Perfect World: Dream of the Immortal Era

In this world, besides the offspring of the Wang family's Immortal King, is there any other being deserving of such an honor?

With seven Immortal Kings defending him, who would dare to touch Wang Heng? Not even a visiting Immortal King would dare.

Deeply moved, Wang Heng was momentarily stunned. His father had spoken of "protection," but not "safeguarding the way." The former referred to ensuring his safety, while the latter meant ensuring Wang Heng's ascension on his path to enlightenment—a far more significant commitment.

On his journey here, he had been pondering over the future grievances of the border tribes, hoping to lend a hand if he could; if not, then alas.

But now, with the seven great kings stepping up to safeguard his path, the outcome was an immense karmic bond. From now on, the affairs of the border tribes were no longer optional for him—they were his obligation.

Before the stunned Wang Heng could respond, the chaotic mist atop the low mountain billowed, the light of the Grand Dao bursting forth.

From within the chaos, seven imposing figures stepped out, standing before him.

They were the Seven Kings, the founders of the seven most powerful tribes among the border clans. To defend their homeland from foreign invasion and desecration, these seven had fought side by side through countless epochs, forging deep bonds akin to brothers not of the same blood.

At this moment, the Seven Kings stood in front of Wang Heng, like seven lofty mountains of chaos—awe-inspiring and grand. And yet, they did not bring a sense of oppressive weight, but rather an unparalleled sense of safety.

Imagine an Immortal King planning to hinder Wang Heng's path, only to find him backed by not one but seven Kings. Would the Immortal King not pause, sheathe his weapon, and reconsider whether confrontation was wise?

"Child, you are Daoist Wang's child," an authoritative figure stepped forward, engulfed in flames, vermilion wings spread wide, holding a golden bone—that was the Vermilion Bird King, the progenitor of the Vermilion Bird Clan. "From now on, we are your uncles; you can call me Uncle Zhu."

"Uncle Zhu…"

Wang Heng murmured, prompting laughter from the Vermilion Bird King, who reached out to pat his shoulder.

"Haha, good! In the future, should anyone dare harm you, just mention my name—claim you are the Vermilion Bird King's nephew.

If they still do not retreat, your Uncle Zhu will ensure they find no burial place."

His booming voice reverberated, causing the void to hum. The other six kings were accustomed to his temperament, as were the nearby True Immortals.

"No need to scare the child," a gentle voice interjected. The Stone Clan Progenitor stepped forward, glancing at the Vermilion Bird King. "He speaks rather bluntly; but do not mind it. He might be straightforward, but his words hold true. From now on, you are our nephew, no matter where you go, or whom you face, remember you have seven uncles backing you."

He turned to Wang Heng, speaking earnestly.

"I am your Uncle Shi."

Stone King smiled warmly, having treated Wang Heng as his own nephew since deciding to safeguard his path.

“That's right, I am your Uncle Mu!”

“And I am your Uncle Qing!”

“And I'm your Uncle Bai!”

...

The other five kings followed suit, introducing themselves to make it easier for Wang Heng to address them.

At this moment, Wang Heng felt an overwhelming sense of happiness. What kind of hidden card could be more powerful than having seven immortal king uncles? With the protection of the Seven Kings, he would be a welcomed guest wherever he went. Even if someone harbored enmity towards him, they wouldn't dare to show it openly. This alliance provided Wang Heng with unrivaled support for his solitary journey to the Immortal Realm.

“Since it's our first meeting, we don't have much to offer as presents. Here, take these trinkets and make sure to cultivate well. Don't tarnish your father's prestige,” spoke the Stone King, pointing his finger. A stream of light flew forth, hovering before Wang Heng's chest.

It was a collection of divine medicines, comparable to those growing around the ancient tree of longevity in the Wang family's Immortal King Herbal Garden. Vibrant with spirituality and potent medicinal power, all of them were related to the soul. Stone King evidently perceived Wang Heng's extraordinary talent in the area of the soul, which prompted the gift of these precious herbs.

In addition, there were many soul-related items, some long lost to the world, existing only in legend. It was an impressive and substantial gift, leaving the true immortals onlooking wide-eyed in awe. They realized their ancestors weren't merely speaking when they talked of “recognizing a nephew”; it was a sincere and tangible recognition.

