“Indeed, in this way, we can prevent those with exceptional talents from perishing at his hands.

That young master of the Night Clan, since announcing his participation in this year's War God Academy selection, had been a candidate we eagerly anticipated, considered one of the strongest seeds in the Qi-Absorbing stage.

Yet, before he could truly join the academy, he fell in the arena, which is truly regrettable.”

The elder's projection responded.

Upon hearing this, the immortal within the palace did not immediately reply.

The appearance of an unparalleled prodigy who hasn't been seen in a million years, along with the slaying of three royal clan prodigies, all linked to one single human being, was indeed astonishing. Even he, an immortal, was momentarily rendered speechless.

After a long pause, he finally spoke, "Interesting, truly interesting. I must meet this human youth myself.

As for your suggestion to alter the selection process, don't even think about it. The rules were established at the founding of the Academy by none other than Lord Luo Mo, the Boundless Immortal King himself. It cannot be changed simply because a few royal prodigies met their demise.

I'll overlook your ignorance this once, since it's your first offense. But remember, if it happens again, you know the consequences."

The immortal's voice was cold, causing the elder's avatar to shudder involuntarily and promptly kneel with a salute.

"I acknowledge my mistake," the elder replied.

…

In the arena, a crisp and familiar breaking sound echoed—a skull being shattered, splattering the arena with red and white, like the bursting of a giant watermelon.

Heng Jin emerged, drenched in the hot blood, standing impassively as he watched the headless body collapse.

This marked the ninth opponent he had defeated. Including Zi Ye from the Zi Clan who had surrendered, he had participated in ten rounds in total.

Judging by the total number of participants in the Spirit Consumption selection, there should be approximately eleven rounds.

This meant he faced one last opponent.

Having slain nine, including four from the royal clan, three from great families, and two exceptionally gifted alien beings, Heng Jin was thoroughly satisfied with the spree. A new aura began to form around him.

With plenty of time ahead, the current struggle was merely part of the Spirit Consumption stage. There would be ample opportunities in the future, and thus, he was in no hurry.

While considering his next move, a flash of light heralded the arrival of a formidable being from across the battlefield.

In this final round, only the strong remained; the weak had no chance of advancing so far, thus Heng Jin was not surprised.

"A human?"

The being on the opposite side, upon seeing Heng Jin, exhibited a hint of surprise before quickly regaining composure, his face expressionless.

Unlike typical alien beings who resorted to immediate mockery or disdain, he merely observed Heng Jin's every move quietly.

From these observations, Heng Jin deduced that this opponent was anything but ordinary.

Before he could make a move or speak, the eight-armed being addressed him first.

"To have made it to this stage, your strength is certainly formidable. Luck cannot explain it alone.

I sense a strong desire to fight within you. Regardless of the outcome, we can meet again within the War God Academy. Hence, there is no need for a fight to the death.

How about we exchange a single bout, and the one who is overwhelmed admits defeat? They can then await the final resurrection challenge. What do you say?"

Heng Jin raised an eyebrow slightly at these words, somewhat intrigued.

Though striking a cheerful person is seldom justified, Heng Jin knew he must tread carefully if he wished to navigate the Otherworld successfully.

The eight-armed creature before him was calm yet formidable, and defeating it in an instant, particularly without allowing it to utter "I surrender," seemed challenging.

Therefore, forging alliances might be the wiser path.

Heng Jin nodded slightly and said, "Agreed. If those before had been as wise as you, their blood might not have stained the ground. It proves the old saying true: words can bring disaster."

The eight-armed youth felt a tremor of awe within upon hearing Heng Jin. Could this man have defeated all ten rounds of adversaries?

"Alright then, let's determine the victor with a single strike," he declared without delay. His eight robust arms began to rotate, mysterious symbols glowing brilliantly.

In the next moment, an enormous black vortex appeared, like a colossal black hole, threatening to devour everything. Merely gazing upon it induced vertigo, as if the world was spinning around him.

Moreover, behind the youth rose a massive, indistinct silhouette, akin to a towering humanoid entity, exuding supreme majesty that seemed to dominate all realms and transcend time itself.

Heng Jin's heart sank. Indeed, this eight-armed youth was no simple foe. The ancestral technique he displayed was formidable enough to pressure even Heng Jin.

Yet, Heng Jin's incompleteness in cultivation and lack of ultimate ancestral techniques meant he could only rely on his formidable physical prowess, unlike these Otherworld prodigies, each master of ancestral techniques.

Facing such terrifying ancestral arts, Heng Jin unleashed his full potential. Phantom dragons and phoenixes materialized, entwining around his fists, while a surge of vitality burst forth, making his strikes dazzlingly radiant and powerful, stagnating the very void itself.

"Such formidable physical strength…" the eight-armed youth gasped, astonished for the first time.

Unfathomably, against all calculations, a human possessed the bodily might to contend till the final round.

"Though your arcane power might be weak and not yet reaching full mastery, I will not hold back," he warned.

"Go ahead," Heng Jin replied with equanimity.

Then, the two prodigies charged at each other, unleashing their most spectacular strikes.

"Boom!"

Two figures were sent flying backward, each staggered a few steps.

Heng Jin's chest was bare, clothing shredded, revealing a vortex-like wound, stained with blood. It was his first injury since entering the selection.

The eight-armed youth fared worse, all eight arms broken at bizarre angles, some with bone piercing through flesh, blood streaming.