Seeing the Stone King present his gift, the other kings were keen not to be outdone, piling up a dazzling array of rare medicines and immortal materials. A flood of warmth surged through Wang Heng's heart. He didn’t engage in the usual polite refusals but instead performed the junior’s courtesy, expressing his gratitude. In that moment, he truly saw the Seven Kings as his uncles.

Subsequently, the Seven Kings engaged in conversation with Wang Heng, showing great interest in his future. Upon learning that he had overcome the dark curse and forged his own path with his father’s help, the kings’ eyes sparkled knowingly, understanding that this matter was personal to Wang Heng and refrained from further probing.

They then inquired about Wang Heng’s future plans and destinations, receiving an answer that surprised them.

“The Immortal Realm? You intend to follow the path of that realm’s system?”

“The Dao Seed method is not weaker than the Immortal Realm's system; however, having been affected by the Origin Blood Curse, your Dao seed may also have faced tribulations.”

"There isn't a perfect ancient seed suited for me, so it's indeed not advisable to pursue the Path of the Dao Seed anymore," sighed the Stone King, roughly guessing the cause and effect.

"Unfortunately, we don't have a suitable seed for you here either. The perfect ancient seeds we found have long been merged with others," said the Mu-named King, shaking his head.

"Uncles, you don't need to worry. For your nephew, it’s the same wherever I go.

The path of cultivation in the Immortal Realm has produced many powerful Immortal Kings, it's immensely glorious and I have long admired it. This trip, I aim to witness it firsthand."

"Very well. The laws of the Immortal Realm are extensive and profound, with a long history and significant origin. You can indeed achieve your Dao there.

However, going to the Immortal Realm is far more dangerous than cultivating in the Primordial Ancient World. Even though we may deter others, there's no certainty that some Immortal King won't take a risk against you, and within that realm, there are Immortal Kings with whom we have past grudges.

If you go to that world, you must act cautiously," said the Bai-named King solemnly.

Wang Heng nodded earnestly. Unless in utmost necessity, he wouldn't invoke the names of the Seven Kings. A large tree is desirable, but it also invites the wind; everything has its dual aspects.

"The Wuzhong, Six Paths, and various ancient clans will soon be arriving in this city to confer the title of kingship on the border tribes. This is an illustrious event, a monument-worthy occurrence in an era. You should stay in the city and wait until the conferment ends before entering the Immortal Realm.

As far as I know, there’s an Immortal King acquaintance also heading to the Immortal Realm and can take you along," said the Stone King.

Wang Heng saw no reason to refuse, though he wondered about the identity of the Immortal King who was heading to the Immortal Realm as mentioned by the Stone King.

"Senior, has the Stone Clan's Shi Jintian returned? I once had a brief encounter with him in the Purple Bamboo Forest of the South Sea."

"Oh? Does King Anlan know Jintian? That would indeed be Jintian's fortune.

After the border battle ended, he returned and is currently in the Imperial City. We will arrange for him to meet King Anlan later," a True Immortal of the Stone Clan responded.

Hearing this, Wang Heng smiled and nodded.

This time, he did not modestly refuse or decline anything. Addressing and referring to Immortal Kings as uncles was appropriate in terms of hierarchy, as he was senior to Shi Jintian by countless generations. In the eyes of the True Immortals, this was a meeting with an elder.

Soon, Wang Heng followed several True Immortals to his temporary residence, a magnificent Immortal Palace exuding the aura of the Great Dao, grand and extraordinary.

Not far away, several similarly grandiose Immortal palaces stood, more than just one.

Learning that such a level of palace was meant for hosting Immortal King guests, Wang Heng felt overwhelmed by the honor, insisting he didn't need to reside in such a palace and any other would suffice.

However, the True Immortals firmly requested him to enter, leaving Wang Heng no choice but to reside in this grand Immortal Palace.

Entering the Celestial Palace, an overwhelming sense of ancient history washes over him, as if traversing a long river of time. The sculptures along the way record significant past events of the border imperial city.

The ancient stone carvings, with their rough textures, speak volumes of the primitive yet glorious eras they represent.

As Wang Heng moved forward, he was so engrossed in the intricacies of these tales that he only snapped back to reality when he reached the end of the palace.

By then, the True Immortal had already departed, leaving behind a jade plaque. Should Wang Heng have any need, he need only activate the plaque, and the True Immortal would arrive.

Wang Heng marveled at this extraordinary privilege, "A True Immortal at one's beck and call... This is truly dreamlike."

All of this was due to his father’s influence. At this point in time, without Wang Geng, what would Wang Heng truly be?

He then proceeded to the meditative practice ground, settling down on a divine wooden mat with closed eyes, contemplating the future cultivation path of his "divine" body.

Naturally, the system to pursue was that of the Immortal Realm. Although Wang Heng had not yet delved deeply into its teachings, through the Perfect World, he could roughly envision the direction of this system.

When Shi Hao crossed worlds to confront the Rain God, he entered a depleted universe, where a seal barred a gateway, believed to be a return path for a creature meant to partake in some reckoning, where there was also a deity from the Immortal Realm.

He informed Shi Hao that the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were already in a lawless age. Strictly speaking, the laws passed down there originated from the Immortal Realm, suggesting that the Immortal Realm’s laws are akin to those of the present world. However, given the Immortal Realm's vast expanse and wealth of talents, prodigies often emerge, initiating changes and forging new paths.

This causes certain domains within the system to constantly evolve, birthing new branches. Yet fundamentally, it remains a single path within the system, not pioneering a new cultivation system.

Only the Secret Territory Method of Shi Hao truly opened up a new system.

The so-called "pioneering new paths" by Immortal Realm prodigies likely resembled Shi Hao’s method of merging the Ten Caverns into one.

In essence, the Immortal Realm system would not feel too foreign. Currently, it is the mid-stage of the Ancient Immortal Era, whereas the dissemination of the Immortal Realm's laws to the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths occurred at the end of this era.

Meaning, the present Immortal Realm's laws would take another half epoch to evolve into the chaos era's present world laws, establishing a chronological precedent.

By Shi Hao’s rise, the Immortal Realm laws had transformed again, "upgrading" on the foundation of Blood Changing, Cavern Heavens... to embark on new paths. Yet, regardless of alterations, they never strayed from their foundational roots, a base created by a group of previous generation pioneers.

Developing a new system entails numerous hardships and tribulations, unbearable for ordinary beings. It must be known that the crude framework of the Immortal Realm system was devised by a collective of Immortal Kings, who barely survived their trials. The difficulty is imaginable.

Of course, all these are merely Wang Heng's speculations. The truth can only be verified upon reaching the Immortal Realm.

If Wang Heng’s conjecture holds, then the present world laws of the chaos era might offer him foresight and preemption.

Just as Wang Heng pondered over the Immortal Realm system, a young voice suddenly emanated from within the jade plaque.

"Shi Jintian from the Stone Clan comes to pay respects to the King Ancestor."

Wang Heng snapped back to reality and immediately followed the instructions given by the True Immortal, opening the grand doors of the Celestial Palace.

A dozen breaths later, a young man clad in golden armor strode in with confidence.

Seeing Wang Heng seated on the meditation mat, the young man in golden armor beamed with joy and approached to pay his respects.

"Shi Jintian pays homage to the King Ancestor."

Wang Heng rose swiftly from the meditation mat and helped Shi Jintian to his feet.

"When we met at the Purple Bamboo Forest in the South Sea, we talked at length and felt like old friends. Why do you appear so distant now that we meet again?" Wang Heng quipped with a smile.

Though contemporaries in age and mindset, Wang Heng preferred the company of his peers over acting like an old hermit.

Sensing that Wang Heng's tone was as it had been during the grand meeting at the Purple Bamboo Forest, Shi Jintian relaxed noticeably.

With a chuckle, he responded, "King Ancestor may not know, but upon entering, the True Immortal Ancestor of our clan repeatedly cautioned me not to be disrespectful to you.

Now, you are like an uncle to our ancestor, many generations apart from me."

He spoke with a hint of envy; as a young leader of the Stone Clan, his meetings with the progenitor were few and far between, unlike Wang Heng's familial closeness.

"The environment of our birth is beyond our control. Though I am older in lineage, in our pursuit of the Way, we walk together."

Shi Jintian nodded, filled with emotion. Among the many Celestial Princes, few shared Wang Heng's humility.

The two sat by the stone table, recounting their experiences since parting at the Purple Bamboo Forest.

"King Ancestor, is it true about the destruction of the Wang Family's Celestial Residence?" Shi Jintian inquired.

"Yes, the Wang Family's Celestial Residence is now a thing of the past, gone to dust and ashes," Wang Heng confirmed.

"My condolences," Shi Jintian offered with a sigh of sympathy.

The collapse of a grand Celestial Residence overnight would weigh heavily on anyone.

"Look forward. As long as my father and I live, the Wang family of the ancient realm endures."