He gasped, looking at Heng Jin with intense respect, even a touch of reverence.

Although he wielded higher power and utilized supreme ancestral arts, connecting with the forces of heaven and earth, his adversary relied solely on raw physical strength, yet triumphed in their duel—a notion truly unfathomable.

"I admire your strength and concede defeat," he admitted.

"And you possess great courage as well. Who was the formidable figure behind you when you performed your ancestral art?" Heng Jin asked humbly.

Upon hearing the words, the young man with eight arms displayed a proud look, seemingly taking pride in the phantom before him.

“I come from the Eight-Armed Royal Clan. Originally, I was merely a descendant of the royal family, but fortunately, I possess one-quarter of the bloodline of Lord Luo Mo.”

“I see.”

Heng Jin realized, just as he had guessed; otherwise, it wouldn’t be possible for the other to harm him.

Do not underestimate that one-quarter bloodline; it is enough for a royal genius to undergo a qualitative transformation.

“Thank you for your guidance, friend. See you again at the War God Academy.” The Eight-Armed Youth straightened his fractured arm and cupped his hands towards Heng Jin.

Then, light flickered and converged towards Heng Jin, enveloping him. In the next moment, his vision blurred, and when it cleared again, he found himself before the mountain gate of the War God Academy.

Above the sky, fifty arenas floated, representing the final selection of fifty slots for the Essence Devourer Realm.

And from eleven rounds of selections, fifty beings emerged and stood upon the arenas, quietly waiting for their challengers.

After eleven rounds of battle, many beings were already battered and exhausted. thus, the War God Academy granted them time to recover before proceeding with the final selection.

Of course, some beings were overwhelmingly powerful, leading the group by a wide margin. Even after eleven battles, their faces remained unflushed, and their breath showed no signs of labor.

These individuals stood on the arenas, their eyes closed, appearing quite relaxed.

Heng Jin was among them, having already changed out of his tattered clothes, now dressed in an exotic style robe.

Among the foreign races, the human physique was notably small, making Heng Jin appear particularly frail.

However, the countless foreign cultivators below did not see him this way.

They were silent, with their eyes almost entirely focused on the arena where Heng Jin stood. The reason being simple: this human creature, akin to a great demon king, had created history today. Even in the selection rounds, he had slain four royal geniuses, including one immortal seed.

Such impressive achievements directly silenced those who belittled the humans, stopping them from speaking carelessly.

In a place like the foreign domain, there was admiration and submission to strength. Heng Jin, with his extraordinary record, naturally drew reverence and worship from a multitude of beings.

At this moment, Heng Jin felt a terrifying gaze descend upon him, as if he were being watched by a primordial beast, even his soul seemed to freeze.

But the next instant, this gaze softened, making him feel as though bathed in sunlight. Following the gaze, he saw the immortal who had previously cast out the bubble world.

The other smiled warmly and nodded at him, showing affirmation.

Heng Jin dared not be discourteous and immediately returned the gesture.

“Not bad, your talent is impressive and surprising. Perhaps, even for the Imperial Tribe beings, your talent is astonishing.

It's been a long time since I've seen a human with such high aptitude, so allow me a bias and keep you within the War God Academy.

Rest assured, our War God Academy will never let your talent go to waste. Cultivate well, and there will definitely be a day when you can aspire to the immortal.” The immortal’s voice echoed in Heng Jin’s ears.

He showed an expression of humbling delight before responding, “Thank you for your kindness, senior. As a junior, I, Heng Jin, will definitely contribute my part to the War God Academy.”

He understood what level his talent was at. What the immortal said was not an exaggeration. If he were handed over to the Imperial Tribe beings, he might very well be regarded as an equal, cultivating together with them.

However, at present, Heng Jin did not wish to get involved with the Immortal King. Being among the Imperial Tribe meant that the secret of his bloodline could be exposed at any time. It would be better to grow carefully at the War God Academy.

In the vast expanse of the immortal realm, a subtle disturbance rippled through the void. As if some primordial force had been awakened, its presence hinted at the gravity of the conflict unleashed within the human world.

The Boundless Immortal King stood on the edge of the celestial platform, his gaze fixed upon the distant skies. "The threads of fate have been woven anew," he murmured, contemplating the consequences of recent events. The emergence of talents such as Heng Jin, formidable enough to challenge the royal scions of foreign races, had begun to stir even those of the immortal echelon.

Somewhere deep within the War God Academy, whispers of these happenings reached the ears of the elders. An aura of anticipation mingled with caution hung over the halls, as scholars and practitioners alike speculated about the academy's future.

Meanwhile, beneath the sacred canopy of the human realm, an ethereal voice echoed. "Do not underestimate these young ones," it warned, drifting through the winds towards those who would deign to ignore the rise of such prodigies.

The Boundless Immortal King Luo Mo, known for his sagacity and aversion to hasty judgments, pondered the implications. "We must observe how their paths unfold." His words, though quiet, resounded with the weight of his authority.

Elsewhere, far from these contemplations, the attention of a great many beings from the four corners of the world was captured by a single name whispered across lands and seas—Heng Jin. A name that now carried with it a promise, and perhaps a challenge, to those who aimed for grandeur among the immortal ranks.

As eternal winds continued to sweep over verdant valleys and timeless peaks, a new chapter in the epic of immortals and mortals seemed poised to be inscribed.